# When did 68 degrees become the normal room temperature? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 8, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201 "2012-02-08T16:09:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![maisoui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@maisoui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maisoui)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/41 "2012-02-09T13:33:20Z")
I worked for years in the service department of an office equipment company. It was 68 degrees in the office all the time, because the showroom (where the sales folk would bring prospective customers to see the different models) was also in the building. We were told that the office equipment worked best at that temperature. It wouldn’t do to have the photocopiers jamming while the customers were trying them out… :0) Where I currently work, it is warmer in the office in the winter, and too cold in the summer, so they are paying extra all year round to make us uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/42 "2012-02-09T14:56:07Z")
When my dad was alive, he kept the house cranked up around 74 in the winter. I was always miserably hot, and when I went to bed, would open my window and turn on a fan. Now that I have control of the thermostat, I usually keep it about 65 in the winter, but if I have been outside and gotten chilled, I’ll turn it up to 68 till I warm up. When I go to bed, I turn it down to 62. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/43 "2012-02-09T20:33:07Z")
I think it’s due to the rising cost of energy and the fact that many people have heat pumps that don’t heat that well below 40 degrees or so. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/44 "2012-02-09T20:43:05Z")
We have no heat in our office to speak of. In the winter (such as it is in San Jose), the ambient temperature hovers around 60 degrees. If you want to be warm, you need to bring in a space heater. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/45 "2012-02-09T21:44:39Z")
> [@SecondJudith](#): > > I agree with the people who like having a slightly colder ‘normal’ temperature (which is what 68 degrees F seems to be) - it’s a lot easier to layer up when it’s chilly than it is to take off layers when it’s too hot, especially in office/business settings. > > I also hate it when buildings crank up the heat in the middle of winter! There are limits to how much you can “put on” in a professional setting. I run a bit cold, and I am absolutely miserable in my office with long undies under my dress pants and a solid suit jacket. I’m still shaky-cold. If I don’t think I’ll have important visitors, I can get away with using my outerwear jacket as a lap blanket. But there are limits- I can’t very well wear a beanie or gloves at my desk. Anyway, I like it toasty in the winter. We didn’t spend 10,000 years of human history learning how to build houses just to sit around freezing our asses off as if we were still outside. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Nene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/da6949/32.png) [@El\_Nene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Nene)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/46 "2012-02-09T21:55:10Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > so people tend to crank the A/C up to eleven and then just leave it there. That’s what I do. I’ve turned the heat on for maybe three days this “winter”. Four if you count the time I did it to make sure I still knew how. We keep our joint on the chilly side year round. We have two parrots that would normally live in warm weather climates. They don’t seem to mind cold either. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/47 "2012-02-09T21:57:59Z")
> [@randomface](#): > > My office is set to 72 during the winter and 74 during the summer. That’s exactly what my office is set at, but the heat never quite gets there so in the winter it’s usually about… 68. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/48 "2012-02-10T16:59:50Z")
When I was growing up my mother was frugal with the heat and A/C keeping the house at 62 or 64 in the winter and 80 in the summer. Now that I’m paying the bills I keep it at 71 in the winter and 78 in the summer, round the clock. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/49 "2012-02-10T22:30:05Z")
Maybe it’s because we’re all fatter these days. We have more insulation. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/50 "2012-02-10T23:25:10Z")
I keep my house 74 degrees in the winter and 76 in the summer. I always have chilled very easily. I hate the cold. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/51 "2012-02-11T02:55:04Z")
I’m not comfortable at the same temperature in the winter vs. the summer. When it’s cold outside, I get chilled easily and need it warmer inside, and when it’s hot outside, I’m easily overheated and need it cool inside. So I set it at 74 in the winter and 70 in the summer (my apartment comes with utilities included, so it doesn’t cost me more). I guess my body’s overly affected by external temps. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/52 "2012-02-11T02:56:56Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > I’m not comfortable at the same temperature in the winter vs. the summer. If your house is like mine, it is a lot lower in humidity in the winter than summer. That affects our perception of temperature and comfort. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/53 "2012-02-11T04:00:33Z")
> [@brainstall](#): > > It became the norm for me when I started having to pay the gas bill to heat the underinsulated house I live in. Same for me, except it’s oil. It used to cost me $275 to fill my tank. Now it costs $700. 68? That’s a heat wave in my house. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/54 "2012-02-12T22:23:53Z")
> [@randomface](#): > > My office is set to 72 during the winter and 74 during the summer. My house is set to 65. My parents’ house was always set to 74. I don’t think 68 is as universal as you think it is. I somewhat disagree with this. When the idea of energy conservation was new (believe it or not, in the olden days people didn’t care about it as much as they do today) there use to be PSAs announcing how you could just lower winter temp to 68 and wear a sweater, or wear short sleeve light clothing in the summer and move the thermostat up to at least 72 to save more money and energy. ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/55 "2012-02-12T23:34:07Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > That really bugs me; it should be the opposite. People dress for the season and room temperatures should take that into account. In the winter I’ll wear warm clothes, and then when I go into a store and it’s really warm I’ll start sweating. In the summer, I’ll wear shorts and a t-shirt because it’s hot outside, and I’ll be sweating, and then I’ll go into a cold store and freeze my ass off. Yeah. I can’t wear a wool blazer to the office in the winter because it’s too hot, and I can’t wear short sleeves to the office in the summer because it’s too cold. Something is wrong there! My parents set their thermostat to 74, but their house never feels that warm. Something about that house is just _cold_. Even in the summer, they rarely have to turn on their AC. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/56 "2012-02-12T23:44:42Z")
I don’t know exactly when it happened, but I do know that, ironically, it’s making my blood boil! ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/57 "2012-02-13T00:23:17Z")
In full business attire or sweatin’ to the oldies, 68 works. In full no-bacon-frying attire I choose 78. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/58 "2012-02-13T00:56:27Z")
I go for 66 deg in the winter, with the heat shut off between 10PM and 6AM. At worst, it will get down to 55 at night where I live. I’d rather be a bit on the cool side, wearing a sweat shirt. In summer, I try not use A/C unless it’s really hot, and again I turn it off at night. If the A/C is on, it’s set to 75 deg upstairs and 73 deg downstairs. The downstairs stays pretty cool no matter what. But I live in CA, and we have very mild weather, and it usually cools off nicely at night during the summer. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/59 "2012-02-13T05:00:53Z")
I don’t have a thermostat (I have baseboard heaters in each room, with separate controls) and need to get a thermometer, but I know 68F is too warm for me except for in the bathroom. I like it chilly. Heck, it’s a bit warm in here right now, but I have the heat on as low as it goes and I know if I turn it off I’ll forget about it until it gets so chilly in here that the heaters kick themselves back on, which is at something like 45F, which even for me, is too cold for indoors. I was born for winter. I hate heat, natural or artificial. My office was roasting last week to the point where sitting at my cubicle I started sweating. While sitting. Not cool, in any sense of the word. I don’t complain about the cold until it gets into single digits. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201/60 "2012-02-13T06:31:24Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > We have no heat in our office to speak of. In the winter (such as it is in San Jose), the ambient temperature hovers around 60 degrees. If you want to be warm, you need to bring in a space heater. Whatr kind of building do you work in? Most space heaters are against fire codes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-68-degrees-become-the-normal-room-temperature/612201.md?page=4)