diff --git a/esphome/components/remote_base/nec_protocol.cpp b/esphome/components/remote_base/nec_protocol.cpp
index 79a30903a4..47b4d676dd 100644
--- a/esphome/components/remote_base/nec_protocol.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/remote_base/nec_protocol.cpp
@@ -17,14 +17,14 @@ void NECProtocol::encode(RemoteTransmitData *dst, const NECData &data) {
   dst->set_carrier_frequency(38000);
 
   dst->item(HEADER_HIGH_US, HEADER_LOW_US);
-  for (uint32_t mask = 1UL << 15; mask; mask >>= 1) {
+  for (uint16_t mask = 1; mask; mask <<= 1) {
     if (data.address & mask)
       dst->item(BIT_HIGH_US, BIT_ONE_LOW_US);
     else
       dst->item(BIT_HIGH_US, BIT_ZERO_LOW_US);
   }
 
-  for (uint32_t mask = 1UL << 15; mask; mask >>= 1) {
+  for (uint16_t mask = 1; mask; mask <<= 1) {
     if (data.command & mask)
       dst->item(BIT_HIGH_US, BIT_ONE_LOW_US);
     else
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ optional<NECData> NECProtocol::decode(RemoteReceiveData src) {
   if (!src.expect_item(HEADER_HIGH_US, HEADER_LOW_US))
     return {};
 
-  for (uint32_t mask = 1UL << 15; mask != 0; mask >>= 1) {
+  for (uint16_t mask = 1; mask; mask <<= 1) {
     if (src.expect_item(BIT_HIGH_US, BIT_ONE_LOW_US)) {
       data.address |= mask;
     } else if (src.expect_item(BIT_HIGH_US, BIT_ZERO_LOW_US)) {
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ optional<NECData> NECProtocol::decode(RemoteReceiveData src) {
     }
   }
 
-  for (uint32_t mask = 1UL << 15; mask != 0; mask >>= 1) {
+  for (uint16_t mask = 1; mask; mask <<= 1) {
     if (src.expect_item(BIT_HIGH_US, BIT_ONE_LOW_US)) {
       data.command |= mask;
     } else if (src.expect_item(BIT_HIGH_US, BIT_ZERO_LOW_US)) {