Hi there, while a cooler environment (68-72F) may be a bit easier to manage, 80F should still work fine. Just keep in mind that fermentation tends to happen a bit faster under warmer conditions, so once the starter is rising predictably you'll want to line up your feedings close to when it's at its peak of rising, rather than letting it fall significantly between feedings. This will help keep the yeast vigorous. You can read more about how to adjust your feeding routine for a warmer environment in this blog post. 

You may notice that your starter rises dramatically early on in the creation process, but this is due to a type of bacteria that gives off carbon dioxide rather than true yeast activity. Lately I've been experimenting with more of a wait-and-see approach to starter development (based on the advice of microbiologist and sourdough baker, Debra Wink). You can read about her process here. In her experiment, she stirs the starter each day, but delays the second feeding until the starter thins out considerably and grows "quiet" (no bacterial growth for 24 hours). This usually happens about 72-96 hours after the first feeding. While Debra Wink incorporates flowers in this particular experiment, it's important to note that her flour/water "control" activated equally well with the delayed approach, and I have used her method (minus the flowers) several times to create successful starters.

The thinking behind this alternative process is that it's important to develop a certain amount of acidity in the starter in order for the yeast to kick in, and sometimes feeding too much too soon can actually delay this from happening. Riding out the early bacterial growth and stirring each day allows the starter to develop the proper level of acidity, while preventing mold growth. Stirring each day is critical, and I would also recommend covering the starter container with a lid or plastic wrap, so the surface of the starter doesn't dry out. In Wink's experiment she ends up with a 1:5:5 (starter:water:flour, by weight) feeding routine for maintenance, which sounds about right when your home is as warm as it is now. 

I've tried Wink's method both at cooler temperatures and with my proof box set at 80F, and it worked under both temperature conditions, so I would encourage you to give it a try, using the amounts of water/flour recommended in her post. 

I hope this works well for you! Let us know how it goes. 

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