Author Topic: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F  (Read 36477 times)

oldtoyota

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #50 on: October 25, 2013, 07:32:12 PM »
Our house was 57 degrees this morning.  Its supposed to be in the 30's overnight the next few days, and not get up above 60 during the day.  So I think it will just get colder over the next few days.  I had been hoping to get through October without using heat, but I'm beginning to worry we won't make it.

When I came home and saw our house guest in a winter coat and hat, I started to think maybe it was time to use the heat. I compromised and turned on a space heater. Which is worse--electric heat or gas heat?

I am wearing many layers and am so proud I've not caved. I'm hoping we can make it despite the house guests. Since I turned on the space heater, the hat and coat have come off.

Tomorrow, we're be out a lot in the day. I'll leave the curtains open to get a bit of "greenhouse effect" and hope that warms things up.




Rural

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #51 on: October 26, 2013, 07:45:51 AM »
Caved last night as we went to 26F overnight and the pipes that serve the kitchen sink and dishwasher are in an exterior (not underground) wall. That will will be part of our enclosed atrium/ greenhouse eventually, but ATM it's still an open courtyard. The walls are foamed in and six inches thick, so it was probably fine, but the downside of the foam is that if a pipe bursts, we have a major disassembly job on our hands to repair it. We decided not to take the chance.

So it's 62F in the end of the house with the heat on, 57F on the end without, and we have discovered it's past time to install ceiling fans, since much of the heat is at the ceiling. Sun's out, though, and everything is starting to warm up nicely. The heat pump is kicking on only for about five minutes every hour or so, and I expect it will stop now that the sun is hitting the wall it's on.

We don't have another freeze  in the ten-day forecast, so we'll turn the heat back off again once it goes above freezing out there today.

On the bright side, the frost on the roof did not start to melt until the sun hit the roof. Insulation is working.

olivia

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #52 on: October 27, 2013, 08:25:47 PM »
You all beat me, I caved when it got down in the 30s here at night last week.  My husband was willing to keep it going but I was freezing and turned it on!  I've set the thermostat to 65 at night, 68 during the day...any colder than that and I'm miserable.  (At 68 I still wear sweatpants, t-shirt, sweatshirt and sheepskin boots.)  But given that we have a very small place, and it's a rowhouse, the heat hasn't actually been on that much.  I'm excited to see what our gas bill ends is going forward.  Last year I definitely had it higher, low 70s if I recall correctly. 

NinetyFour

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #53 on: October 27, 2013, 08:38:55 PM »
Cold temps are on their way here.  Supposed to be 22 and 21 (F) on Weds and Thurs nights.  We had temps like that a couple times earlier this month, and I made it with no heat, but it wasn't exactly pleasant!  I am still hoping to make it until at least November 1.

Ottawa

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #54 on: October 28, 2013, 09:03:49 AM »
We have really adapted to the decreasing house temperature...we did not expect this.  A respite:  The weekend saw our inside house temperature go up to 17C from a low of 14.6C late last week.  No doubt a combination of body heat and a little baking!  I'm fairly confident we can make it, though we are supposed to go down to -9C tonight (16F). 

I think one of the important things is that we haven't been sitting around - we've been constantly moving and staying busy. 


NumberCruncher

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #55 on: October 28, 2013, 10:23:38 AM »
When I came home and saw our house guest in a winter coat and hat, I started to think maybe it was time to use the heat. I compromised and turned on a space heater. Which is worse--electric heat or gas heat?

electric heat is generally worse, but heating a small space with a space heater is better than heating a larger space with gas. (heating a room vs heating the whole house for example.)

Haven't turned on our heat yet :D  It's around 60 and not too bad. Right now the thermostat is set at 50. I'm a little afraid to put it any lower for the pipes, but thinking it would still likely be fine at 45 or so.

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #56 on: October 28, 2013, 10:38:54 AM »
I totally wimped out when it got around 55 inside. But I am definitely going to keep it set at a lower temp than in previous years. I am going to see if I can acclimate to 62, but I might go up to 64 for when I am at home.

brand new stash

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #57 on: October 28, 2013, 10:59:39 AM »
I totally wimped out when it got around 55 inside. But I am definitely going to keep it set at a lower temp than in previous years. I am going to see if I can acclimate to 62, but I might go up to 64 for when I am at home.

Me too, I wimped out this weekend when the house hit 55, and we set the heat to 62. 

oldtoyota

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #58 on: October 28, 2013, 11:10:54 AM »
When I came home and saw our house guest in a winter coat and hat, I started to think maybe it was time to use the heat. I compromised and turned on a space heater. Which is worse--electric heat or gas heat?

electric heat is generally worse, but heating a small space with a space heater is better than heating a larger space with gas. (heating a room vs heating the whole house for example.)

Haven't turned on our heat yet :D  It's around 60 and not too bad. Right now the thermostat is set at 50. I'm a little afraid to put it any lower for the pipes, but thinking it would still likely be fine at 45 or so.

Thanks!

RetiredAt63

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #59 on: October 28, 2013, 06:12:32 PM »
I caved a few days ago, and I am glad I did, I finally got over a lingering cold.  Now that the sun is back the house is not needing it - today the thermostat was at 17C (that is daytime, night is 15), the house was at 21.  It felt tropical, especially after working outside (5C and windy - but sunny).

sununderwood

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #60 on: October 28, 2013, 08:21:15 PM »
Feels like: 11 degrees F outside right now, snow off and on all day, and still going strong without heat. Yet another benefit of biking is that biking in such weather with 20 mph wind pushing you all over makes you love the shit out of how warm and comfortable your unheated home is. It is 52 degrees F inside and I feel toasty. Yes, you will acclimate! Give me all you got, Montana.

NinetyFour

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #61 on: October 29, 2013, 05:44:20 AM »
Good for you, smai!  I have noticed that I have been acclimating as well.  It is 56 F inside my house this morning, and I am too warm!  I just had to take off my hat and my Buff.  Cold front is coming through, though...

Ottawa

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #62 on: October 29, 2013, 06:50:22 AM »
Good for you, smai!  I have noticed that I have been acclimating as well.  It is 56 F inside my house this morning, and I am too warm!  I just had to take off my hat and my Buff.  Cold front is coming through, though...

awesome stuff!    Woke up to 57F in the house this morning!  Sunny day today though...and temperatures going up at end of week to almost 60 outside! This brings up the possibility of going beyond November 1st which we didn't expect we'd be able to do! 

oldtoyota

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #63 on: October 29, 2013, 07:04:26 AM »
Still going strong here. We're warm and toasty at night. I used space heater a few times--not sure if that rules me out here or not...but I still have not turned on the heat.


Half-Borg

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #64 on: October 29, 2013, 09:14:52 AM »
I'm also going without heating.
It's currently 55°F outside and 60°F inside.
I hope to make it through Mid-November

DTown

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #65 on: October 29, 2013, 09:57:19 AM »
I'll join. I moved into a new house with roommates not too long ago. We turned on the heat when it started snowing outside and the inside temp dropped to 55F. Now we keep the house set at 60F, but I live in the cooler basement where it is 58F. It took a couple weeks for me to adjust, but now its not a big deal at all. I just wear long underwear and socks all the time.

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #66 on: October 29, 2013, 10:41:42 AM »
I'm a wimp compared to you guys. When the inside temp got down to about 58-60, I was too damn cold and caved. I programmed the thermostat (online) and noticed last winter I had it set to 68 when we were home!! yikes. Well I can certainly do better than that. I've got it at 59 overnight (with me, BF, and dog in the bed, it's HOT!) 64 when I wake up and get ready for work (Ultimate wimp time), 58 during the day while we're at work, and then 63 during the evenings.

I've tried to do the curtains thing - open during day, closed overnight. Doesn't seem to help much because of all the trees, I don't get much sun. Should be better when all the leaves fall I guess.

Anyone know what the threshold is for the difference in high and low temps? Like at what point is it not energy efficient to heat the house back up after letting it drop during the day or overnight? Is a 10 degree swing too much?

oldtoyota

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #67 on: October 29, 2013, 11:17:54 AM »
I'm a wimp compared to you guys. When the inside temp got down to about 58-60, I was too damn cold and caved. I programmed the thermostat (online) and noticed last winter I had it set to 68 when we were home!! yikes. Well I can certainly do better than that. I've got it at 59 overnight (with me, BF, and dog in the bed, it's HOT!) 64 when I wake up and get ready for work (Ultimate wimp time), 58 during the day while we're at work, and then 63 during the evenings.

Don't feel bad. I basically have no body fat and get cold fast. I've been bundling up. If I can do it, you can eventually get there. =-) Warm showers to heat up the body can help too.


daverobev

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #68 on: October 29, 2013, 11:47:58 AM »
I have one thing to say:

Get a vest!

Or whatever - HUGE difference between my normal, t-shirt + jumper, and t-shirt + shirt + jumper!

kdms

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #69 on: October 29, 2013, 11:57:32 AM »
While we haven't used the furnace at all, from reading the other posts, I don't think we're really following the spirit of the challenge.  I think we caved around a week ago when we started using the woodstove to keep the place above 14C, which is when we start putting sweaters on.  The stove can get the whole house up to 24C easily and the insulation is so good (thank god) that we only have to use it every other day to keep it comfortable.

We're not paying for the electric furnace, at least, and the wood was collected for free, but we're definitely not keeping it below 60F.  We did turn the breaker on the other day and set it to 10C so that in the event that we decide to go somewhere for a few days nothing freezes, but I think we've adapted this challenge in our household to see if we can go the whole winter on just the woodstove and keep the furnace from kicking on at all.  :)

NinetyFour

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #70 on: November 01, 2013, 04:19:39 AM »
My goal was to make it to Nov. 1 without using the heat.  I made it!!

I probably could have gone another 4 - 5 days without it (next Tuesday, temps are supposed to fall to 13 F), but it was 48 F inside my house this morning (again), so I relented and fired up the gas stove.  The thermostat is set to 52 F.  It is now a toasty 54 F in here.  This allowed me to unzip my down jacket.  :)

Rural

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #71 on: November 01, 2013, 06:53:27 AM »
We've turned the heat off again for the last several days, and it looks as though we may not need it again for the ten days the forecast covers. It'll be near freezing Saturday night and we may get chilly, but Sunday's forecast is for full sun, so things will warm up in here quickly. Other than that, we're highs in the 60s and lows in or near the 40s with partial sun, plus the leaves turned this week (mountain autumn color out my windows, OMG), and in just a couple of weeks we'll be getting more of the sun into the house as the shade falls away.

So we heated for 36 hours in the third week of October, but then back off again until at least the 10th of November, it looks like.

We are running a dehumidifier though; inside humidity back up near 70%. I'll open windows in the afternoons when the temps go up to try to drop that without spending on it.

oldtoyota

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #72 on: November 01, 2013, 07:45:01 AM »
I saw this thread pop up and then realized that we made it! It's November 1. Woot.

Today, it's 70 F. At this rate, we might make it at least partway through November.


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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #73 on: November 01, 2013, 12:06:00 PM »
I'm cheating.  It's 73 out today.

oldtoyota

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #74 on: November 01, 2013, 01:07:24 PM »
It's November 1 and we still haven't turned on the heat. Shooting for November 15 now.

I like this. I will shoot for that too.

BC_Goldman

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #75 on: November 01, 2013, 02:35:22 PM »
My HVAC unit has been switched off at the breaker since probably June. Weather has been cooler recently but the lowest indoor temp I remember seeing is 58 F. Right now it is 70 F inside and 69 outside. My biggest problem is sleeping since I don't sleep well when I'm cold. I have a couple of warming bags made by my mom. They are filled with rice and you toss em in the microwave for 5 min. I've used them a couple times and it helps with getting the bed warm. Lowest outdoor temps have been in the mid to upper 40s so I'm curious to see what happens when they dip below freezing for a few days. Since I live in a condo I can at least get some heat and insulation from the units below and beside me.

Villanelle

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #76 on: November 01, 2013, 02:52:03 PM »
Husband turned on one radiator (fairly low, to 2 out of 5) briefly a couple times, but we are still going strong with almost no heat.  We've hit the mid 30s (lows) a couple times, and are frequently in the mid to low 40s.  Actually lows are not really a problem as I like it cool when I sleep, though husband isn't quite as happy that way and I'm debating the purchase of a new comforter to get him on board with no heat in the bedroom all winter.

But during the day, I'm adding layers as the temps decrease, and I find that a good run up and down the stairs a few times when I'm really feeling the chill helps a great deal.  Also, a scarf and hat as necessary, though we aren't there yet, and thick wool socks inside my slippers.  I also have a buckwheat (I think?) filled neck pillow that I can pop in the microwave and wear around when I'm really chilled.  And drinking warm water does wonders.

And while it looks a bit silly, I find that adult onesie-style pajamas keep me warmer than separates. I sometimes wear a layer under them and/or a fleece over the top.  But I think the onesie works on the same principal as mittens being warmer than gloves. So that's more normal winter house outfit.

I found last winter that I could be not-uncomfortable even when I could sometimes see my breath in the house.  IDK what the indoor temps were (radiator heating, no thermostat), but I'm quite certain they often hit the high 30s, or less. 

We also hang a heavy curtain in the winter to close the open floor plan living/dining.  That way, we only heat the living room.

I love hearing people complain about spending 2500Eu (~$3400) to fill up their oil tanks annually or more, while mine is still about 85% full after nearly a year.   

zinnie

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #77 on: November 01, 2013, 05:33:28 PM »
Still going strong, but our low has only been 62 inside so far. It feels chilly! Footie PJs are a good idea--the worst part is that the floor is so cold.

NinetyFour

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #78 on: November 01, 2013, 06:02:39 PM »

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #79 on: November 02, 2013, 06:17:31 AM »
I'm on wood heat there, still, I keep the thermostats set no higher than 17C.  Personally I could go lower but there are others in the house.  Generally I just add on extra layers and I'm good to go.  Another trick I find to keep warm is to go outside and find work to do.  When you head back in your "cool" house will feel nice and warm. :) My computer is located in a smaller bedroom/office so the heat off my iMac tends do do a nice job (yay for slopped ceilings chopping down the room volume ;).

ScienceSexSavings

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #80 on: November 02, 2013, 06:44:31 PM »
I'm still heat-free here :) Indoor temp is staying around 19-20C, and I still don't know why. Small space heats very easily when I'm up and moving, so that's great!

Ottawa

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #81 on: November 03, 2013, 04:30:35 PM »
It's official!  We folded on Sunday November 3rd!  It was 57F in the house and dropping.  We have now set the furnace to 57F overnight and during the day (when at work) and bump it to 64 between 5-8pm and weekends...

Good Luck!

Emerald

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #82 on: November 05, 2013, 08:49:41 AM »
Mine has been off since early September.  I'm shooting for mid-November.

I'm still doing fine without heat.  Low's have been in the 40's, but I have a space heater for the living room and a very touchy-feely mutt who likes to sit/sleep on me. 

sununderwood

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #83 on: November 05, 2013, 06:25:41 PM »
I love reading these responses. It's like talking about the weather with my co-workers, except I am tearing across the words trying to find out what happens next, full-body excited and flailing my arms and screaming back YEAH! yOu CAN DO IT!! Congrats to all who met their goals.

48 degrees inside the ol apartment this morning.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2013, 06:27:19 PM by smai »

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #84 on: November 06, 2013, 02:21:11 AM »
Living room was 38 when I got up this morning and with rain and clouds, I am not going to get much help from my South facing windows today.  I caved and turned on radiator on at 2 out of 5 to take the chill off.  It's 10:15 am now and I'm going to turn it off, but today is going to test my acclimation!  Off to make some hot tea...

Has anyone used an electric mattress pad here? It got down to 61 in our bedroom last night. I make sure my husband is warmly dressed before bed, but he tends to kick away the blankets and hot water bottle. Would an electric mattress pad help and be cost-effective, or should I just cave and turn on the heat?

Before I moved to a place with different electricity, we did have an electric mattress pad.  It was a gift, and I was skeptical, but it helped with heating costs.  I tend to get very hot when I sleep, so I'd turn mine on about 15 minutes before bed so I didn't have to climb into freezing cold sheets, and then I'd turn it off when I got into bed.  That was enough for me and I could happily sleep in a freezing bedroom with just that (and heavy and layered bedding, of course).  Husband needs a little more heat than that, so he'd leave his on low all night.  The dual zones was ideal.  I couldn't tell from your post whether your husband kicks everything off because he's hot, or he kicks it off because it's too much and he's cold.  If he's like me, then he needs that stuff to get started, but warms himself well though the night, in which case I think the mattress pad (or even just a heating bad or a few hot water bottles used to pre-warm the bed) would be ideal because it can be used to start out and then turned off or down. 

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #85 on: November 06, 2013, 05:08:03 AM »
I haven't buttoned up my apartment in a month now. I leave the screened balcony door open all the time to take advantage of the beautiful Texas fall weather. I sleep with the window open too. Don't mess with Texas!

oldtoyota

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #86 on: November 06, 2013, 06:25:42 AM »
November is going fast, it seems. I changed my goal from Oct 31 to November 15. It's hard to believe six days passed by already.


Rural

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #87 on: November 08, 2013, 07:34:07 AM »
It's all over here, as I've determined I'd rather be warm than rich. :-)

We're still not seeing it run very much, but we're keeping the house at ~64F. The sun does it all during the day, then the heat pump helps maintain at night.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #88 on: November 08, 2013, 07:32:47 PM »
I caved a while ago, but the effects are long lasting.  I have the thermostat set 20C cooler than last year and I am fine.

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #89 on: November 09, 2013, 05:37:27 AM »
I totally wimped out when it got around 55 inside. But I am definitely going to keep it set at a lower temp than in previous years. I am going to see if I can acclimate to 62, but I might go up to 64 for when I am at home.

I already lost this competition since I turned mine on a couple of weeks ago before seeing this thread. But The wife and I have a competition with her parents for whoever turns the A/C or Heat on LAST in its respective season wins. It is actually quite fun, we make a big deal out of it. (we almost always win)

Last year, we kept the house pretty steady at 68*. This year so far we have kept it at 62* with an electric blanket on the bed and two small space heaters so we can heat just the office or TV room when needed.

EK

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #90 on: November 09, 2013, 06:09:26 AM »
We turned the heat on a couple weeks ago, but last night was the first night it really felt wintery here to me.  The heater is set at 60- you would think the temperature in the house was more like -10 the way my husband was complaining though!!  So far I'm holding fast to 60, but I don't know how long I can take the complaining!!  We shall see.  Hopefully he will acclimate.

Dee18

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #91 on: November 09, 2013, 09:30:37 AM »
54 inside this morning.  I'm ready to turn on the heat but my daughter wants us to try to make it until Dec. 1 st!   I think Veteran's Day is more likely.

oldtoyota

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #92 on: November 09, 2013, 09:37:42 AM »
Six more days to go!

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #93 on: November 09, 2013, 05:19:52 PM »
I can't believe how well this is going! I think I can easily hit mid-November, maybe even the end of the month.

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #94 on: November 09, 2013, 10:45:37 PM »
I am trying to go as long as possible without using heat. I probably have it logistically easier than most because I live on the first story of a house with apartments above and below that use heat, so I don't fear any pipe freezing complications. I also think those apts insulate me pretty well.

I grew up on the east coast so I know what cold and snow is - but I've been living in Los Angeles for the past 13 years and I'm not a complete wimp.

It's 65 in our house and I'm FREEZING. But of course I don't put on the heat I just get some blankets or some warmer clothes.

I just think it's funny. My wife had this conversation with her mom last week.

"It's getting cold - getting down to the sixties." - my wife in SoCal.

"It's getting warm - getting into the sixties" her Mom in PA.

Gosh we've become such wimps. But I won't turn that heat on unless it gets into the 50s at night in the house - which it hasn't yet.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #95 on: November 10, 2013, 05:08:15 AM »
Winter is here, snow last night, cold rain this morning but the ground (and deck, and driveway) are still white.  Our nights lately have been well below freezing, and the days mostly grey.  This does nothing for passive heating.  Today sunrise was at 6:49 and sunset is at 4:30,  so the days are short and getting shorter, and now that we are back on Standard Time, the days get dark too soon.   I want to be a Snowbird.

(Actually, a nice sunny day with no wind at -10C and lots of snow is great, cross-country skiing with the dog is fun).  It is the dreariness of it all right now that is depressing.)

Rural

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #96 on: November 10, 2013, 05:20:46 AM »
This challenge has made me realize we'd better budget more for heating once we retire than we spend now. I've acclimated quite a bit, but 64F is about my lower limit. I've realized I'm finding the point at which I value comfort over the free time the money could buy me when I start going in to work sooner than I have to because it's warm there.

Luckily, we hold steady at 64 or higher any day when the sun is out and temps are reasonable. We have three nights in the 20s coming this week, so we'll see how the place handles real lows. Based on how it did last winter with no heat installed, if I could live with low 50s inside, we'd never have to add artificial heat, but I can't.

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #97 on: November 10, 2013, 01:34:57 PM »
Been out of town.  Returned to 2C at 8 pm, so it will dip below freezing tonight.  No heat on at the moment, but my toes and fingers are cold.   If I can make it to bedtime, then I'll be golden.  In fact, I'm thinking of turning in early and reading a book in bed so I can be nice and warm, and leaving the post-travel laundry and other projects until tomorrow.  Of course, by tomorrow there may be snow on the ground.


oldtoyota

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #98 on: November 10, 2013, 07:19:48 PM »
Six more days to go!

Our apartment is at 59 right now and we're still going strong!

Woot! Congrats!

I read the DC area is going to get a cold snap. On Tuesday, it is supposed to get down to below freezing. I might turn on the heat at that point so the pipes do not freeze.

I'm currently 10 days beyond the original goal so feeling good!

BC_Goldman

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Re: Go as long as possible without using heat/keeping heat below 60 F
« Reply #99 on: November 12, 2013, 10:06:10 AM »
So far so good. I seem to be getting passive heat gains from the surrounding condo units. Outside temp according to weather app is 38 and my thermostat says it's 62 inside. The true test will be when the temps Stay around freezing for a long period. Lowest I've seen so far has still been 58. Part of me wants to see if I can make it all winter without turning on the heat. I also need to find a manual for my HVAC unit to see if I need to do anything to relight it. I turned off the breaker and gas feed this summer when I was taking the no AC challenge.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!