How cold outside before turning on the heater?

[MyBlueLobsters]

This is such a tricky time of year! Tonight it's supposed to get to 42 here, but then be back up into the upper 50's to 60 tomorrow, but back into the 70's later in the week. It's gonna be chilly tonight, but I just can't see turning on the heater! We usually let it get consistantly in the low 40's or upper 30's before we turn on the heater....what about you??

[katalaska]

I say this because if the temperatures are lower and the sun is out, we can get away with not turning on the heat for longer. However, if the temperatures drop AND the sun isn't shining, it is much cooler in the house.

 

I tend to go more by how I (we) feel and how many layers of clothes we're having to put on. I actually turned on the heat a few weeks ago because we had the carpets cleaned during the time it did nothing but rain for three days and we were freezing to death. The air conditioning has been on since then.

 

Dh has told me a couple of times that we need the extra blanket on the bed. I'm sure we'll be turning on the heat soon!

[PinkInTheBlue]

I absolutely cannot possibly fathom that!! We're still in high 80s and low 90s around here with hot, sticky, humid nights. If it weren't for the freezing winters you have later, I'd love to participate in your autumn temps now. Must be nice! No way heat is required or even considered until pretty close to Christmas around here.

[Emmy]

I just wait and see how it feels. We rarely turn our heat on before November and were it up to me it would be at least Thanksgiving.....I love cooler weather and figure if the kids are cold they should put on a sweater! :tongue_smilie: That might be the knitter in me though.....

[Guest]

I am so jealous. We are lucky to dip into the 70s at night. I think it's 10-something right now (that's 100 and something.)

 

Oh yeah - to answer your post - if it were me, our heater would be on. :)

[MMinMN]

I refuse to turn the thermostat back on until October.

 

We live in central Minnesota, and last night it got down into the 30's. We just let the sun shine in during the day, and use a warm comforter at night.

 

In this area we're lucky to have 4 or 5 months (including Sept) that don't **absolutely** require any additional heating.

[Laura Corin]

I am quite happy with no heating until the 40s F, but DH turns it on when the temperature drops below about 60. I switch the heat off when he goes off to work.

 

Laura

[TraceyS/FL]

I am so jealous. We are lucky to dip into the 70s at night. I think it's 10-something right now (that's 100 and something.)

 

Oh yeah - to answer your post - if it were me, our heater would be on. :)

 

We've had a few days of lower 70's this week at night.....

 

Heater would be on.

 

I don't do cold. NOT. AT. ALL.

 

In fact, i'd be in TEARS if it was under 80 already!

[JFSinIL]

Depends how chilly the house gets. ;) Our 100-yr-old place needs the heat on TODAY (once hubby gets home) unless the weather report indicates a need to the a/c in a few days!!! I had to break out my long pants and shirt today!

[OnTheBrink]

I love the cold, so I don't turn the heat on until the cold keeps me awake at night.

[Tammy]

I live in south Florida for a reason.....LOL!

 

Tammy

[Philothea]

We turn it on here when it gets cold enough in the morning that it makes us want to stay in bed, under the covers all day. In New England, that is usually about the end of October or in a warm year the beginning of November. We like it a little cool though.

[Ellie]

not until it's lower than, oh, 65 or 66. We will not see that until late November, early December. We'll have a week or so of winter then, and maybe another one in January or February :-)

[jamnkats]

This is such a tricky time of year! Tonight it's supposed to get to 42 here, but then be back up into the upper 50's to 60 tomorrow, but back into the 70's later in the week. It's gonna be chilly tonight, but I just can't see turning on the heater! We usually let it get consistantly in the low 40's or upper 30's before we turn on the heater....what about you??

 

We're in sweatshirts and jeans when the temperature drops to 80F and down jackets and hats at 70F. Heater goes on around 75F. Of course, that means that the A/C is started up in February. :)

[Brenda in FL]

Oh dear - I see huge heating bills for us in the near future.

 

We're from S Florida and we turn the heat on at 68 but that happens maybe 3-5 times during the year!

 

I think I'm going to either freeze or be broke this winter. :001_huh:

[Kris]

I don't turn the heater on until it's cold in the day time. If it gets chilly at night, we just put on another layer. If it stays in the 40s in the day time, then I turn the heater on.

[momofkhm]

I say this because if the temperatures are lower and the sun is out, we can get away with not turning on the heat for longer. However, if the temperatures drop AND the sun isn't shining, it is much cooler in the house.

 

I tend to go more by how I (we) feel and how many layers of clothes we're having to put on. I actually turned on the heat a few weeks ago because we had the carpets cleaned during the time it did nothing but rain for three days and we were freezing to death. The air conditioning has been on since then.

 

Dh has told me a couple of times that we need the extra blanket on the bed. I'm sure we'll be turning on the heat soon!

 

:iagree: It more depends on how cold *I* am. I'm the cold one in my family.

[unsinkable]

We make the decision based on the calendar and the temp. We won't consider turning on the furnace until mid-to-late October. And we're similar to Kris...cold nights don't = furnace. Cold days + cold nights = furnace after mid-October.

 

It's actually a fun, momentous (sp?) decision around here. We're dorky that way. We watch the weather so much we start talking about turning it on days in advance. And when we actually turn the knob on...well, we're dorks but dh will say things like, "Are you sure? Cuz this means summer is really, really over." I'll tell him thought the orange leaves meant summer was really, really over.

[Zoraida]

We turn on our central heat when it gets down to about 50.At nights we turn off the central heat and snuggle down under our electric comforters. Two years ago we purchased one of those electric water radiators from Wal Mart for $40.00 to put in our school room when the temperature is between 50-60. I didn't think this cheap little heater would heat the room up. But surprisingly it did. It uses up very little electricity. I am now a fan of electric radiators for use on those 50 degree days. They are a lot better and safer than electric space heaters. I'm thinking about purchasing another one to use in our kitchen this year.

 

Blessings

 

Zoraida

[Krista in LA]

We like to try to make it until Dec. 1. All of our southern friends laugh at us for waiting so long, but that's about when it gets below 60 inside the house so it seems like a good time to us Northerners.

[Carrie12345]

I don't turn the heater on until it's cold in the day time. If it gets chilly at night, we just put on another layer. If it stays in the 40s in the day time, then I turn the heater on.

 

That's our MO, too.

 

Dh hates when it starts to get cold, b/c I LOVE sleeping with tons of blankets and no heat. He likes to jack the heat up. We tend to take turns sneaking to the thermostat in the middle of the night.

 

But once sweatshirts or sweaters aren't cutting it during the day, I give in for the first floor of the house. Upstairs is just the master suite and the dogs' loft. No need for anything beyond the rising heat until December, imo.

[RoughCollie]

Until this year, I turned on the heat when the kids and I felt cold in the house.

 

This year, we will try everything else I can think of, from dressing more warmly, to insulating the attic and windows, to using space heaters, before I turn on the heat. The price of home heating oil has skyrocketed and it will cost us about $1250 a month to heat our house. This is more than 3x what we used to pay.

 

 

RC