19 °C or 20 °C: The Best Temperature for Heating Your Home

For years, one almost magical number has shaped how homes are heated: 19 °C.

Yet the reality indoors is far less straightforward.

Amid official campaigns, rising energy bills and increasingly unpredictable winters, the familiar 19 °C recommendation is still repeated like a mantra. However, energy and thermal-comfort specialists are beginning to challenge this rule. A difference of one degree can alter far more than expected - both how warm you feel and what you pay at the end of the month.

Where the 19 °C rule came from

The idea of keeping a home at 19 °C did not emerge by chance. It arose during the energy crisis of the 1970s, when European governments encouraged substantial reductions in energy use to lessen dependence on fossil fuels.

The 19 °C target became a symbol: low enough to save energy, yet - in theory - high enough to prevent people feeling cold. The issue is that the figure was designed as an average benchmark, rather than an unbreakable universal rule.

“A single ‘ideal’ temperature for everyone is more of a political shortcut than a physical truth about thermal comfort.”

Decades later, homes have changed, heating systems have advanced and the climate has shifted. Even so, the official advice has remained almost unchanged, often overlooking regional, construction and lifestyle differences.

Why 19 °C does not suit every home

Thermal comfort is not simply the number shown on a thermostat. It is what the body actually feels, and that depends on several factors that 19 °C cannot account for.

• Thermal insulation: in older properties with single-glazed windows and draughts, cold air enters easily while heat escapes quickly. In practice, 19 °C on the thermometer can feel like 17 °C to the body.
• Air humidity: very dry air can make people feel cold even at relatively high temperatures. Excessive humidity, meanwhile, causes discomfort and mould.
• Activity level: someone working from home while seated all day requires more warmth than someone who is moving around.
• Clothing: sitting on the sofa in a thin T-shirt is not the same as wearing a warm sweatshirt and thick socks.

For that reason, two homes with the same heating setting may provide residents with entirely different experiences.

20 °C as a new comfort benchmark

In recent years, several domestic climate-control specialists have increasingly identified 20 °C as a more realistic range for balancing comfort and consumption. The change may appear slight - just 1 °C - but its everyday effect is very noticeable.

“For many families, 20 °C is the difference between ‘bearable with a coat on’ and ‘genuinely comfortable’.”

What changes between 19 °C and 20 °C

• A more stable thermal sensation: at 20 °C, fewer people report chills when sitting still on the sofa or working at a computer.
• Less conflict at home: those who feel colder no longer have to battle with people who prefer to save money at any cost.
• A manageable impact on bills: with good draught-proofing and properly controlled heating, the additional energy use may be lower than expected.

The good news is that technology can help. Smart thermostats, thermostatic radiator valves and occupancy sensors make it possible to maintain 20 °C only where and when it genuinely makes sense.

The same temperature in every room? Absolutely not

Another widespread myth is that the entire home should be heated to the same temperature. This is usually comfortable for almost no one and costly for everyone.

Different rooms require different temperatures. A heating-zones strategy generally works better.

Room	Recommended range	Main purpose
Living rooms and home offices	19–20 °C	Lasting comfort during light activity
Bedrooms	16–18 °C	Quality sleep and savings
Bathroom (while in use)	21–22 °C	Avoid thermal shock when leaving the bath or shower
Hallways and rarely used areas	15–17 °C	Protect against damp without overspending

This zoning approach directs spending towards spaces where it brings a genuine benefit, instead of heating almost empty square metres.

How to maintain 20 °C without sending your energy bill soaring

Raising the benchmark temperature does not mean accepting uncontrolled electricity or gas bills. Managing warmth depends on daily habits and small structural improvements.

• Improve draught-proofing: checking windows, doors and frames with inexpensive sealing strips can already reduce draughts.
• Look after the building fabric: the roof, walls and floor account for a large share of heat loss. Even partial work, such as insulating only the loft, has a visible effect.
• Use a programmable thermostat: scheduling a lower temperature when everyone is out or asleep prevents needless heating.
• Make use of the sun: keeping curtains open during the day and closing them as soon as evening falls gives windows a “coat”.
• Keep the system clean: bled radiators, replaced filters and serviced boilers deliver more heat while using less energy.

“In practice, a well-adjusted home can stay at 20 °C while using less energy than another that is poorly draught-proofed and stuck at 19 °C.”

When 19 °C may be too low

Not every body responds to cold in the same way. In some cases, 19 °C stops being guidance and becomes a risk.

Some groups tend to be more vulnerable:

• Older people: they have greater difficulty regulating their own body temperature and feel cold more intensely and for longer.
• Young children: they lose heat quickly and rely on adults to adjust the environment and their clothing.
• People with chronic conditions: respiratory, cardiovascular and rheumatic problems tend to worsen in cold settings.

In homes where these groups live, maintaining 20 °C in areas used for extended periods is not a luxury. It is an added layer of health protection.

Savings, comfort and health: the achievable balance

Talking about raising the reference temperature often triggers an immediate concern: “it will be expensive”. But the bill does not depend only on the thermostat setting; it also reflects the whole picture: insulation, usage times, property size, heating-system type and even the habit of leaving windows slightly open in winter.

A quick comparison makes this easier to see. Imagine two identical flats:

• In the first, the resident keeps the temperature fixed at 19 °C all day, including when they are out. The windows are old, the curtains thin and the radiators full of air. There is little control and plenty of waste.
• In the second, the resident programmes 20 °C only for the evening and early morning. They use a thermostat, close doors, improve window draught-proofing and keep the equipment properly maintained.

It is not difficult to predict which of the two will pay less, even with 1 °C extra during the key hours. How temperature is managed throughout the day matters just as much as the number selected.

A few concepts worth understanding

Thermal comfort is not merely the absence of cold. It is the point at which the body does not have to “fight” to maintain its internal temperature. Once this balance is reached, the body uses less energy, relaxes and even sleep quality improves.

Thermal inertia, meanwhile, is a building’s ability to store and release heat gradually. Solid walls, for instance, warm up slowly but retain heat for longer. In places with good thermal inertia, allowing the temperature to fluctuate too much during the day may be less beneficial than keeping it at a slightly higher, steady level.

In practice, adjusting heating is almost an ongoing household experiment. It is worth trying nearby ranges, observing how the body responds, monitoring bills over a few months and making corrections. The old 19 °C rule was useful as a starting point, but it no longer has to determine on its own how you get through winter.