Room temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit
20–22 °C = 68–72 °F
In homes and offices "room temperature" means roughly 20 to 22 °C, or 68 to 72 °F. Scientists are more precise and use a fixed value: 25 °C (298.15 K) is the standard ambient temperature in chemistry, while many lab and engineering references use 20 °C.
Indoor and everyday temperatures
| Setting | °C | °F | K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freezer (FDA) | −18 | −0.4 | 255.15 |
| Fridge, upper limit (FSA) | 5 | 41 | 278.15 |
| Cellar / wine storage | 12 | 53.6 | 285.15 |
| Cool bedroom | 16 | 60.8 | 289.15 |
| Bedroom (often recommended for sleep) | 18 | 64.4 | 291.15 |
| Typical living room | 21 | 69.8 | 294.15 |
| Lab "room temperature" (many references) | 20 | 68 | 293.15 |
| Standard ambient (IUPAC, chemistry) | 25 | 77 | 298.15 |
| Hot summer day | 30 | 86 | 303.15 |
| Heatwave | 38 | 100.4 | 311.15 |
Fridge and freezer figures: UK Food Standards Agency and US Food and Drug Administration guidance. Standard ambient temperature: IUPAC.
Questions
What is room temperature in Celsius?
Around 20 to 22 °C (68 to 72 °F) in everyday use. In science, "standard ambient" temperature is 25 °C (298.15 K), and many lab references use 20 °C.
What is 20 °C in Fahrenheit?
20 °C is exactly 68 °F.
What should a fridge and freezer be set to?
The UK Food Standards Agency advises keeping a fridge at 5 °C or below; the US FDA advises 40 °F (4 °C) or below for fridges and 0 °F (−18 °C) for freezers.