somo_chickenlady Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 (edited) We keep it at 67, and our room is cooler than the rest of the house, and I still sweat to death at night. I would love it set at 55, and if that was too cold I would add a blanket. I don't find 67 to be cold at all during the day. I'm usually in a tshirt and pants, sometimes shorts. lol The only time I'm cold is when I first wake up. Edited November 9, 2012 by somo_chickenlady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Ok, I'm curious to those who keep it in the low 60s during the winter, your winters can't be that bad...right? Ugh, I think I'd die. It gets so bitterly cold and that literally makes me feel angry when I'm so cold. :iagree: We go from 72-74 depending. You aren't alone. I hate being cold and won't let my kids get cold. I had no idea people toughed it out and wore coats and blankets in the house. To me it's like enough food... a basic mom instinct to keep the kids fed and warm. Maybe we are just more apt to get cold. Anything below about 68 and I would be miserable the whole time. Nope. :iagree: That's where we keep ours, and I make no apologies. I freeze to death everywhere else I go. I can at least be comfortable in my own home without having to wear a Snuggie at all times. ;) :iagree: Ours is at 70 24/7 right now. As the days get colder we'll probably up it to 72-74. I hate being cold. I refuse to have to wear gloves in my own house. I don't mind wearing a sweatshirt and a pair of socks, but no I'm not going to put on 3 pairs of socks with slippers, 3 shirts and a sweater and a pair of flannel lined pants with long johns and sit under a blanket pumping hot chocolate in through an IV just to make it bearable to be in my own home. I understand for some this is truly a money issue and I get that, but for me my $350/month bill at the height of winter is worth it to be comfortable. My in laws keep it so cold in there house that I've actually cried myself to sleep while wearing two pairs of pajama pants, 2 shirts, one hooded sweatshirt, gloves, 2 pairs of socks and a hat. While under 3 blankets. My nose was blue when I woke up and I looked like death warmed over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kari C in SC Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I have had it at 66 at night this year and 68 during the day. That is 2 degrees lower than we did last year and everyone seems fine. We do all have heated waterbeds which makes me wonder if I could even let it go a bit lower at night. I wish I had gotten a programmable thermostat when we replaced it - so I could warm it up before we got out of our heated beds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 (edited) Ok, I'm curious to those who keep it in the low 60s during the winter, your winters can't be that bad...right? Ugh, I think I'd die. It gets so bitterly cold and that literally makes me feel angry when I'm so cold. In winter in the house I normally wear a camisole, top, fleece, lined jeans, wool socks and slippers. It feels cosy at 55 degrees F if you are dressed well. Laura Edited November 9, 2012 by Laura Corin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Woods Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 69. On the bitter cold days I usually do bursts of 72. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elm in NJ Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 68 during the day (sometimes 70), 63 at night( I usually turn to up to 65). I just came through 8 days of no electricity from Sandy and the daytime temperatures in the house were 59 in the day and it dropped to 54 at night. we almost died. At night I had on 3 thick sweaters plus a t shirt and 2 sweatpants to sleep in with 2 socks. During the day, 2 thick sweaters. we were so cold. There is no way I'll think my thermostat that low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briansmama Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Great thread- we moved from a warm climate where it was 72 ALL that time to one where there are freezing temps at night through June. I'm still learning how to set our thermostat. This house is larger than we've ever had before and has the best insulation (we came from a 1960s beach house to a newer mountain house). We have two thermostats- upstairs and down. Our living space and master bed are on the first level and the dc rooms are on the second, with our homeschool room on the third. I set both to 64 at night (when we go to bed) and 68 during the day, but after reading here Im considering upping the second level to 65 or 66 for the dc. my youngest usually kicks his covers off and he has a lingering cough right now that just won't quit. But otherwise, no one in my house ever complains about being cold. We also run our gas fireplace a lot in the mornings. I agree with others who said they refuse to wear mittens and hats in their own home. My hands get very cold, so I can't go lower than 68 during the day. It's good to know that others here keep the heat on higher if they can. I may do that when it gets colder here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freesia Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 66-69 during the day. It depends on how cold I am feeling. 64 at night. Although after surviving the cold during the power outage we are thinking we could lower it more at night. I've always kept the kids at 62 at night. However, during the outage they all slept fine even though it got down to 55. Me, however. . . . I'll stay with 68. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freesia Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I now have a programmable thermostat, and I have to say, I'm quite fond of it. It magically sets itself! So it can start warming up the house before you get out of bed. I don't think they're very expensive and typically do reduce energy costs. Not as much as drastically lowering your thermostat setting, obviously, but it's an idea, anyhow. Yes, we have one of these for our living area zone. I love it. I think they cost about $70. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 :iagree: :iagree: :iagree: Ours is at 70 24/7 right now. As the days get colder we'll probably up it to 72-74. I hate being cold. I refuse to have to wear gloves in my own house. I don't mind wearing a sweatshirt and a pair of socks, but no I'm not going to put on 3 pairs of socks with slippers, 3 shirts and a sweater and a pair of flannel lined pants with long johns and sit under a blanket pumping hot chocolate in through an IV just to make it bearable to be in my own home. I understand for some this is truly a money issue and I get that, but for me my $350/month bill at the height of winter is worth it to be comfortable. My in laws keep it so cold in there house that I've actually cried myself to sleep while wearing two pairs of pajama pants, 2 shirts, one hooded sweatshirt, gloves, 2 pairs of socks and a hat. While under 3 blankets. My nose was blue when I woke up and I looked like death warmed over. If my family were miserable like this, I would not keep our house as low as we do. The thought of you having trouble sleeping at your in laws makes me so sad!!! I would never do that to my family or my house guests. In winter in the house I normally wear a camisole, top, fleece, lined jeans, wool socks and slippers. It feels cosy at 55 degrees F if you are dressed well. Laura Yes! We all dress for the 60 degrees. Well, I do. My kids aren't bothered by it at all! I'm chilly sometimes. I wear at least three layers on top - tank, long sleeved shirt, sweater (or fleece). Pants. Wool socks and shoes. I am comfortable in those if I'm moving around. If I sit at the computer, I'll often throw a blanket over my lap. No biggie. At night, I wear long pajama pants, socks, a long sleeved tee and sometimes a sweatshirt. I put a lot of blankets on. My kids sleep in sleeping bags and are quite comfy at 55. BUT, if my kids were cold and miserable, I'd turn it up in a heartbeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 68/day 66-67/night I forgot to turn the thermostat down last night and I woke up sweating at 3am! I had to get up and turn the heat down. I think I could move the thermostat on down to 64 at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyCrazyMama Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 We don't' have a programmable thermostat and keep ours set at 70 around the clock, sometimes I bump it up when I get cold. I seem to get cold easily. If I've been sitting I tease the kids by putting my hands on their back, my hands get like ice. I joke that when I sit my blood stops pumping! I try to turn it down to 68 sometimes but even with layers and thermals on I will get cold, I don't think I should have to resort to coats, hats and gloves. Even at 70 I need layers, sweaters and sometimes a jacket. Did I mention I love summer, 80 degrees is my favorite.:D (Until DH thinks he needs the AC :glare:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in CA Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 69 or 70. Never lower. I grew up in a house that was 64 degrees all winter long. I always said it was so cold in my house you could hang meat inside and it would stay fresh. I walked around in a coat for months on end and went to sleep bundled up like a homeless women. People would look strangely at my brother who always answered the door wrapped in a blanket. My parents thought it was perfect and they even slept with a window open. :confused: When I go to visit my mother she raises the heat several degrees before I get there. :001_smile: LOL, this is us :-) 62 day, 53 or so night ... we all use hot water bottles in our beds at night, and space heaters in the rooms. People think we're crazy. I go barefoot (around the house) all winter. If we bump the heat up to *gasp* 65 or 66 when we have visitors, we all get sweaty :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 67 here, but we have a drafty old house and we all still layer and have heaps of blankets at night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 55 at night is normal for us. It's never bothered any of us, but we each shower before we go to bed and I think that makes a huge difference because we're warm when we get in bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie in NJ Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 55 to 60 at the highest. Maybe that is why we were fine sleeping here during the power outage, we were toasty in bed. However during the day, it was a bone chilling damp cold so we had to spend the days places with heat. I grew up in a 100 year old house in North Texas that did not have heat. We had a huge stove in what I guess would now be called a family room that heated up the entire downstairs. We had a door at the bottom of the stairs to keep the heat downstairs and we all slept fine in the unheated upstairs bedrooms. We did have a space heater in the bathroom. Maybe that is why I have always done fine sleeping in the cold. I wear flannel pjs , we all have flannel sheets and lots of blankets. No one in this house would dare wear shorts in the winter lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSOchristie Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 We keep it 65 during the day and 62 at night. Sweet P has a space heater in her room that keeps it around 70. My kids wear normal clothes and socks during the day, and never complain about being cold. If they did, I would bump the heat up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 63 night/67 daytime. i'm in north florida though, so it isn't terribly cold here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 70 day/ 69 night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 OMG. I think we have ours at 73-74 during the day, and maybe 70 at night. LOL. Poor dh thinks I am crazy but he lets me do it. Sometimes I nudge it up a degree if I get a chill. When we were childless, we had it colder at night and slept with a big fluffy down comforter. That is actually really cozy. BUT, now I am older, and my poor bladder makes me get up at night, or a child or dog, and I don't really want to get out of bed at 2 AM in 60 degrees, let alone 55! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reflections Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 60 during the day. Kids are in short sleeved shirts!!! At night lower. 56, I think. We use a lot of blankets. But we love cold sleeping rooms here. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Right now it is 63 night/66 day. Sometimes I bump it up to 68 during the day. Usually I adjust it lower as the winter goes on. I sleep better when it is cooler and when the sun is shining it feels cozy at 66 during the day. We will see how this year goes with the new baby though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking Squirrels Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 About 70, around the clock. I get cold easily and it makes me miserable. The only thing I like about winter is turning on the heater. And we have a baby. I'm always worried about her getting cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 We go from 72-74 depending. You aren't alone. I hate being cold and won't let my kids get cold. I had no idea people toughed it out and wore coats and blankets in the house. To me it's like enough food... a basic mom instinct to keep the kids fed and warm. Maybe we are just more apt to get cold. Anything below about 68 and I would be miserable the whole time. Nope. That's where we keep ours, and I make no apologies. I freeze to death everywhere else I go. I can at least be comfortable in my own home without having to wear a Snuggie at all times. ;) Ours is at 70 24/7 right now. As the days get colder we'll probably up it to 72-74. I hate being cold. I refuse to have to wear gloves in my own house. I don't mind wearing a sweatshirt and a pair of socks, but no I'm not going to put on 3 pairs of socks with slippers, 3 shirts and a sweater and a pair of flannel lined pants with long johns and sit under a blanket pumping hot chocolate in through an IV just to make it bearable to be in my own home. I understand for some this is truly a money issue and I get that, but for me my $350/month bill at the height of winter is worth it to be comfortable. My in laws keep it so cold in there house that I've actually cried myself to sleep while wearing two pairs of pajama pants, 2 shirts, one hooded sweatshirt, gloves, 2 pairs of socks and a hat. While under 3 blankets. My nose was blue when I woke up and I looked like death warmed over. I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'm really shocked at how low some people keep their thermostat, I don't know how you all stand it. I get cold easily though. I do understand the money component, I guess we are lucky because we have never paid more than $250 for a heating bill, but we've always lived in smallish homes (1600 sq ft has been our biggest home). I worry about the kids and babies at night because they don't ever stay under their blankets and I just can't keep track of 3-4 layers of clothes for 6+ kids. I also don't want to be freezing in my own house, I guess we all have different cold thresholds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Ok, I'm curious to those who keep it in the low 60s during the winter, your winters can't be that bad...right? Ugh, I think I'd die. It gets so bitterly cold and that literally makes me feel angry when I'm so cold. I can take a few days of cold, but after that I need to be able to warm up occasionally or I get very cranky. We are in Ohio. It gets bitter cold here but we cope. I just can't handle the electric bill if we set the temp any higher. If we had better windows I would probably drop the temp even more. If you touch one of our windows in winter you are likely to get frostbite. :001_smile: It gets cold here? We were hoping the weather here would be better than the last few places we've lived. This might be a long winter. :lol: In winter in the house I normally wear a camisole, top, fleece, lined jeans, wool socks and slippers. It feels cosy at 55 degrees F if you are dressed well. Laura Kind of like I mentioned at the top about being cold for a few days, I can't wear this much clothing for more than a few days without wanting to jump out of my skin. I've certainly done it plenty, but it makes me very irritable to always be wearing so many layers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 65 during the day...60 at night. I prefer it to be cool and just wear more clothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I'm getting chills reading y'all's temps. I get cold during the day when it is at 66 and can't get the chill off even with a wool sweater. I couldn't imagine night time temps below 65. Seriously, you don't feel COLD??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 It gets cold here? We were hoping the weather here would be better than the last few places we've lived. This might be a long winter. :lol: I have had people surprised by the fact that not only does in get cold in Ohio but that it snows too. :confused: Maybe they think Ohio is a little further south than it actually is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Mine is set at 71 during the day and 68 at night. Even at that, I'm having trouble with feeling cold. I sleep in long sleeve/pant pajamas under a double thick fleece throw, sheet, quilt, and wool blanket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5LittleMonkeys Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 I told my dh that the consensus on the forum was low 60's. He said, "Well, we must follow the recommendations of the Hive." :lol::tongue_smilie: I guess he knows better than to mess with the bees! It's warmed up here so we won't be able to test that out for awhile yet, but I think we will compromise at 60 during the night and see where that leads us. I tend to get hot when I sleep so I don't think it will bother me...it will depend on the kids, mostly dd3. Thanks for everyone's input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamatohaleybug Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 We set ours in the mid 50s at night and it's never been a problem. We prefer it cold while we're sleeping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappyhappymama Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I think I should have married some of you guys! :D We are going on 20 years of thermostat wars in our house. I honestly think that, financial imperatives aside, the "normal" inside temperature has a lot to do with how you grew up. We go from 72-74 depending. You aren't alone. I hate being cold and won't let my kids get cold. I had no idea people toughed it out and wore coats and blankets in the house. To me it's like enough food... a basic mom instinct to keep the kids fed and warm. Maybe we are just more apt to get cold. Anything below about 68 and I would be miserable the whole time. Nope. This is my husband. Except that he thinks he is FREEZING if I turn the thermostat below 72. He thinks that in winter the house should have a cozy warm feeling. But since we live in TX, oftentimes the daytime temperature is in the 70's, so to get that feeling, he jacks up the thermostat to 75!!! He does this every morning before work (from the 70-72 I have it set on), which drives me nuts because then I wake up sweating and then the house stays too warm all day. We have similar issues with AC in the summer. A lot of this has to do with growing up poor and feeling too cold or warm in his home. So he grew up promising himself that he would never feel uncomfortable in his own home. I on the other hand grew up in a house where AC and heat went off at night. I actually love the feeling of a cold room at night and snuggling under quilts to sleep and the crisp feeling of the room when waking. Unfortunately, I rarely get to experience that feeling now and usually sleep with no covering at all. I'd prefer 70 in the day and 65-67 at night, but that's never going to happen in our house. It is crazy to me that even my dream/frugal temps would be extravagant to many of you! We are fortunate to have gas heat though, which is relatively inexpensive. I win more of the temp wars in the summer because electric AC is way more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 (edited) We set the thermostats at around 74 degrees, year round. I can't stand to be cold in the winter, and my dh can't stand to be hot in the summer! I feel chilled to the bone if it's cold in the house. I was surprised to read that so many people keep the house so cold in the winter -- is it a budget consideration, or are you really comfortable in a 60-something degree house? We rarely even use our second house, and I still keep the thermostat at 71 degrees, which seemed low to me. It never dawned on me to lower it more than that. Edited November 10, 2012 by Catwoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 (edited) In winter in the house I normally wear a camisole, top, fleece, lined jeans, wool socks and slippers. It feels cosy at 55 degrees F if you are dressed well. :iagree: There are places in the world, including first world nations, that do not have central heating. Most people in NZ heat room by room. It is much cheaper and fuel efficient! We run no heaters at night and we live in a solid concrete house with no insulation, so it does get cold. If we get a "Southerly" (meaning from Antarctica), my ds's room can drop to about 48 in the winter. The solution is hats and hot water bottles. My children are perfectly warm and I check on them every night. Hats and hot water bottles go very very far to reducing the need for heat at night, and thus reducing your heating costs. My mom told me that as a child her parents threw a wool blanket over the curtains for insulation. So I might try that next winter (we are currently heading into summer.) The rest of the house stays at about 52 to 55 at night, and I am lucky if I can get individual rooms up to 65 during the day in the winter. The solution is wool clothing and long johns. If it is a particularly cold day, I keep the insulated curtains closed and turn on the lights. When I taught high school here in NZ, the heaters were only on for the first hour of school. The students all came with fingerless gloves and hats and scarves. Just what was done. Ruth in NZ Edited November 10, 2012 by lewelma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Kind of like I mentioned at the top about being cold for a few days, I can't wear this much clothing for more than a few days without wanting to jump out of my skin. I've certainly done it plenty, but it makes me very irritable to always be wearing so many layers. The result seemed to be that - in general - people who had grown up wearing layers indoors in winter found it comfortable and cosy, whereas people who had not found it restrictive. I grew up in five storeys of underheated Georgian house - definitely sweater country. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I was surprised to read that so many people keep the house so cold in the winter -- is it a budget consideration, or are you really comfortable in a 60-something degree house? We rarely even use our second house, and I still keep the thermostat at 71 degrees, which seemed low to me. It never dawned on me to lower it more than that. I've always lived in cool houses (except when I was being tortured in Hong Kong) and it feels comfortable to me. As I mentioned above, we have a wood stove, so the public areas, where we sit still, are heated to a higher temperature on cold days. 55 is where the bedrooms stay, however. Budget? Well this year we are on 13 degrees C, whereas last year we were on 15. All too low for you, but each drop in temperature by a degree is supposed to save £50 a year. That's worthwhile for us at the moment. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I was surprised to read that so many people keep the house so cold in the winter -- is it a budget consideration, or are you really comfortable in a 60-something degree house? We rarely even use our second house, and I still keep the thermostat at 71 degrees, which seemed low to me. It never dawned on me to lower it more than that. New Zealanders often wonder at photos of conferences in the winter where all the delegates are in shorts and t-shirts, or the reverse of everyone in long sleeves and trousers in the summer. When they travel to the USA, they come back horror struck by the waste. Freezing cold cinemas in the summer, super hot restaurants in the winter. They think it's nuts and very very wasteful. Their approach is to dress for the weather. If that means 5 layers, well, then you wear 5 layers. Ruth in NZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 (edited) New Zealanders often wonder at photos of conferences in the winter where all the delegates are in shorts and t-shirts, or the reverse of everyone in long sleeves and trousers in the summer. When they travel to the USA, they come back horror struck by the waste. I arrived with normal nice winter garb: turtle necks to go with pretty, thick pinafores/jumpers or corduroy trousers, tights/thick socks and boots. They set their heat to 70 degrees F. Every photo of me that Christmas has my face bright red: I was sweltering. I often think that keeping it so warm inside forms a barrier to going outside to get fresh air and exercise. Today it's around 5 degrees C outside. Because I was already well-dressed for indoors, all I had to do was throw on a Land's End Squall and some boots to be ready to take the dog for a brisk walk. If I'd been in very light indoor wear, it would have felt like a big palaver to get ready to go out. Laura Edited November 10, 2012 by Laura Corin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Ours is about 60 at night, maybe 63-65 during the day. I prefer it cold and we just wear robes & slippers. MIL keeps hers at 75. :svengo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I would seriously sweat to death if my house was warmer than 68 at night! My kids sleep better when it is cooler too :). I find too much heat stifling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Keep in mind we're in Florida. So, I readily acknowledge our idea of "cold" is different from that of other folks. Last winter was our first in this house, and I had the thermostat set at 64 around the clock. I tried going lower, but the rest of the family complained. When it does get chilly, I wear extra layers. My husband has a bad back and finds cold physically painful, which is one of the reasons we moved to FL in the first place. So, there's a limit to how far I can push it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Ok, I'm curious to those who keep it in the low 60s during the winter, your winters can't be that bad...right? Ugh, I think I'd die. It gets so bitterly cold and that literally makes me feel angry when I'm so cold. I'm not sure why it would make a difference? I mean, if the house is 64 degrees, it just is, right? It doesn't matter how cold it is outside? For what it's worth, we lived in the NE for a decade or so before moving down here, and I kept the thermostat set about the same as we do now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I understand for some this is truly a money issue and I get that, but for me my $350/month bill at the height of winter is worth it to be comfortable. For me, it's not just a matter of money but of environmental impact. I grew up in Southern California in the 1970s, and we had lessons drilled into us about conserving resources by raising the thermostat during summer and lowering it during the winter that I don't think I will ever manage to outgrow or leave behind. It feels immoral to me to "waste" energy when it's so easy to put on an extra sweater. I'm not saying I'm right. I haven't done any meaningful research on this in years. I'm just saying I, personally, can't handle the guilt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I have had people surprised by the fact that not only does in get cold in Ohio but that it snows too. :confused: Maybe they think Ohio is a little further south than it actually is? Haha, well it's further north than other places we've lived also, but it is slightly further south than the last place we lived. It's much further south than where we lived in New York. I was thinking more about the annual temperatures and snowfall though. I just checked the monthly averages on weather.com to allay my fears. The average high in December here is 10 degrees higher than it was in NY, and 4 or 5 degrees higher than it was in PA. Phew! The result seemed to be that - in general - people who had grown up wearing layers indoors in winter found it comfortable and cosy, whereas people who had not found it restrictive. I grew up in five storeys of underheated Georgian house - definitely sweater country. Laura Hmmm. I remember spending most of my childhood winters bundled up all the time. I've gotten more sensitive to other things like background noise as I've gotten older too, so it might just be a weird sensory issue. I can lay under a huge heavy mound of blankets quite comfortably, but wearing a lot of clothing pressing up against me inside a closed up house makes me very touchy. I'm less uncomfortable doing it outside. It's probably not a normal reaction to something as basic as wearing clothing. :001_huh: Our last house didn't have central heat though. Every room had a door and its own thermostat for electric baseboards. It would often be in the 40s in the kitchen when I came down in the morning. I'd run a space heater and drink my coffee until the sun hit that side of the house and it was warm enough for me to feel human again. I grew up in one of those cities that you always see on the news because they get three feet of snow in a weekend. I don't know when I turned so soft. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I grew up in an apartment that had centrally controlled heat (the landlords controlled it) and since we were the last apartment on the row, we often had ice in the toilets in the morning. That's absolutely miserable when you get out of a nice warm shower. We keep our thermostat at 66 degrees now. Prior to the past few months, I would be wearing hoodies in the house at 70 degrees. Now I sometimes wear a hoody but sometimes I'm warm. I know some of it has to do with hormones, but some also has to do with drafts and the point at which the furnace kicks back on. We have an extremely drafty house with very poor insulation. All the windows have insulating curtains which helps a lot. I can't take it too cold. I have a wrist that is very painful if I get too cold, to the point I occasionally wear fingerless gloves in the house. If I have to bundle up past pants, hoody and socks, I would have dh turn up the thermostat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paceofnature Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 We keep ours at 63 during the day and 58 at night. Everyone here loves to bundle up with blankets at night and have never complained about being chilly while sleeping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I keep ours around 74 and that's with us wearing layers. Seriously, right now it's at 74 and I'm in sweats and bundled in a blanket. :tongue_smilie: There is no way I could keep it in the 60s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Well thank goodness I'm not the only one! We keep it at 70 and that's a sacrifice. Though the heat doesn't seem to make it upstairs so we sleep in 66-67 degrees. I can't function if I'm cold. It's my hands more than anything and there's no way to fix that inside! I'm not cleaning the kitchen and teaching school with gloves on! In summer I'm good with 80 for the AC...perfectly happy :) Brownie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southcarolinamom Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 60 at night, 64 during the day .... we use a fireplace and candles to "supplement. " :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAIMOM Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 My dh wants to set our thermostat to 55 at night to try to save money on our heating costs. I'm a little concerned about it being that cold for the kids. What do you all think? When we were first married we lived in the church that hired my DH. They only had heat F-Sun so we had a kerosene heater to warm our rooms to 55. It was very cold. I slept with covers over my head ( i hate anything over my face) because it was just so cold for my nose. I also slept in thermal underware and sweats and I believe I eventually got an electric blanket to warm my bed before I got it. It can be done but I have to say>>>> 55 is pretty cold if you do not have to. I know the Germans have sleep blankets for the kids...think a sleeping bag with shoulders to keep the blanket from sliding off the kids. I am making something like that for my youngest DD this year. She is complaining she is always cold and keeps kicking her blankets off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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