Author Topic: What temp do you keep your houses?  (Read 8227 times)

eav

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What temp do you keep your houses?
« on: October 16, 2018, 11:38:39 PM »
Hi all!

Just looking to get a general pulse on what temp the community keeps their Heat on in the colder months and A.C. in the warmer months. I am new to living on my own (and paying the utilities that come along with it) so trying to see the norm!

We've been doing 65 (live in Northeast) but the upstairs is FRIGID (goes against my understanding of heat rising) so I may bump it up a degree.

In the brief time we lived here in hot weather we kept it off for as long as possible, then set AC to 77/78 - I think having ceiling fans in main rooms is the only way i pulled this off. Electric bill was still 90 bucks :(

Let me know!

Cranky

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2018, 05:12:15 AM »
In the winter my house (I’ve just got the one!) is 67° in the day and 62° at night.

In the summer, we keep it at 78° one the outside temps are in the mid-80s. We do run the ceiling fans and I find it quite pleasant, but I’d rather be warm than cold.

A/C sucks up a lot of electric and if your bill was only $90 for a house big enough for an upstairs, you are lucky.

My advice for winter is - dress warmly and get some flannel sheets. Once it gets really cold, I wear a wool hat around the house, and fingerless mittens.

El Jacinto

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2018, 05:13:32 AM »
If I had my way, I wouldn't use the heat at all in the winter, unless inside temperature dropped below 40o F. After all, I can always throw on layers and be just fine. However, my wife is there to keep my insanity in check, so we usually go with around 65o F in the winter.

terran

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2018, 05:39:14 AM »
When we lived up north (probably a similar to you) in a drafty old house we went with 65-67 during the day and 60-62 at night. Now that we live down south in a less drafty apartment we let it drop down to 60 (still at 66 with no heat added yet this year) and it feels about the same. It's amazing how big a difference having a lower inside/outside heat differential makes since the walls and windows don't give off as much cold.

In the summer we haven't used A/C yet, and it gets to a high of 84 (if we cook), but tends to be more around 80-82.

Like a lot of frugality, if you can avoid the concept of perfection you can save money. Keeping your house at the perfect temperature all the time means fighting nature which costs more money than developing a wide range of comfort so you go with the flow. Adding/removing clothing and blankets helps of course. There's not a lot that's more ridiculous than people who walk around their house in a t-shirt in winter or pants in the summer while their heat or air conditioning is blasting.

swinginbeef

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2018, 05:44:16 AM »
heat to 66, cool to 79

mrmoonymartian

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2018, 06:01:10 AM »
Around 37-100. Whatever it is outside.

Khaetra

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2018, 06:10:38 AM »
$90 electric bill?!?  Ha, wish I could do that.  I keep my house at 78 from April-Nov/Dec (I live in FL, heat index was 100 yesterday) and when those one or two days of cooler temps come if I have to turn on the heat I keep it around 72.

Stachetastic

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2018, 06:19:25 AM »
We cool to 78-80, and heat to 65. However, we cheat by using a wood burning insert in our fireplace, which heats the majority of our single story house.

mountain mustache

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2018, 06:40:30 AM »
I don't have AC, (none of the houses here do) and so in the summer it is as cool as I can make it by leaving the curtains dark all day, and opening windows at night.
In the Winter, I leave the heat around 65, upstairs, because for some reason my room is frigid no matter what. Downstairs I can get away with 60, if the gas fireplace is on.

OtherJen

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2018, 06:59:36 AM »
Heat at 68°F daytime, 64°F nighttime. No central AC, although we’ll turn on the window units if the indoor temp hits 82°F to reduce humidity.

Freedomin5

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #10 on: October 17, 2018, 07:01:24 AM »
Usually between 50 to 95. Our apartment is made of concrete with no insulation.  In the winter it’s usuallg a few degrees warmer than the outside temperature, and in the summer it’s usually a few degrees cooler than the outside temperature. It was tough getting used to the more extreme temperatures at first, but then your body kind of adapts over time.

Jouer

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #11 on: October 17, 2018, 07:02:43 AM »
Here in Ottawa our outdoor temperature typical range is 30 to -30 (86; -22 for Americans) but it does get warmer and colder a few days a year. This summer we had a bunch of days in the 30s and even 40s (that's in the hundreds Fahrenheit).

Winter:
15 or 16 overnight (59-61 for the Americans)
18 during the day (64.4)
I'll go up to 19 if there are people coming over (66)

Summer:
Rarely use AC as we get excellent cross wind from our windows. In the rare case we use it (try for less than 10 days a year), we kinda go all out with it since it has to be super muggy out to even turn it on.
19 overnight (66....yep, it's cold and I love it)
24 in the daytime (75)

I work from home. Currently wearing wool sweat pants and a wool sweater.

onlykelsey

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #12 on: October 17, 2018, 07:04:46 AM »
Usually between 50 to 95. Our apartment is made of concrete with no insulation.  In the winter it’s usuallg a few degrees warmer than the outside temperature, and in the summer it’s usually a few degrees cooler than the outside temperature. It was tough getting used to the more extreme temperatures at first, but then your body kind of adapts over time.

Wow, that's intense.  How do your electronics/other belongings respond to the swings? 

Freedomin5

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #13 on: October 17, 2018, 07:21:58 AM »
Usually between 50 to 95. Our apartment is made of concrete with no insulation.  In the winter it’s usuallg a few degrees warmer than the outside temperature, and in the summer it’s usually a few degrees cooler than the outside temperature. It was tough getting used to the more extreme temperatures at first, but then your body kind of adapts over time.

Wow, that's intense.  How do your electronics/other belongings respond to the swings?

Fine? The only electronics we have is the fridge and our laptops/iPads/phones, unless you count light fixtures attached to the ceiling. We don’t have lamps/floor lamps. The laptops get pretty chilly to touch in the winter, but we keep them in thick laptop sleeves. Phones are plugged in at night. Fridge is obviously plugged in at all times. Electronics seem to be fine in the summer as well. I wonder if they are specially adapted to work in somewhat more extreme temperatures. We bought all our electronics locally.

RWD

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #14 on: October 17, 2018, 07:27:16 AM »
68° for heat, 79° for A/C. We would set the heat lower but our bedroom ends up significantly cooler than what the thermostat is actually set at in the winter.


Usually between 50 to 95.
Wow, that's intense.  How do your electronics/other belongings respond to the swings? 
I would be mostly worried about medication which should be stored between 59 and 86 degrees.

lizzzi

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #15 on: October 17, 2018, 07:51:04 AM »
In cold season, heat 68 both night and day.  In warm season, air conditioning at 78.

FLBiker

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #16 on: October 17, 2018, 07:54:32 AM »
We live in FL.  Keep it at 78 (when we're home) for AC, 80 when we're not.  We also have ceiling fans in every room.  We'd probably go a bit warmer, but we get mold if it isn't running pretty often.
For heat, we do 65 but that doesn't happen so often.  Our house is 1800 sqft, block, and our electric bill in the summer is usually ~$115.  It was lower before we had a kid, probably because we did less laundry.

wenchsenior

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #17 on: October 17, 2018, 07:59:33 AM »
I have almost no tolerance for cold, but a lot for heat.  I need multiple layers of clothes starting in the mid 60s(F) and my hands and feet will literally turn blue and go numb in the low 60s if I'm not moving around or bundled up.  I grew up in the Great Lakes region and spent every winter at school in class wearing silk gloves and my outside coat! If I'd been allowed to wear my stocking cap in class, I would have.

As an adult, I've mostly lived in moderate or hot climates.  I work from home, so I control the thermostat. Currently, in a moderate winter/hot summer climate, I aim for around 85F in the summer (with overhead fans if necessary for my husband or if I'm doing mild physical exertion like cleaning) or low 80s with fan if I'm working out.  If left to my own devices, I can tolerate warmer than that, but husband cannot.

My problem is wasting energy during winter.  It just got very suddenly cold here, with temps dropping to around freezing.  There has been no 'ease into it' period, so I've been doing 69F at night and 73F during the day. I'm aiming to try to drop that over the next few weeks to 70/65.  To go lower, I will need to wear a stocking cap indoors. No joke.

Ugh, cold. I hate it so much.

FindingFI

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #18 on: October 17, 2018, 08:13:39 AM »
In the colder months, we use a pellet stove for heat, and while it has some output control it's not nearly as consistent as a thermostat. The target is around 66, with an actual range of 60-70 depending on the temp outside and how much heat the house is losing.  The output of the stove gets tweaked a bit every day to try to maintain the target.

In the summer we use the windows open at night, shades closed during the day strategy to keep the house cool.  Usually keeps things in the low to mid 80's. A single widow AC unit goes in during heat waves to prevent the bedroom from getting in the 90's and interfering with sleep, but otherwise no cooling.

patchyfacialhair

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #19 on: October 17, 2018, 08:19:40 AM »
Ugh. I've lost this battle. My house is 72 year round. My wife is a complete wuss when it comes to temperature (hot or cold).

Growing up my folks put the heater in the winter at 64 and the a/c in the summer at 78, and that's what I'd prefer to continue doing. In picking my battles I realized that attempting to convert my wife leads to horrible arguments.

Sugaree

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #20 on: October 17, 2018, 08:24:53 AM »
Right now it's set on 82 when we're away from home (can't go much higher than that due to doggie being home all day) and 78 when we're at home.  During the winter it's 60 when we're away (dog has long hair), 67 when we're home, and 64 when we're asleep.  This is a new schedule though, so we'll see if the family riots when it's all said and done.

beer-man

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #21 on: October 17, 2018, 08:27:23 AM »
South Florida.
 75 day, 72 at night. Nearly year round, no need for heat most years. We have used the heat 2x in 8yrs
 We have a 2 stage system that runs on low most of the day, keeps humidity low.


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use2betrix

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #22 on: October 17, 2018, 08:28:58 AM »
I hate the heat and I sweat easily. Thus - even though I live in the southern heat we keep it at a cool 68 all summer. We have a small apartment so I’m fine bearing the cost.

snogirl

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #23 on: October 17, 2018, 02:34:33 PM »
I'm in Vermont 70 degrees winter inside. My house is well insulated.

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Bracken_Joy

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #24 on: October 17, 2018, 02:52:03 PM »
It's unfortunate- me and the dog aren't super cold tolerant, and my husband isn't super heat tolerant. Still, we usually manage to push to about 66F during the day in the winter, 64F overnight. Husband can only handle 72F ongoing during the summer, and slightly cooler at night. It doesn't help that he works from home, and his office is in the hottest part of the house (S facing). We used to deal with a lot more when we didn't have AC, but climate control has led to wimpiness. (When we were trying to save a bunch of money for our downpayment, we did 64/62F day/night in winter, and whatever happened during the summer- often 78-85F inside. That was pretty miserable, not gonna lie. Don't miss it. I never want to go back to no AC! Especially since our summers here are getting a lot hotter for a lot longer.

ETA: it has contributed to our wimpiness that our house is super well insulated, so it's easy to keep it at whatever temp we like. Getting soft =P

Milizard

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #25 on: October 17, 2018, 03:09:40 PM »
Usually 70-71 in winter in my current house, which does not have insulation in the walls...in Michigan.  Well, a few walls in rooms that were completely gutted do have some insulation.  I hope that helps a bit going forward, as the majority of that was just done this summer.  I am not very cold tolerant, and the draft that lack of insulation causes makes your body feel that much colder.

AC is set to 74-76 in the summer.  I reluctantly go down to 74 if the humidity is high.

HPstache

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #26 on: October 17, 2018, 03:11:51 PM »
69 during the day, 62 at night.  We don't have AC so this is heating set temps.

Zikoris

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #27 on: October 17, 2018, 03:22:06 PM »
Blazing hot all the time. We both get cold very easily. No air conditioning ever. My dad makes fun of us when we visit him in the summer and walk around his house both wrapped in quilts (because he uses A LOT of air conditioning). I don't know exactly what temperature we keep it at, since our thermometer is really weird and lies, but probably around 80F.

And on top of that we usually fly to southeast Asia in January for my boyfriend to put in a couple of solid weeks of "cooking" at 90F+.

Excessive heat doesn't bother us at all - a couple of years ago we went to Spain and Portugal in the middle of summer heat wave (100F+) and didn't have air conditioning in a single place we stayed.

diapasoun

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #28 on: October 17, 2018, 03:35:40 PM »
In the winter, 62-67 during the day (largely depending on me and what I'm capable of tolerating that day -- I work from home and try to keep the temperature just warm enough for my hands to not be in pain from the cold), 62 at night. Every once in a while particularly cold sensitive friends come over and we'll up the thermostat to 70. We rent a shabby old Victorian, so I know that we're wasting heat, too. This is reminding me I ought to buy weather stripping for the door.

We don't have AC, so summer cooling is cold drinks + hanging in the coldest part of the house + fans for sleeping on particularly hot nights.

BicycleB

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #29 on: October 17, 2018, 03:45:18 PM »
78 to 82 F in summer (April to October), 70 F in winter (usually Dec to March).

Would go lower in winter, but 70 F instead of 65 to 68 is the price of peace, aka keeping roommates. Discretion the better part of valor: $45 average electric bill vs $1400 or so of rent.

Johnez

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #30 on: October 17, 2018, 03:56:23 PM »
I admire you guys doing 76-78 in the summer. I try to keep 74, usually end up sticking with 72, sometimes 68-70 if it's super hot outside or muggy.

simonsez

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #31 on: October 17, 2018, 03:57:40 PM »
I have almost no tolerance for cold, but a lot for heat.
I go the other way.
Day: cool to 74, heat to 63
Night, cool to 69, heat to 58

DreamFIRE

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #32 on: October 17, 2018, 04:07:00 PM »

70-72 degrees in the winter when I'm home.
80-82 degrees in the summer when I'm home.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #33 on: October 18, 2018, 05:19:22 AM »
I don’t have any thermostat here, but in winter I’d have the heater going full bore and it’d just be tolerable at about 18C/65F inside. My cooling in summer is one or two portable fans.

MrSal

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #34 on: October 18, 2018, 05:46:23 AM »
Heat at 66F when we're home and 60F at night. During summer and if my wife is in the house then 77/78F... If I'm soube, I'm good with just a fan.

Currently the Temps outside are in the 32-38F at night and 50 during day. Haven't had the need to use heat yet, house is sitting at 67F - insulated attic to R65 last fall!!

Our highest electric bill is around 60$, but mostly is around 45-50

Hirondelle

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #35 on: October 18, 2018, 05:55:28 AM »
Usually between 50 to 95. Our apartment is made of concrete with no insulation.  In the winter it’s usuallg a few degrees warmer than the outside temperature, and in the summer it’s usually a few degrees cooler than the outside temperature. It was tough getting used to the more extreme temperatures at first, but then your body kind of adapts over time.

Wow, that's intense.  How do your electronics/other belongings respond to the swings?

Fine? The only electronics we have is the fridge and our laptops/iPads/phones, unless you count light fixtures attached to the ceiling. We don’t have lamps/floor lamps. The laptops get pretty chilly to touch in the winter, but we keep them in thick laptop sleeves. Phones are plugged in at night. Fridge is obviously plugged in at all times. Electronics seem to be fine in the summer as well. I wonder if they are specially adapted to work in somewhat more extreme temperatures. We bought all our electronics locally.

I actually found it extremely interesting to see that when I was in China, people wouldn't heat their houses (Ningbo area in January, so 0-5 degrees C temperatures). They kept the inside temperature around 50F/10C and only bedrooms were kept warmer during the night. Also made me realize how wasteful we are in the west to just heat up our houses regardless and expect to be able to walk around in t-shirts year round. Why do we wear thick layers outside and 0 layers inside?

I was pretty frustrated by it though as I already didn't have proper clothing for the temperatures (was supposed to visit in spring but changed the planning) and was freeeeezing 24/7 while sightseeing and then getting home wasn't the warm comfy bath I expected it to be.

At home I don't have a thermostat, nor aircon. I heat up the room once it gets below 15-10 celcius outside for short stints (big heater in 12 sq meter room) in the afternoon or evening. At night it's completely turned off. Early morning I'll only turn it on if it's below freezing outside. My room is poorly insulated so it gets cold with the outside temperatures and windy/rainy weather.

When I lived in the tropics and had aircon I usually had it at 27 celcius/80 fahrenheit when I was at home. I'd seriously feel cold when turning it on 25/77 :'). 

SnackDog

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #36 on: October 18, 2018, 06:06:29 AM »
Don't underestimate the importance of home construction - insulation, windows, doors and efficient HVAC units.  We have somewhat cheaply constructed new home in Houston.  3200 sq feet facing due west cooled to 74 F 24/7 and even during July and August our electric bill barely cracked $100.  I was astounded.  The house has no hot or cold spots and HVAC is silent. Our first home was half the size, built in 1927, hot as hell inside even with the noisy AC on frantic and ran up 2-3x the electric cost.

foghorn

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #37 on: October 18, 2018, 06:31:54 AM »
Here in the upper Midwest, I keep the house at about 63 in the Winter.  I have a good tolerance for the cold and actually like the cool house for sleeping.  When awake, I just water a old fleece jacket that really helps keep me comfortable.

In the summer, I keep the AC set at about 73.  I do not tolerate the heat and humidity well at all, so the AC gets a workout. 

Spiffy

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #38 on: October 18, 2018, 07:27:32 AM »
Here in Texas we set the AC to 78 in the summer and the heat at 68 in the winter.  We just got our first cold front, very early for Texas. It has been in the 40s and 50s. My kids asked me to turn the heat on. I told them to put some pants on and ask again later!

pressure9pa

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #39 on: October 20, 2018, 03:02:23 PM »
I work from a home office, so there are some variables.

Summer (when the family is usually home):  We walk the A/C temp up gradually through the summer.  In June we'll set it at about 74.  By Sept the A/C doesn't come on until 78.

Winter:  Will be walked down similar to above, dropping to about 66 in the evening and 64 overnight.  However, when I'm home alone during the day the heat goes off regardless of temperature.  It's rare for the temp to go below 61 with the heat off, and that's only for a couple of hours until the wife and/or kids get home. 

SilveradoBojangles

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #40 on: October 20, 2018, 03:37:12 PM »
65 in the winter during the day, 55 at night. The corner of the house where my home office is gets pretty cold, so I dress warmly and keep a blanket near by. In the summer, we only turn on the AC when the temp in the house is above 80 and it's super humid.

StreetCat

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #41 on: October 20, 2018, 05:18:29 PM »
Summer: 80 and fan
Winter: 68

I tried using space heaters just in the room during winter, instead of central heating.  For some weird reason that ended up costing more.

After reading some of the comments here, I'm going to try and reduce winter night temp to 64.

Abe

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #42 on: October 20, 2018, 08:58:48 PM »
We have a window unit AC for the living/kitchen/dining area and use that a few weeks a year when the outside temperature is more than 82. At night in the winters the heat is set to 65. Otherwise no heating/cooling the rest of the year. Our electricity bill is rarely over $30 except in August for a 2 bedroom house in LA.

Imma

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #43 on: October 21, 2018, 06:34:09 AM »
Here in Ottawa our outdoor temperature typical range is 30 to -30 (86; -22 for Americans) but it does get warmer and colder a few days a year. This summer we had a bunch of days in the 30s and even 40s (that's in the hundreds Fahrenheit).

Winter:
15 or 16 overnight (59-61 for the Americans)
18 during the day (64.4)
I'll go up to 19 if there are people coming over (66)

I work from home. Currently wearing wool sweat pants and a wool sweater.

This is what we do when we're both home. When I'm home alone I'll normally don't turn on the heating unless I feel really cold, so it's often below 18 degrees, and to compensate occasionally bf will turn it up a bit higher than 18 on his days off, because he's lazy and doesn't move around as much as I do so he gets a bit cold.

I also get really dry skin from the dry heated air so I'd much rather put on an extra layer of clothes. At home I usually where thermal wool tights, wool socks, indoor shoes, a skirt, a cami, a regular top and a scarf. I've been told I look like a bag lady when I'm home alone... but I feel most comfortable wearing that. When it's really cold outside I might add a wool sweater or wear a poncho instead of a scarf.

Our home is also much colder upstairs and since I study and work from home quite a bit, I'm thinking of getting a small space heater to heat my little office. It's 4 m2 so it would probably be warm after 5 minutes of running the heater.

BlueMR2

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #44 on: October 21, 2018, 11:13:15 AM »
I went from 65 Winter and 78 Summer (and both extremes were a challenge) originally when we were first on our mustache journey to 67 Winter and 75 Summer (which is pretty decent overall) after we were underway and doing well to stay on track.  I'm probably going to spend the extra money to tighten up those numbers some more though.  While we are OK with those numbers they're still extreme enough that mold and mildew are a constant battle.  Thinking 70 Winter and 72 Summer moving forward (that's what it took in the old house to avoid that problem).

elliha

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #45 on: October 21, 2018, 12:59:59 PM »
I don't really get to decide the temperature in the winter, the heating is paid as part of the rent and I can change the temperature roughly between 20-22 C and I pay no more no less depending on the temperature. We are pretty happy with the temperature as it is but I know that older people tend to think it is a bit cold if it is around 20 C. In summer the outdoor temperature decides the temperature, we don't have AC as is quite common in Sweden and it is usually 2-3 C colder indoors than outdoors in the current apartment so if it is 25 C we usually have around 22-23 C indoors. I have a fan that I usually keep running at night and the balcony door open to try to make it slightly cooler the next day or at least during the night so that you don't sweat as much in your sleep.

If I owned my own apartment or lived in one where I paid for the heat I would probably go for around 18 C instead of 20 but I am largely OK with things as they are.

Making Cents

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #46 on: October 21, 2018, 01:36:28 PM »
In the winter, we do around 62 F by day, and no higher than 58 by night. If we have guests over, I'll temporarily turn it up to 67 or 68 for their comfort since everyone else we know is not used to seasonal temps and in my view is super wasteful (as in having parties, heat cranking and doors wide open!). I grew up in a household in the frigid northeast and our nighttime setting was 55 with extra cozy covers added on the bed, which I'm fine with, but my Southern DH thinks that enters the crazy zone, so I'm a little bit more spendy on this than my parents. I do lower to between 50-55 if we go on vacation... just enough heat to keep the pipes from freezing.

By the time summer peaks, I'll cool to 78 by day (if i'm in the house, 80 otherwise), with windows open at night to cool for sleeping then shut right after sunup. When it starts staying really hot even after sunset, I'll turn on AC until it gets down to whatever is comfortable...hopefully 75, but sometimes I need 73 or so to sleep if I haven't spent much time outdoors in the higher temps.

For those who did not grow up following the seasons and are interested in being more efficient, you might not realize your discomfort is temporary. Your body will adjust in about two weeks. (Also sweaters work!) I'm uncomfortably hot at 70 F in my friends' houses in winter, and shivering with cold at 65 F in when visiting them in summer because I'm acclimated to the season. (Why some people actually reverse seasonal temperatures in their homes and don't consider outside temps in dressing and layering, I will never understand!)

Right now we are enjoying the sweet spot of autumn in the U.S. Upper South. We haven't used any heat/cooling for over a month and I'm hoping with strategic window opening/lowering and shade opening/lowering, we can make it to at least Dec 1 without spending anything to adjust temperature. Once we made it until Dec 20 very comfortably. That was awesome.

One of my friends with a comparably-sized home in the same city recently complained to me about our city's electric costs for heating and cooling. They are spending about $100 more than we are per month so that they can wear similar clothing whether it is summer or winter. No thank you! :)

koshtra

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #47 on: October 21, 2018, 01:54:13 PM »
We keep it between 66 and 85.

If we lived someplace muggy, that top number would definitely be lower!

Imma

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #48 on: October 22, 2018, 04:53:12 AM »
In the winter, we do around 62 F by day, and no higher than 58 by night. If we have guests over, I'll temporarily turn it up to 67 or 68 for their comfort since everyone else we know is not used to seasonal temps and in my view is super wasteful (as in having parties, heat cranking and doors wide open!). I grew up in a household in the frigid northeast and our nighttime setting was 55 with extra cozy covers added on the bed, which I'm fine with, but my Southern DH thinks that enters the crazy zone, so I'm a little bit more spendy on this than my parents. I do lower to between 50-55 if we go on vacation... just enough heat to keep the pipes from freezing.


For those who did not grow up following the seasons and are interested in being more efficient, you might not realize your discomfort is temporary. Your body will adjust in about two weeks. (Also sweaters work) I'm uncomfortably hot at 70 F in my friends' houses in winter, and shivering with cold at 65 F in when visiting them in summer because I'm acclimated to the season. (Why some people actually reverse seasonal temperatures in their homes and don't consider outside temps in dressing and layering, I will never understand!)

Right now we are enjoying the sweet spot of autumn in the U.S. Upper South. We haven't used any heat/cooling for over a month and I'm hoping with strategic window opening/lowering and shade opening/lowering, we can make it to at least Dec 1 without spending anything to adjust temperature. Once we made it until Dec 20 very comfortably. That was awesome.



Yeah, the only reason why I heat in winter when we're not home or asleep is to prevent the pipes freezing. We do heat the bedroom for a bit before we go to sleep because my s/o can't fall asleep in a cold room. It's a win-win-win situation for us to keep the night temperature low: I love quilting, saving money and the feeling of a few heavy blankets over me when I'm in bed.

We have recently bought a small electric space heater so we don't have to run the central heating every time we need a small room heated. We run the space heater for about 10 minutes and we're good. This will hopefully lower our bills quite a lot: electricity is a lot cheaper than natural gas, which is what the central heating runs on. We calculated that running the space heater for a hour every day for 6 months of the year will cost €25 in electricity - and we're going to use it less than that. When it's freezing, the central heating costs around €10/24 hours.

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Re: What temp do you keep your houses?
« Reply #49 on: October 22, 2018, 06:32:27 AM »
I'm in NC, and I keep my thermostat on 62 in the winter and somewhere between 76 and 82 in the summer (76 when I'm sleeping, 78 when I'm home but not sleeping, and 82 when I'm at work).  I'd actually be comfortable with a higher temperature during the summer, but it's too humid around here for that.  I struggle with the winter, though.  My hands are always cold, and I refuse to wear gloves in the house.  So, 62 is as low as I'm willing to go.