House Feels Cold At 70-73 Degrees? 7 Common Reasons (Explained)

In most countries located in continental climate zones or those with four seasons, a temperature of 70 to 73 degrees (20 to 21 degrees Celsius) can be considered pleasant. In fact, this is considered to be room temperature.

If you’re used to this kind of temperature, then you shouldn’t feel cold.

But what if your house feels cold even though it is just 70 to 73 degrees outside? Could there be something wrong with your house? We’ve checked, and here’s what we’ve found out.

Listed below are the 7 common reasons why your house feels cold at 70 to 73 degrees:

Poor Insulation

Poor insulation allows heat to flow from the inside of the house to the outdoors.

If the house has inadequate insulation, heat can easily pass through different surfaces, such as walls, floors, or the roof. This will cause a significant drop in temperature inside the house.

If the house feels cold, you will need to turn up the heating equipment more often than necessary, increasing your heating bills.

When heat passes through walls, floors, and the roof, it becomes difficult to keep a certain level of warmth inside the house, and it becomes uncomfortably cold. The house’s interiors end up feeling cold even though the actual temperature outside is pleasant.

Poor insulation in the house lets heat out while allowing cold air to enter, which makes the house feel colder than it’s supposed to be.

Ensure your house is always well-insulated to prevent this and avoid high heating bills.

The House has a Draft

Drafts let cold air enter the house and travel through different rooms, making it feel colder than it should be.

This is caused by different sources of air leakage in the house.

Your house can get drafty if gaps and cracks are under the doors or around the windows. These openings allow cold air to enter and lower the temperature inside the house.

This can create uncomfortable living conditions.

In addition, drafts can cause the humidity levels inside the house to increase, making the air feel colder than it is. Cold air can carry moisture as it circulates the house, which, in turn, can make the interiors feel damp and cold.

To prevent drafts, make sure to seal gaps and cracks under the doors and around the windows. Check for any openings in the walls and use weatherstripping or caulking to close them.

Poor Air Circulation

If air does not circulate properly inside the house, then it wouldn’t be evenly distributed. The air would become stagnant and make the house feel cold.

With poor air circulation, air can become trapped in certain areas of the house, leading to uneven temperatures. This will also create pockets of cold air.

Good air circulation is essential for having a consistent and comfortable temperature inside the house. When air circulates properly, warm air is distributed evenly in all rooms and areas of the house.

Additionally, poor air circulation can also cause an increase in the humidity levels indoors. This can make the air feel colder than it should be, and this is all because humid air feels colder compared to dry air.

You can improve air circulation in your house and avoid feeling cold by ensuring that air vents are not blocked by anything and that the air filters are not clogged.

You can also add fans to help distribute air evenly throughout the house.

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High Humidity Levels

Inadequate ventilation and poor air circulation can cause the humidity levels to rise and make the house feel cold.

Another common cause of rising humidity levels is water leaks. These can come from broken pipes, roofs, or windows. These can also come from malfunctioning appliances like refrigerators and washers.

Water leaks can increase humidity levels inside the house and cause it to feel cold even though it’s 70 to 73 degrees outside.

Other things that can cause an increase in the humidity levels indoors are activities like cooking, showering, washing clothes, and cleaning.

Always ensure proper ventilation and air circulation to prevent cold temperatures inside the house caused by high humidity levels.

If you can, it would also be helpful to get a dehumidifier. This will help maintain a normal level of humidity inside the house.

Damage to House Structure

Damages in the house’s structure create entry points for cold air to enter and warm air to escape, causing the house to feel colder than it should.

Termites, birds, rodents, and other pests often cause damage to the house structure. These damages can also be caused by excess moisture leading to metal corrosion and wood rot.

To prevent this, always make sure to do regular checks on the structure of your house. This is so you can catch early signs of damage and get it fixed as soon as possible.

You can also take preventive measures, such as installing vapor barriers to protect wooden materials in the structure and keep them from rotting.

If you suspect that there are pests in the house, hire a pest control service to get rid of them.

The Thermostat is Not Centrally Located

The placement of the thermostat in your house can also affect how warm or cold it feels.

This is important because the thermostat is placed in an area that has abnormally colder or warmer temperatures compared to the rest of the house, and then it may not accurately display the temperature inside.

For example, suppose the thermostat is placed too close to the ceiling, where it is generally warmer.

In that case, it will display inaccurate temperature, and you’d make adjustments that make the house feel colder than it should be.

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Malfunctioning HVAC System

If you have an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system, your house may feel cold at 70 to 73 degrees if it’s not functioning properly.

HVAC systems can malfunction if there are broken thermostats, clogged air filters, damaged pilot lights, worn-out wires, or other components that may be broken.

To prevent this, it’s always best to hire an HVAC technician to do regular maintenance work and repairs on your HVAC system to ensure it always runs smoothly.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know why your house may feel cold at 70 to 73 degrees, you’d already know what to do when it happens.

To prevent it, you must ensure that your house is properly insulated and well-ventilated and that there’s good air circulation. You must also ensure that humidity levels stay normal.

Lastly, you must regularly check your house for any damages or if there’s anything that can damage it, such as water leakage or pests, and check your HVAC system to see if all components are in good condition so that it’s always functioning as expected.

It may be tedious and costly to get your house regularly checked and maintained, but it’s definitely worth it so that you and your family get to live in it comfortably.

Sources:

Why Is My House So Cold? (10 Reasons And How To Fix)

Here’s Why You’re Cold Inside Your House

Top 5 Reasons Why Your House Is Cold And How To Fix It