Author Topic: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?  (Read 17068 times)

bender

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How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« on: October 25, 2016, 08:44:54 PM »
Here's my current setup:
2 zones - upstairs/downstairs, or bedrooms/living areas.  Thermostats are 7-day programmable - nothing too fancy.

Morning temp 63 both zones for about an hour as that's all we need to get out of the house.  Staggered the times so bedrooms warm up first, then downstairs a little later.

Away time - temp down to 55 both zones.

Back home - temp up to 64 downstairs.  62 upstairs as it's not used much until bedtime. 

Bedtime - downstairs drops to 55, upstairs to 60.

It's not cozy, but that's what sweatshirts and blankets are for right?  Anyone know how to quantify the savings for each degree of cooler temp?

I'm interested what others are doing.  Is it safe to go lower than 55 when away (50)?  I don't mind cold floors and countertops, FHA heats the house very quickly when we need it.


Allie

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2016, 09:23:04 PM »
I have ours at 63 during the day (we are home all day) and 55 at night for now.  Our thermostat is downstairs, so the kid bedrooms upstairs stay a bit warmer and our master, which is downstairs and off to the side, gets cooler. 

Anytime our outside highs stay below 10F or so for more than a couple days, I have to bump it up or we get ice building up around the inside of our windows.  :-(

velvethammer

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2016, 04:38:36 AM »
We have ours set at 65 when home and awake, 58 when sleeping or gone.

Half-Borg

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2016, 05:09:03 AM »
My heating is still turned off.

Last time I checked I had 15°C (59° in funny units).
Last winter it got down to 14°C before I turned on the heat and set it to 17°C (63°) when I was at home.

Anon in Alaska

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2016, 08:13:15 AM »
I turn the heat off at night and when I'm away in my Condo in Anchorage, Alaska. It rarely gets below 55 even when it's below zero outside. The rest of the building helps keep my unit warmer than a single-family home wound be.

I left the heat off in the (then) spare bedroom of my condo and it was down to 38 F once, when it was about -5 outside. It's no longer my spare bedroom, now it's my home office for my side gig of selling all the things I never should have bought on Amazon.

I do like to be warm when I'm awake but I'm learning to wear a third and fourth layer and now 70 is as comfortable as 74 used to be.

StarBright

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2016, 08:19:59 AM »
you guys are pretty awesome - but aren't you cold?

I keep mine 65 during the day (I work from home), 67 in the evening, 64 overnight and up to 69 in the hour before we wake up - and I am ALWAYS cold.

I am currently in a thermal undershirt, fleece zippy, wrapped in a blanket with big fat slippers on and I'm contemplating making myself some hot tea to take the chill off.

onlykelsey

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2016, 08:24:12 AM »
I haven't turned my heat on in NYC, it's been upper 60s in the apartment the last few days.  We usually have ours kick on around 65 when we're home, 62 when it's just the (huge furry) dog during the day.  It's a small enough apartment that when we use the gas stove and turn on the lights it kicks it up a degree or so, which is nice.

We do have a baby on the way, though, so I imagine low and mid 60s will be more of a challenge starting in January.

boarder42

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2016, 08:32:18 AM »
Heat is still off for us but it will be

62 - 5PM - 11PM
61 - 11PM - 4AM
50 - 4AM - 5PM (away mode)

our new house backs to water and gets insane solar gain in the winter, we use less heat than our older smaller house half the size.

Half-Borg

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2016, 08:33:27 AM »
you guys are pretty awesome - but aren't you cold?
On the contrary, I'm sitting in the office at 20°C (68) in my T-Shirt and feel uncomfortable warm. Your body adapts to the cold.

Jack

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2016, 08:37:55 AM »
My heat is still off (the highs are still in the 70s and even 80s around here!), but when I turn it on it'll be 63° when we're home and awake and down in the 50s when we're away or asleep.

StarBright

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2016, 09:06:25 AM »
you guys are pretty awesome - but aren't you cold?
On the contrary, I'm sitting in the office at 20°C (68) in my T-Shirt and feel uncomfortable warm. Your body adapts to the cold.

I must be a non-adapter then :) I've been keeping my thermostat at this temp for years and I don't seem to be warming up. It is not uncommon for my husband to come home to find me wearing a knit cap and three shirts in October.

On the other hand, in the summer I am perfectly comfortable with the house at 83 degrees, but my DH seems to wilt if it goes over 72. Perhaps I am a cold blooded lizard person?

Adge

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #11 on: October 26, 2016, 09:34:13 AM »
I must be a non-adapter then :) I've been keeping my thermostat at this temp for years and I don't seem to be warming up. It is not uncommon for my husband to come home to find me wearing a knit cap and three shirts in October.

On the other hand, in the summer I am perfectly comfortable with the house at 83 degrees, but my DH seems to wilt if it goes over 72. Perhaps I am a cold blooded lizard person?

It's okay, StarBright, I'm a lizard person too :) 80+ in the house in the summer? Fine, just sit in front of a fan for a couple minutes to cool down if you're hot. Below about 68 in the winter? At least 3 layers on top, 2 on the bottom, sock, slippers, and MAYBE a hat. I don't know why inside temperatures seem so much colder than outside temperatures. I've been doing it for multiple winters too, but I can't seem to figure out how others can tolerate those temperatures with less clothing ;)

boarder42

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #12 on: October 26, 2016, 11:21:35 AM »
I must be a non-adapter then :) I've been keeping my thermostat at this temp for years and I don't seem to be warming up. It is not uncommon for my husband to come home to find me wearing a knit cap and three shirts in October.

On the other hand, in the summer I am perfectly comfortable with the house at 83 degrees, but my DH seems to wilt if it goes over 72. Perhaps I am a cold blooded lizard person?

It's okay, StarBright, I'm a lizard person too :) 80+ in the house in the summer? Fine, just sit in front of a fan for a couple minutes to cool down if you're hot. Below about 68 in the winter? At least 3 layers on top, 2 on the bottom, sock, slippers, and MAYBE a hat. I don't know why inside temperatures seem so much colder than outside temperatures. I've been doing it for multiple winters too, but I can't seem to figure out how others can tolerate those temperatures with less clothing ;)

you can always put on more layers to stay warm ...  there comes a point when you cannot take anymore off if you're hot.

hoosier

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #13 on: October 26, 2016, 11:29:40 AM »
Anyone know how to quantify the savings for each degree of cooler temp?

Rule of thumb is 1*F = 3%, but this will vary widely based on geography and your home's characteristics (insulation, air infiltration, solar gain, etc).

So, going from the traditional 72 to 65 would be a 21% savings.


Cranky

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #14 on: October 26, 2016, 11:34:46 AM »
We keep it at 67 during the day, and 62 at night. There's always someone home, and I am cold all damn winter.

I grew up in Florida and while I am no longer as frozen as I was the first 30 years I lived up north, I'm still pretty cold. I wear a wool hat to bed in the winter. Sometimes I'm so cold that I start to shiver, and at that point, it doesn't matter how many layers I put on - I need a hot shower and just reset my body temperature.

hoosier

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #15 on: October 26, 2016, 12:58:36 PM »
My house is generally 70 - 76 throughout the winter.  I don't have a thermostat.

TheInsuranceMan

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #16 on: October 26, 2016, 02:12:56 PM »
66 during the day, 70 at night - two kids, 2 years old, and a 5 month old.  I'd like to cooler, but the wife wins.  But, we also keep it 70-72 in the summer too.  I hate being hot.  And yes, shame on me....

moof

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #17 on: October 26, 2016, 02:41:07 PM »
64 all the time.  My wife is stay-at-home, so the place is so rarely unoccupied we don't bother setting it lower unless we are actually out of town.  Sometime we'll turn it to 68 for visitors, maybe a half dozen days out of the winter.

I could handle it being 60 at night, so could my kid, but 64 is my wife's limit.

caseyzee

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #18 on: October 26, 2016, 02:43:13 PM »
Do any of you guys have condensation?  Windows, outer wall ceilings?  I've started keeping my heat higher in an attempt to dry out the condensation and am wondering how others address it?

boarder42

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #19 on: October 26, 2016, 02:49:59 PM »
nope no condensation.  that only occurs if my humidifier on my furnace is not set to the proper temp based on outside temp.  you shouldnt have condensation in the winter its a dry time.

caseyzee

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #20 on: October 26, 2016, 02:57:39 PM »
It can be a dry time Boarder.  But you've still got cold outside and hot inside, so, condensation.  Mine is visible on the windows, not visible on the ceilings, but I just did quite a bit of mold remediation on the ceilings, so I know it is there.

obstinate

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #21 on: October 26, 2016, 11:52:42 PM »
My thermostat during the winter:
  • 5pm-10pm: 65F
  • 10pm-5pm: 50F
  • Weekends are at 65F from 7AM-9PM
We use space heaters in the bedrooms to keep them at 60 at night.

chesebert

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #22 on: October 27, 2016, 12:01:41 AM »
Heat is still off in Chicago. I did put on double layer pants.

boarder42

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #23 on: October 27, 2016, 03:52:36 AM »
It can be a dry time Boarder.  But you've still got cold outside and hot inside, so, condensation.  Mine is visible on the windows, not visible on the ceilings, but I just did quite a bit of mold remediation on the ceilings, so I know it is there.

You have to have warm and wet air inside for condensation. That's why on furnace humidifiers have temperature settings to compensate for what the outside temp is.  If you're having internal moisture problems your humidifier is too high or you're getting water collecting in your house somewhere

gggggg

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #24 on: October 27, 2016, 04:11:56 AM »
I get cold super easy, but the heat doesn't bother me. I set my winter time thermostat to upper 60's, in the summer, I barely have to run the A/C at all. My winter hvac bill is about triple my summer one.

Car Jack

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #25 on: October 27, 2016, 07:06:10 AM »
I turn mine completely off, even with outside temp below zero.  Oh.....wait......I also load up my wood furnace and get it cranking so the house gets up to the mid 70's.  I harvest firewood from my own property so the cost of firewood is the gas, oil and diesel for the chainsaws and tractor.

AM43

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #26 on: October 27, 2016, 08:38:50 AM »
I am all for saving $$$$ on HVAC, but any temp below 65F in winter is too low to be comfortable.

onlykelsey

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #27 on: October 27, 2016, 08:47:45 AM »
To follow up on something I posted above, how DO newborns do in cold houses?  Should I plan on bumping the thermostat up to 70 or something?  I'm imagining nursing would be pretty brutal in my cold house, so it may not even be an option, but... any parents out there?

NinetyFour

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #28 on: October 27, 2016, 08:58:22 AM »
I live in southwestern CO at about 6400 feet.

Last winter, I turned my heat off on February 14th.  It got chilly.  One morning it was 39F in my house.  That was a bit crazy, but I still didn't turn the heat on.  I survived.  Wool and down were my friends.  I also drank a lot of hot water--that was a treat.

I have not yet turned on my heat this year.  Not sure when I will.

I might splurge and set the thermostat at 45F instead of 40F.  We'll see.

zephyr911

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #29 on: October 27, 2016, 09:18:18 AM »
We're still in passive cooling/heating here, but I got DW (my tropical flower) down to 65 days, 60 at nights last year and will probably try to go a couple lower.

In my single days, it was more like mid-50s. Much respect for you hardy souls pushing it lower.

MandalayVA

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #30 on: October 27, 2016, 09:26:08 AM »
Like many, by myself I can get down to the mid-fifties inside and feel comfortable in sweats and my favorite knitted bootie slippers.  Mr. Mandalay and Poe the cat, however, are delicate little flowers.  Poe burrows under blankets and won't even come out for food and Mr. Mandalay grumbles, so our compromise temperature is 65.  Cats eat and spouses are happy. 

StarBright

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #31 on: October 27, 2016, 09:31:34 AM »
To follow up on something I posted above, how DO newborns do in cold houses?  Should I plan on bumping the thermostat up to 70 or something?  I'm imagining nursing would be pretty brutal in my cold house, so it may not even be an option, but... any parents out there?

You'll probably need to keep it a bit warmer for newborns - I think we did 69 when ours were little.

The big thing there is you aren't supposed to use blankets, pillows, hats etc. because of the SIDS risks which definitely makes for a chillier sleeping. Sleep sacks can be helpful but most of them are pretty thin and are more about the moro reflex than warmth.


KCM5

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #32 on: October 27, 2016, 09:46:32 AM »
To follow up on something I posted above, how DO newborns do in cold houses?  Should I plan on bumping the thermostat up to 70 or something?  I'm imagining nursing would be pretty brutal in my cold house, so it may not even be an option, but... any parents out there?

You'll probably need to keep it a bit warmer for newborns - I think we did 69 when ours were little.

The big thing there is you aren't supposed to use blankets, pillows, hats etc. because of the SIDS risks which definitely makes for a chillier sleeping. Sleep sacks can be helpful but most of them are pretty thin and are more about the moro reflex than warmth.

This - I think we had ours at 68? The baby is a preschooler now and we're back to keeping it at 60 at night. I would put her in footed pajamas and a fleece sleep sack, but I still worried about her being cold. Again - no blankets. We gave her blankets at about a year old, but she couldn't reliably keep them on until she was 3. So she'd wake up cold quite a bit.

Though I did think the sleep sacks made a big difference in warmth. We had thin ones for summer and thicker fleece ones for winter.

MustacheExplorer

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #33 on: October 27, 2016, 10:47:26 AM »
I have an oil filled electric radiator type portable heater in my bedroom.  On a medium setting it keeps my bedroom with the door closed nice and toasty with the rest of the house set at 58 during the night.

boarder42

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #34 on: October 27, 2016, 10:52:47 AM »
thats one thing i'd like to do the math on.  can i keep my house colder and just use electric space heaters in my room and kids rooms.

TheInsuranceMan

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #35 on: October 27, 2016, 02:11:45 PM »
66 during the day, 70 at night - two kids, 2 years old, and a 5 month old.  I'd like to cooler, but the wife wins.  But, we also keep it 70-72 in the summer too.  I hate being hot.  And yes, shame on me....

We used a ceramic electric heater with its own thermostat in the kids rooms when they were very young.  Not sure if it actually saved money because of electric heat, but it seemed better than heating an entire floor to 72.

We do have an electric heater that we use, but haven't had to yet this year.  Once the baby gets out of our room, and in her crib, the heater will probably get put into her room.  At least I know that the wiring is good, because when we bought the house, the upstairs was still all knob and tube, going to a fuse box.  We put all new wiring upstairs, and put in a 200 amp breaker box....ahhh, piece of mind :)

onlykelsey

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #36 on: October 27, 2016, 02:36:53 PM »
To follow up on something I posted above, how DO newborns do in cold houses?  Should I plan on bumping the thermostat up to 70 or something?  I'm imagining nursing would be pretty brutal in my cold house, so it may not even be an option, but... any parents out there?

You'll probably need to keep it a bit warmer for newborns - I think we did 69 when ours were little.

The big thing there is you aren't supposed to use blankets, pillows, hats etc. because of the SIDS risks which definitely makes for a chillier sleeping. Sleep sacks can be helpful but most of them are pretty thin and are more about the moro reflex than warmth.

This - I think we had ours at 68? The baby is a preschooler now and we're back to keeping it at 60 at night. I would put her in footed pajamas and a fleece sleep sack, but I still worried about her being cold. Again - no blankets. We gave her blankets at about a year old, but she couldn't reliably keep them on until she was 3. So she'd wake up cold quite a bit.

Though I did think the sleep sacks made a big difference in warmth. We had thin ones for summer and thicker fleece ones for winter.

Thanks, KCM5, Starbright and TheInsuranceMan.  I am hoping the heat won't need to be on too high at night when there are two adults, a hundred pound dog and a baby in one small 8" wide bedroom, but while I"m out on leave I think I'll just need to up the utility budget.

TheInsuranceMan

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #37 on: October 27, 2016, 03:06:53 PM »
To follow up on something I posted above, how DO newborns do in cold houses?  Should I plan on bumping the thermostat up to 70 or something?  I'm imagining nursing would be pretty brutal in my cold house, so it may not even be an option, but... any parents out there?

You'll probably need to keep it a bit warmer for newborns - I think we did 69 when ours were little.

The big thing there is you aren't supposed to use blankets, pillows, hats etc. because of the SIDS risks which definitely makes for a chillier sleeping. Sleep sacks can be helpful but most of them are pretty thin and are more about the moro reflex than warmth.

This - I think we had ours at 68? The baby is a preschooler now and we're back to keeping it at 60 at night. I would put her in footed pajamas and a fleece sleep sack, but I still worried about her being cold. Again - no blankets. We gave her blankets at about a year old, but she couldn't reliably keep them on until she was 3. So she'd wake up cold quite a bit.

Though I did think the sleep sacks made a big difference in warmth. We had thin ones for summer and thicker fleece ones for winter.

Thanks, KCM5, Starbright and TheInsuranceMan.  I am hoping the heat won't need to be on too high at night when there are two adults, a hundred pound dog and a baby in one small 8" wide bedroom, but while I"m out on leave I think I'll just need to up the utility budget.

8 inch wide bedroom?  Man, you should be cozy :)
Assuming you meant 8' wide, and not 8" wide!

onlykelsey

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #38 on: October 27, 2016, 03:09:00 PM »
To follow up on something I posted above, how DO newborns do in cold houses?  Should I plan on bumping the thermostat up to 70 or something?  I'm imagining nursing would be pretty brutal in my cold house, so it may not even be an option, but... any parents out there?

You'll probably need to keep it a bit warmer for newborns - I think we did 69 when ours were little.

The big thing there is you aren't supposed to use blankets, pillows, hats etc. because of the SIDS risks which definitely makes for a chillier sleeping. Sleep sacks can be helpful but most of them are pretty thin and are more about the moro reflex than warmth.

This - I think we had ours at 68? The baby is a preschooler now and we're back to keeping it at 60 at night. I would put her in footed pajamas and a fleece sleep sack, but I still worried about her being cold. Again - no blankets. We gave her blankets at about a year old, but she couldn't reliably keep them on until she was 3. So she'd wake up cold quite a bit.

Though I did think the sleep sacks made a big difference in warmth. We had thin ones for summer and thicker fleece ones for winter.

Thanks, KCM5, Starbright and TheInsuranceMan.  I am hoping the heat won't need to be on too high at night when there are two adults, a hundred pound dog and a baby in one small 8" wide bedroom, but while I"m out on leave I think I'll just need to up the utility budget.

8 inch wide bedroom?  Man, you should be cozy :)
Assuming you meant 8' wide, and not 8" wide!

hahahahaha yes.  Eight feet. sorry.

KCM5

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #39 on: October 27, 2016, 03:36:54 PM »
Thanks, KCM5, Starbright and TheInsuranceMan.  I am hoping the heat won't need to be on too high at night when there are two adults, a hundred pound dog and a baby in one small 8" wide bedroom, but while I"m out on leave I think I'll just need to up the utility budget.

I think you'll find that you'll do what you can to minimize night waking! You'll figure it out. Also, reminder that there's an ideal sleep temperature for babies to minimize SIDS. I think it is 68-70 F. I imagine that lower is fine, but higher would be an issue - apparently the theory is that babies are less easily aroused in rooms at higher temps.

woopwoop

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #40 on: October 27, 2016, 03:40:33 PM »
You'll probably need to keep it a bit warmer for newborns - I think we did 69 when ours were little.

The big thing there is you aren't supposed to use blankets, pillows, hats etc. because of the SIDS risks which definitely makes for a chillier sleeping. Sleep sacks can be helpful but most of them are pretty thin and are more about the moro reflex than warmth.
I've read 65 is fine for newborns.. I'll be getting a space heater and sleep sack for our room at night since last winter we let it go down to the 40s when we slept but can't do that with a baby! I'm no badass during the day, though - 70 or bust. Lizard people unite! We'll get our savings in the summer :)

MilesTeg

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #41 on: October 27, 2016, 04:48:02 PM »
For many people, turning the thermostat down (or up) is fixating on the symptom, not the problem.

The problem is a home that has not been made energy efficient, and you can get a long ways for little to no money (technically for a small but significant gain if you consider you are increasing the value of your home!). And even when you start making more expensive improvements you are directly adding to the value of your home (and possibly adding more value than your expense even if you don't DIY!).

The average January low in my town is 9F, yet with a 1600sqft home set to ~65 at night and ~70 during the day the january heating bill is always less than $70, with a yearly total of ~$350. Why? Attic insulation, wall insulation, double pane/low-e windows (plus insulating drapes!), and a 90% efficient furnace.

If we tried harder and were more stingy with the thermostat, we could probably get the yearly bill in the range of $250. In the summer (aver july high 90F) we run the A/C pretty hard  (temp set to 74) for a couple months but only spend ~$150 a year on A/C.

Do these things in this order:

* Close vents in rooms that you don't use (but ONLY in the winter, A/C works better/cheaper with all vents open!)
* Attic insulation (install or ADD -- insulation compacts over time and loses efficiency!) -- By far the biggest bang for the buck, heat rises!
* Window/Door weatherstripping/sealing and/or storm doors
* Foundation sealing (should do this regularly anyway!)
* Insulating window treatments (heavy drapes, cellular shades, etc.) + making use of the sun for heating.
* Wall insulation (cheap if you DIY, but tedious as it typically involves cutting holes in your walls and then patching/painting).

Insulation and sealer are CHEAP! Even retail you can insulate an attic on a typical mustachian sized home for $150-300 before rebates (from fed, state, city and/or energy company). With rebates and a little hustle you can probably get it for somewhere between dirt cheap and making a profit from others left overs. And can be installed pretty easily by yourself. The attic is trivial, the walls are easy but tedious (and takes some practice to patch the wall nicely). And frankly, if you are heating a non-insulated house even having a pro come and do attic and wall insulation will pay off in a very short amount of time (a couple years) between energy savings and value increase of the home.

Then you can move on to the more expensive more difficult to DIY stuff (but most of their expense improves your property value at LEAST 1:1)
* Double Pane/Low-E windows (cost depends on how many/how big windows!)
* Modern/Efficient Furnace (2-3 grand for a small to moderate size home with a gas furnace)



CheapScholar

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #42 on: December 19, 2016, 07:28:55 AM »
Very frigid today in the Midwest.  My son's school was cancelled today due to cold, -11 at 7am when the buses get the kids.

Keeping thermostat at 60 overnight.  Going into the mid/high 60s when we get home at night or on the weekends.  I could go much lower, not DW though.  Feels good to wake up at 60 degrees and throw on a sweatshirt.
« Last Edit: December 19, 2016, 11:24:02 AM by CheapScholar »

TightFistedScot

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #43 on: December 19, 2016, 08:28:04 AM »
Wish I read this thread a couple days ago so I set the thermostat even lower before I left on my 5-day trip.

I rent out a unit in my duplex and there is a legal temperature that the province mandates from September-June. 21 degrees C / 71 F... So it is constantly at 71.

Tenants are away for the holidays now, and I am away as well for 5 days. I put the thermostat down to 67, but I guess I should have gone a lot lower! Live and learn.

ender

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #44 on: December 19, 2016, 01:02:06 PM »
I live in southwestern CO at about 6400 feet.

Last winter, I turned my heat off on February 14th.  It got chilly.  One morning it was 39F in my house.  That was a bit crazy, but I still didn't turn the heat on.  I survived.  Wool and down were my friends.  I also drank a lot of hot water--that was a treat.

I have not yet turned on my heat this year.  Not sure when I will.

I might splurge and set the thermostat at 45F instead of 40F.  We'll see.


It wouldn't take very many frozen pipes to make this idea pretty subpar. I hope you know what you are doing with respect to ensuring nothing inside freezes.

oldtoyota

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #45 on: December 19, 2016, 01:10:47 PM »
I must be a non-adapter then :) I've been keeping my thermostat at this temp for years and I don't seem to be warming up. It is not uncommon for my husband to come home to find me wearing a knit cap and three shirts in October.

On the other hand, in the summer I am perfectly comfortable with the house at 83 degrees, but my DH seems to wilt if it goes over 72. Perhaps I am a cold blooded lizard person?

It's okay, StarBright, I'm a lizard person too :) 80+ in the house in the summer? Fine, just sit in front of a fan for a couple minutes to cool down if you're hot. Below about 68 in the winter? At least 3 layers on top, 2 on the bottom, sock, slippers, and MAYBE a hat. I don't know why inside temperatures seem so much colder than outside temperatures. I've been doing it for multiple winters too, but I can't seem to figure out how others can tolerate those temperatures with less clothing ;)

I'm the same way. When it's 110 F, I'm just fine. Other people are sweating up a storm. I am not happy at 56 or even 60 degrees. =-)


NinetyFour

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #46 on: December 19, 2016, 01:25:10 PM »
I live in southwestern CO at about 6400 feet.

Last winter, I turned my heat off on February 14th.  It got chilly.  One morning it was 39F in my house.  That was a bit crazy, but I still didn't turn the heat on.  I survived.  Wool and down were my friends.  I also drank a lot of hot water--that was a treat.

I have not yet turned on my heat this year.  Not sure when I will.

I might splurge and set the thermostat at 45F instead of 40F.  We'll see.


It wouldn't take very many frozen pipes to make this idea pretty subpar. I hope you know what you are doing with respect to ensuring nothing inside freezes.

Thanks for the concern.  I have decided to use a bit more heat this year--not for the pipes (they were fine last year), but for me.  I set the thermostat at 48 or 50 overnight, and then turn it up to 52 or 54 in the morning.

My tenant in the main house uses mega heat, which is actually good, as those pipes are more likely to freeze.

bigalsmith101

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #47 on: December 19, 2016, 10:13:22 PM »
We heat our bedroom to 65* from 9pm - 6am. We heat the kitchen/living room from 7am-8:30am at which point we're both gone for the day.  I get back at 3pm but don't bother turning on the heat until 5pm when wifey is on her way home. Heat is on in the living room from 5pm-9pm, and then turned off. Rooms are heated to 67*F.

The heat is off completely for 9.5hrs, on in one room for 5.5, and another smaller room for 9hrs.

When I get home, the house has been as cold as 44*, but I really don't care. I just sit on the couch in my work clothes, and could care less! Wifey is not as cold tolerant, so I strip down and turn the heat on just before she gets home.

Bumbles8

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #48 on: December 20, 2016, 06:22:54 PM »
Roommate is gone for the holidays so I have been playing with it.  At 56*F right now and for the past couple days.  I think this is where I would keep it if it was just up to me. 

I'm naturally pretty warm, so I just wear pants and a light jacket.  The worst thing is my feet, which are always cold, but I have been wearing two pairs of socks to bed.

obstinate

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Re: How low will you go (on the thermostat)?
« Reply #49 on: December 20, 2016, 06:42:50 PM »
Roommate is gone for the holidays so I have been playing with it.  At 56*F right now and for the past couple days.  I think this is where I would keep it if it was just up to me. 

I'm naturally pretty warm, so I just wear pants and a light jacket.  The worst thing is my feet, which are always cold, but I have been wearing two pairs of socks to bed.
I have found that cold feet are best corrected by keeping your legs warm. It seems to me that feet get cold because blood loses warmth along the legs. If your legs are warm, your feet will also stay warm. I have had no problems with my feet getting cold since I started wearing long underwear in the house.

(I am not a doctor, though, so I have no idea if this is true.)