To a lot of my North American visitors, I keep my house a bit chilly in the winter — 63-65 degrees Fahrenheit is fine with me. Last week, one of my guests pulled out a heavy jacket and put it on while we watched TV. “My wife and I keep our house at 72 degrees,” he grumbled.
I supposed there was a proper protocol somewhere about keeping house guests comfortable, so I clicked the thermostat up to a steamy 70 degrees. An hour later, while I sweated and stripped to a T-shirt, I was relieved to see the house-guest’s jacket coming off.
Sensibly, Europeans tend to keep their winter household temperatures much lower than here in the United States. It is not merely a cost-cutting measure: they like it that way, and so do I. Tossing on a sweater or sweatshirt makes more sense to me than kicking up the thermostat. Besides, to me, comfort zones are an acquired taste; after a while, you get used to it. I recall how miserable I was years ago when I first moved to Alabama: 95 degree heat and 95% humidity day after day. And how, one day, a bio-switch finally flipped on and it no longer bothered me.
As a part of nature, creatures everywhere get acclimated to their surroundings, and we are one of them. When summertime rolls around, off come the sweat pants and on go the shorts, and after a while, an air-conditioned 79 degrees feels pretty good, particularly when stepping inside from 95 degree heat and 95% humidity.
Like everything else, we get used to it.
Oh yes, have had this concern for visitors also.
Our thermostat is on 63 and usually comfortable
for us. In this old house, the kitchen will be in the
50s when winter really hits though so we tend to
do our sitting upstairs.
I try to compromise with guests, though. Especially
in the summer humidity. It feels good to me being
cooler but we are not willing to pay the bills to be fully
comfortable.
It is nice this month to actually have a credit on our
electric bill, as it was overestimated a couple months.
And the oil fill driver thought our gauge may be broken,
as the tank took too few gallons this month. Ha-ha,
we are just more frugal than their norm.
Cheryl
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I know what you mean. My propane delivery guy last week got out of the truck, checked my gauge, scratched his head, got back in the truck and drove off. He better get used to it, because I plan to burn firewood this winter. I have a super-efficient new-style wood burning stove in the basement, which burns 2/3 less wood while producing more heat than older designs or fireplaces. I have a gasoline wood splitter out front, a chainsaw in my shed, and a friend with lots of property where hardwood trees fall down all the time. Next year I plan to double-insulate my attic, and — hopefully install a few new windows. My main room faces south, so I get a lot of free heat during the winter, in fact, sometimes too much.
One day I hope to build some passive solar collectors, but that’s a ways off.
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Because of rising fuel costs and concern for the environment and a non-renewable energy source such as heating fuel, many people such as yourself are taking measures to reduce their heating fuel consumption such as burning wood or having “time-of-day” usage meters installed.
With the latter you can schedule, if possible, your laundry washing, dishwashing, showering/bathing etc to the lowest or lower time of day rate.
But this may not be possible in many households where both parents are working and the chores have to be done NOW!
Tim, you are lucky to have a comfortable and south-faciing room where you can retire to and relax.
Timothy from Canada
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Then again, a sunny, southern exposure works against you in the summertime.
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‘morning Tim!
I was with you until you said 79º for the a/c. I guess my bio-thermostat is broken, because I like it to be no warmer than 71º inside in the summer. We lived outside of Memphis, TN for 3.5 years but, my bio-thermostat never adjusted to the constant suffocating humidity. With two whole house a/c units we couldn’t get the humidity below 50 indoors. Can you say s t i c k y??
Sandra
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I live in Tennessee but I spent most of my life in Ohio. I too, keep my thermostat at 62 degrees in winter. I agree it’s easier to put something on or cozy up under a blanket to stay warm. My pets appreciate the lower thermostat too.
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I will mention, however, that when cold weather finally arrives, I step down my thermostat gradually, over the period of several days, so the change is not as noticeable.
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Growing up in London, England we were always donning sweaters and mufflers to keep out the cold and DAMP air – since England is surrounded by water it is quite “wet” at times – hell, most of the time.
When we came to Canada I could not believe the indoor temperatures that people kept their residence during the winters here – anywhere from 70F to 85F (!!!) – and the latter were younger folk.
Since I pay for my own heat and hydro, my guests have to put up with my preferred temperature of 62F.
If they complain, I just pour them another and stronger drink and they usually forget the frigidity.
Timothy from Canada
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