House Temperature

[WantToGoNow]

My dh keeps our thermostat set on 64 degrees year round - the only thing that changes is the switch from COOL to HEAT. I turned off the A/C last week and opened the windows. It is so cool here this week (I think it got to 57 today and is supposed to be cooler tomorrow) that the house is cold. My oldest dd has had on a long sleeved t-shirt covered by a sweatshirt, jeans and 2 pair of socks all day today. I babysit a 22 m/o child that only had a short sleeve shirt today - I went and bought her a long-sleeved shirt so she wouldn't freeze. Dh refuses to turn on the heat yet and if he had his way the A/C would still be on. We usually turn on the furnace around the end of October unless it would happen to snow earlier. I also have to use a huge fan in our bedroom at night - it used to be to cover up dh's snoring but since he got the CPAP he doesn't snore but I still can't sleep without the sound.

 

[boettj]

We bought the pellet stove after a winter of paying over $4/gallon for oil. Now that we have it it was about $2.30/gallon last year and now lower this year! Oh well. Atleast the oil we have to use to supplement is lower and I just keep the house warmer in general. I like the feel of the pellet stove heat better than our forced hot air, oil heat. Plus the pellet stove gives off heat the is centralized to our living room where we spend most of our time. So before pellet stove we kept the heat at 68-69 degress. Now with the pellet stove it is usually 71-72 in our living room.

The pellet stove uses electric yes? If so, then how much have you seen your electric go up? Pellet stoves are interesting. At this time, I use wood in a soapstone. Soapstone retains the heat. So that when burning wood, the stone continues to heat even after the source has gone out.

 

[edandcolleen1995]

72-74 all winter.

I refuse to be cold all winter. I like my house comfy.

You are kidding right? 74???

I almost don't believe you are a home owner.. Gotta be a renter who does not have to pay the heating bill

 

[daisyduck123]

You are kidding right? 74???

I almost don't believe you are a home owner.. Gotta be a renter who does not have to pay the heating bill

Oh no, we are homeowners & I'm not kidding.
I'm one of those people who gets cold easily & there's just no way I'm going to be cold in my own home.

It's probably usually set to 72, but if I'm cold, I have no problems with turning it up. I just can't see sitting around with blankets piled on (just using another DISers words) in my own home.

 

[3boymthr]

The pellet stove uses electric yes? If so, then how much have you seen your electric go up? Pellet stoves are interesting. At this time, I use wood in a soapstone. Soapstone retains the heat. So that when burning wood, the stone continues to heat even after the source has gone out.

I hardly noticed a difference in the electric bill. The cost was actually very small because don't forget your furnace/boiler also runs on electricity so the amount that it's not running offsets the amount that the pellet stove is running.

DH is an HVAC tech and although we get our oil at cost we were still paying over $3 a gallon when the street prices were in the $4 range so we bought the pellet stove. We saved a ton of money and the house was much warmer 74 in the main living area and 68 in the bedrooms. We shut the stove off during the day when we weren't home and left the thermostat set at 60 surprisingly it was only in the very coldest months that the heat actually ran - we used less than 100 gallons of oil last year.

DH says there are a couple of things that you can do to save money:

First and foremost get a 7 day digital programable thermostat. Decide what temperature you are most comfortable. Set it to that temperature for the days you are home from work. Then set it to go down a minimum of 5 degrees - 10 degrees if you can tolerate it - 1/2 hour before you go to bed, go back up that same variance half hour before you get up, For days you are at work set it to go back down right before you leave for work and back up again half hour before you get home; that way the house is warm when you are there and active so you're not tempted to turn the temperature up.

Second, if you have a boiler or furnace or whatever, make sure to have the routine maintenance (cleaning) done annually. This will make sure that the heater is running at it's optimum level.

Third, check your insulation. An extra layer in the attic or under the house is not that expensive and can save you a ton of money.

Fourth, now this one may seem a little strange, but clear out your clutter. You have to pay to heat not just the air, but the furnishings and rugs and yes, your stuff. If a lot of it is just clutter you are paying more to heat your house so here is a really really good reason to clear off those shelves.

Fifth, make sure to keep those closet and cabinet doors closed. Closet areas are not factored into the heat calculations when your furnace/boiler is installed and can strain the heater and costs lots of extra money to heat (see above about clutter). Really, your clothes won't mind.

Other things we do to conserve on our heat bills - we don't turn the heat on until the temperature in the house dips below 60 during the day with all the windows closed. Temperatures at night must be down around 50.

Consider investing in good blankets - we have washable down blankets (not comforters) in the bedrooms (about $60ea) so we are toasty warm even when the temp in the bedroom is below sixty.

 

[minnie1928]

If the family is home we set it around 66/67. If it's just me, then I'll go 63/64. I like to feel bundled up, so it doesn't bother me. I've also found that I feel warmer when the sun is out than I do when the sun goes down...even if the temp remains the same in the house

One thing to add that someone might find interesting, I have a separate laundry room and last year I noticed that when I ran the dryer, the door had a tough time staying closed (room door, not dryer door). It appears that when the dryer is on, some air is being sucked from the room. Since making this discovery I've closed the heat vent in the room and placed a door sweep on the bottom of the door to help "seal" the room and to prevent my heated air from being pulled out of the house. The room stays warm enough that I don't worry about freezing pipes, but it's also much cooler than the rest of the house.

 

[2littlez'sandme]

You are kidding right? 74???

I almost don't believe you are a home owner.. Gotta be a renter who does not have to pay the heating bill

This is so me and my family. I refuse to be chilly in my own home. And YES, I am the homeowner and the bill payer.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

I'm one of those people who gets cold easily & there's just no way I'm going to be cold in my own home.

It's probably usually set to 72, but if I'm cold, I have no problems with turning it up. I just can't see sitting around with blankets piled on (just using another DISers words) in my own home.

You sound a lot like me. For years I kept the thermostat at 64 because I was worried the bill would be too high but I was cold and miserable. Last year I upped it when we were cold and turned it down once the house warmed up. I'm sure our usage was higher but at least we were comfortable.

 

[emer95]

We keep it at 69 in the winter and believe me, this is a hard fought compromise. I'm not happy about it and neither is my dh! He would prefer 64, I'd prefer 74. I am always cold and wear slippers, sweaters, and keep a blanket over me all the time and I'm STILL cold. He wears shorts and t-shirts and is always too warm. There is no happy medium.
You should see us in the car.

We haven't turned on our furnace on yet, even though I'd love to. Today I was absolutely frigid and I was positive our house was down in the low 60's, but when I looked at the thermostat it was 67. I could hardly believe it. I wore my winter coat to work today!

 

[crazelion]

Right now I have nothing on at all. I am pretty sure it stay that way until November or December when ever we cut the heat on. I keep at about 72 degrees in the winter and summer. I can't stead to be cold.

I don't have a programmed thermostat at all. I have a manual thermostat because it is easy to work. Before say anything about programmed thermostat is better. I had 3 on them and could not work none at all. I don't care how many times read the directions the darn thing would sit right. Until they make a voice activated thermostat the manual is stay in. Believe a not I bought the last one that day at Ace hardware manual thermostat that a lot people is have trouble with there programmed thermostat and could not work them.

I so happy when my electric bill went down that I did a dance around the room.

 

[neatokimmo]

We'll keep it in the 65-68 range this year. I am out of the house most of the day so when I am home, I'm in PJs & slippers. Just toss on a furry robe and I am good to go.

 

[HeatherC]

I honestly don't know how someone can live "comfortably" keeping the thermostat set at 55 or 60. That is not even comfortable to me when it is that temperature outside!

We have zone heating and used to keep the upstairs off during the day and downstairs around 67. Then we would turn it up late afternoon to about 70 to 72 depending on how cold it was outside.

We installed 2 pellet stoves last year...one to heat our finished basement and one for the main living room. They are awesome!! We spent about $1200 to heat the whole house and the temperature was about 72 degrees. Perfect for me.

When we aren't home, I just keep the main one on the lowest setting. We bump it up when we get home and then start the one in the basement before the kids come home from school.

I also love the fact that when we are watching tv we can see the actual fire burning. Keeps me cozy!

We also have a gas fireplace in our dining area that I only turn on rarely for ambience.

I just keep reminding myself that spring is coming!

 

[boettj]

The Pellet stove has me intrigued. Not much of an increase in electricity. Right now qualifying Pellet stoves "can receive a U.S. federal tax credit for 30% of their cost, up to $1,500." I still have a few questions.

1. How much does Pellets cost?
   
2. How are they stored?
   
3. Are the stoves vented in a standard chimney?
4. Any other hidden concerns?

Thank you

 

[HeatherC]

We paid $269 a ton for pellets. We went through about 4 1/2 tons last winter. But that was for 2 stoves.

We have them delivered and just stack them in our garage. A lot of places will also let you pay for them and then pick them up as needed.


As far as venting, they just cut a small hole in the side of the house and direct vent it outside. You do need a permit to install one.

I love having them.

 

[jessica52877]

You'll are making me even chillier then I already am! We keep ours at 78 pretty much in the winter or summer! Summer I can go a bit higher most of the day! My nose is cold as it is sitting here right now and it isn't that cold outside and I turned on the heater last night!

Our bills aren't too terribly bad in my opinion either. If it matters we have a heat pump so no gas.

 

[teresajoy]

You'll are making me even chillier then I already am! We keep ours at 78 pretty much in the winter or summer! Summer I can go a bit higher most of the day! My nose is cold as it is sitting here right now and it isn't that cold outside and I turned on the heater last night!

Our bills aren't too terribly bad in my opinion either. If it matters we have a heat pump so no gas.

Jessica, I want to live at your house!!!!

We don't have A/C, so in the summer whatever the temp is outside that's what we keep it in.

In the winter, during the day, I put a curtain up to separate the living room from the rest of the house and close all the vents in the other rooms. I then use a space heater to heat the living room. It is usually around 65. It's cold, I won't try to say it's not. The worst thing is that my hands and fingers get so cold! It makes it hard to type on the dis!!! So, in the winter I switch from the desktop to my laptop for the warmth! (I laugh, but it's true!)
At night, I turn the furnace on to heat the bedrooms because space heaters at night scare me.

We pay a lot less for gas than most people around here. We rarely go over $100 a month in the winter while a lot of people are paying $300. We also have a gas dryer, stove and water heater.

 

[boettj]

We paid $269 a ton for pellets. We went through about 4 1/2 tons last winter. But that was for 2 stoves.

We have them delivered and just stack them in our garage. A lot of places will also let you pay for them and then pick them up as needed.


As far as venting, they just cut a small hole in the side of the house and direct vent it outside. You do need a permit to install one.

I love having them.

Today, I have two parts to my house. The original house is heated by forced hot air. The second part, a 25'X14' family room, is an addition where I was not able to run the forced hot air. The primary source of heat in the family room is wood. Each year I burn between 1.5 to 2 cord of wood. I just purchased 2 cord of wood for 265/cord.

Personally, I don't see a cost savings in converting my family room to a pellet stove. The wood stove runs me the same price roughly.

The original house is built on a slab, and the downstairs is often much cooler than the upstairs. I could supplement the downstairs with a pellet stove. This would increase the comfort level downstairs, and allow me to lower the forced hot air thermostat in the upstairs area.

The only problem I see is the additional cost of 2ton of pellets each year. At the 269/ton, I'd be looking at another $538 in annual cost. I wonder if my oil usage would be reduced enough to save me the $538?

 

[teresajoy]

I honestly don't know how someone can live "comfortably" keeping the thermostat set at 55 or 60. That is not even comfortable to me when it is that temperature outside!

We have zone heating and used to keep the upstairs off during the day and downstairs around 67. Then we would turn it up late afternoon to about 70 to 72 depending on how cold it was outside.

We installed 2 pellet stoves last year...one to heat our finished basement and one for the main living room. They are awesome!! We spent about $1200 to heat the whole house and the temperature was about 72 degrees. Perfect for me.

When we aren't home, I just keep the main one on the lowest setting. We bump it up when we get home and then start the one in the basement before the kids come home from school.

I also love the fact that when we are watching tv we can see the actual fire burning. Keeps me cozy!

We also have a gas fireplace in our dining area that I only turn on rarely for ambience.

I just keep reminding myself that spring is coming!

Heather, how big of a space are you heating with the two stoves? Our house is little so I'm trying to figure out how much it might cost us to heat with one.

 

[The Princess]

We keep ours at 68-70 but if it gets really cold out I don't have a problem raising it up~I hate being cold

 

[boettj]

You'll are making me even chillier then I already am! We keep ours at 78 pretty much in the winter or summer! Summer I can go a bit higher most of the day! My nose is cold as it is sitting here right now and it isn't that cold outside and I turned on the heater last night!

Our bills aren't too terribly bad in my opinion either. If it matters we have a heat pump so no gas.

78? Wow that is tropical. Growing up my dad would not turn the thermostat higher than 62. Mind you that was in the 70's when they thought prices were high. We also ran a wood stove which helped keep the house warmer, but not terribly. If you were cold, go put a sweater on. No running around in the winter in just a t-shirt.