When do you turn the heat on?

[TillyGalore]

I'm curious to know when my virtual (some of you are real) friends turn the heat on in their home.

It is 64 degrees in my little abode, but it just doesn't feel cold enough to turn the heat on.

When do you turn the heat on? Do you wait until there is a certain temperature inside or outside before you turn the heat on? Or do you turn it on when it feels like it's time?

[DukieInKansas]

With the prediction of 30 degrees overnight, I turned mine on Sunday. I also disconnected my hose and brought in some plants. It was around 60 in the house before turning it on. I put it off as long as possible.

How frequently do you have your furnace checked?

I also broke down last winter and bought a space heater for the basement room. I realized why I was always cold down there - the thermostat on the space heater said it was 55. Definitely too cold to sit without a blanket.

[TillyGalore]

With the prediction of 30 degrees overnight, I turned mine on Sunday. I also disconnected my hose and brought in some plants. It was around 60 in the house before turning it on. I put it off as long as possible.

How frequently do you have your furnace checked?

I live in an apartment and the staff checks things in here pretty regularly. None of the other complex's I've lived in to routine checks.

I brought my plants in last week when the temps dipped down to the low 40's.

[BlueDevilBaby]

I turned my heat on a week ago last Sunday after coming back from 80 degrees in FL. It was probably in the 40s that night.

[hc5duke]

heat goes on at 70, a/c goes on at 74... i'd use having a pregnant (and post-partum now) wife as an excuse, but i think we've kept it like that before, too.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I'm curious to know when my virtual (some of you are real) friends turn the heat on in their home.

It is 64 degrees in my little abode, but it just doesn't feel cold enough to turn the heat on.

When do you turn the heat on? Do you wait until there is a certain temperature inside or outside before you turn the heat on? Or do you turn it on when it feels like it's time?
There was a sharp cold snap here recently, so I turned on the heat though it hasn't had to come on much until today. Cold temperatures cause problems I didn't have to deal with years ago, so I don't try to tough it out!

[TillyGalore]

There was a sharp cold snap here recently, so I turned on the heat though it hasn't had to come on much until today. Cold temperatures cause problems I didn't have to deal with years ago, so I don't try to tough it out!

Is this something I have to look forward to?

We had a cold spell last week, and a bit of one now. But, the other day the a/c came on.

[throatybeard]

If you live in a real building built before WWII but with modern insulation in the roof, it holds heat, and if you're on a high floor, your neighbors' heat wafts up to you. We got our first freeze last night and the temperature only dropped to 61 in the condo. It's 64 now even though the high was 49 today.

Last year in StL we broke down and turned the heat on right after Thanksgiving.

In Mississippi and North Carolina, where we mostly lived in wasteful, balloon-construction suburban-style single-family homes, we turned the heat or usually the gas log on earlier, despite the fact that the cold weather starts later there. So a lot has to do with the dwelling.

But a lot also has to do with the fact that you can always put something on, but there's nothing you can do in hot weather to combat the heat except lie still. In the a/c. I don't cut the heat on until I have to because it's nasty hot air that breeds nasty germs in the ducts and I get a respiratory thing every year when they turn it on in the buildings.

That said, I can't remember a year in MS/GA/NC where I didn't run the a/c at least once in December or February, and once in a while in January. Again, probably because of the crappy suburban architecture. And the humidity. Air conditioners dehumidify.

I suspect we'll be OK until TG again this year. One reason is there are so many things in your house that give off heat. Shower, TV, lamps, stove, oven, dryer. That stuff is enough to heat a mildly cold room when it's above 40 outside all by itself.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I turned the thermostat to heat 2 weeks ago, but turned the setting down to 67, far cooler than in years previous, and I turn if off entirely during the day. But in years previous, I wasn't paying $264.9 per gallon of propane, either. Oh, for a heat pump instead of a gaspack. Bad decision now, but 7 years ago propane only cost $0.79 or less per gallon.

[jimsumner]

Thermostat at 68 when someone's at home, 60 when empty or during bedtime. I have lots of Duke sweatshirts and no problem wearing one of them.

[-jk]

We just put in a programmable thermostat. We keep it at 64 during the day (I work from home), back to 68 for dinner and the evening (and weekends). Down to 60 at night. Back up to 72 at wake up (far and away the best part of having a programmable thermo!).

-jk

[CameronBornAndBred]

I won't turn ours on until we get low 60's all day during the day. Right now it cools down at nite, but our place heats up a bunch during the day, even if it's only 70 outside. I'd rather just put on a long sleeve shirt and extra blanket then pay the electric company.

P.S. When I lived in the mountains I had 2 wood stoves for heat, and lived in the woods, so lots of free firewood. I had no problems building a fire when it got chilly inside, it didn't cost me anything but sweat.

[DukeUsul]

This is not a snarky, acerbic answer:

When my wife tells me to.

I love the fresh, crisp outside fall air. I like to keep the windows open in the spring and fall as long as possible. But when Mrs. Usul starts complaining, it's time to close up. Then a couple months (or this year, weeks) later she'll let me know when she wants the heat.

[DevilAlumna]

We just put in a programmable thermostat. We keep it at 64 during the day (I work from home), back to 68 for dinner and the evening (and weekends). Down to 60 at night. Back up to 72 at wake up (far and away the best part of having a programmable thermo!).


+1 for having a programmable thermostat - love it. At night and when no one's home, we set it to kick on at 64; during waking hours and evening hours, 72. (I'm ALWAYS cold in the winter.) Heatpump kicks out A/C if it gets above 78.

[captmojo]

I turned the thermostat to heat 2 weeks ago, but turned the setting down to 67, far cooler than in years previous, and I turn if off entirely during the day. But in years previous, I wasn't paying $264.9 per gallon of propane, either. Oh, for a heat pump instead of a gaspack. Bad decision now, but 7 years ago propane only cost $0.79 or less per gallon.

I'm on my second natural gas gaspack. First was a Carrier brand, now a Trane. I have been pleased. I like the thought of those burners being outdoors. Extra insulation two seasons ago has made a big difference in both the bills and wear and tear of the equipment. The older I get, the less tolerant I am of high temps. I switched from AC to heat last week. The thermostat is set for 68.

[wilson]

I don't have a hard and fast rule for when the heat comes on. I basically just crank it up when I think to myself, "Gosh. It's gotten rather cold in here. Perhaps I should turn the heat on." This year, that was a couple of weeks ago. I am, however, doing my part to cut consumption (and my gas bill). It will stay set on 63 (with the occasional upward tick by a degree or two when my brother's gf complains enough). I don't mind it being a little cold in the house, because I have nice cozy clothes and I am a full-fledged blanket connoisseur. I also have a good chimenea on the deck and a fire pit on the patio, so I can always step outside and get warm in a hurry.

[devildeac]

When my wife sez so:rolleyes:. Usually in Oct. sometime when the house temp drops below about 66. It then gets set at 69 for the winter but we get a reasonable amount of passive solar heat through the generous # of windows we have so the gas heat comes on infrequently during the daylight hours. 77 is our summer/AC setting and the shutters/shades get closed all day to minimize the passive roasting, err, warming we have in NC from early June to mid-Sept.

[Indoor66]

I am considering heat for today. It is 58 here in South Florida! Unheard of in October. Downright COLD.

[blazindw]

Last year here in Maryland, my heat went on a grand total of 0 times. I'm from Michigan, and I'm a polar bear. I even had the AC on a few times, even when it was 0 degrees outside. I much rather it be really cold in a room than really hot.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I am considering heat for today. It is 58 here in South Florida! Unheard of in October. Downright COLD.


South Floridians' thin blood freezes at 65 degrees inside their houses, just below where the AC is usually set. My parents and brother have lived there since 1970 (and I went to HS there), so I know first hand.

[CathyCA]

When do you turn the heat on?

Here at my office, we turn the heat on the day after we quit running the air conditioning. :p Could we not have a few days where we don't run either? Apparently not. ;) In the summer, my office is the coldest room in the building. I have now learned that in the winter, my office is the warmest room in the building. I am NOT going to complain about that. :cool:

[bluebutton]

Here in LA we've had 8 days over 90 degrees in October. I've been in LA for 6 going on 7 winters and I think I've used the heat during 2-3 winters, usually if it was 40 degrees outside for several days and then only for a few days.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-october28-2008oct28,0,4826642.story

Ugh. Where's the 70 degree weather?

[Lavabe]

If you live in a real building built before WWII but with modern insulation in the roof, ...

A real building? :eek:

Is Sarah! influencing rhetoric?;):D

Many of us live in real buildings, really built in the real America, with modern insulation.;)

Cheers,
Lavabe