Learning to live with your little differences is the key to building a successful relationship and a happy family life. This may mean dealing with a loved one snoring, making compromises on spending and determining meals that all family members will enjoy eating. However, one of the most difficult things to agree one can often be temperature. After all, there are two factors at work—comfort and cost. Keep in mind the following tips to help you find the temperature that will work best for you and the other members of your family.
- While every person is different, men generally like cooler temperatures than women do. If both genders can realize the differences that the other feels, it may make it easier to come up with a compromise.
- If something doesn’t feel “right”, maybe your thermostat is broken. Have your thermostat checked to make sure the control system is working properly. It could be that what you think is 68 degrees is actually 65 degrees—which could make it even harder for you to come up with a compromise.
- When there are kids in the house, setting the temperature a little warmer may be necessary. Kids often don’t have as much body fat so they might need a little more heat (or less air conditioning) than adults will require.
- If it seems like family members simply cannot compromise on temperatures, it may be time to rearrange furniture. It could be that one family member is directly under a heating vent and another has a fan blowing on them—switching this up could make a big difference in the comfort level of everyone involved.
- It is generally easier to add clothing than take it away, so choosing a cooler compromise temperature may make sense. Then, if one or more family members are a bit cold, they can bundle up with heavy clothing or a blanket.
- You will likely not have your temperature set on the same number in summer and winter. Generally, you will want to set your summer temperatures a bit warmer than in winter. This is more of a money-saving measure than anything else.
- Remember that the temperature may not need to be as warm at night as in the daytime. When everyone is asleep and under blankets, there is no need to crank the heat up quite as high. This can be a great way to save a bit of money on your utility costs. You can also consider replacing your current thermostat with a programmable thermostat that will allow you to adjust for each of these days/times accordingly.
As you can see, there is a lot to think about when you try to decide what temperature to set your thermostat. It will likely take some trial and error to find the temperature that keeps the majority of the family happiest. Unfortunately, often times once you find that perfect temperature, the weather will changes and the process begins all over again.
