House Temperature

[Colleen27]

I have noticed that no one has said anything about putting plastic up at the windows. We have done this for a few years, we save the plastic from year to year until they start to tear then use the larger ones for smaller windows. We found we save almost $60 a month. Plus we put up plastic on the doors we dont use during the winter months.

Oh and we keep our house at 64 degrees since we all have asthma.

We're going to be doing the plastic for the first time this winter. Our house has the original 130yo windows. We've replaced most of the upstairs windows and will get the last two done before it gets really cold, but the main floor has very distinctive, historic wood windows that will be very expensive to replace, so we aren't going to get to those this year. I hate to put the plastic up over them, but I don't see any way around it. The people who did the clean out here when the house was foreclosed threw out all the storms & screens that were stored in the basement.

I've actually been pleasantly surprised so far, though. Overall, this house is a LOT easier to heat/cool than I thought it would be... Those "old fashioned" building practices like 'dead space' entryways and deciduous trees to the east and west make much more of a difference than I expected, and the old wood windows aren't nearly as drafty as I'd have imagined.

 

[sharonmickey]

I put plastic over all my windows a few years ago. The windows are all fairly new but the wood around the interior of the window is old. When I took the plastic off in the spring, part of the wood finish came off some of the windows where the tape had been. I haven't used plastic since. Since the windows are fairly new and double pane I'm not sure how much more the plastic helped, especially considering it took the finish off the wood.

I did apply caulking around all the windows and doors.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I'm still running the a/c. I have it set to 80, plus I have on ceiling fans to circulate it, so it feels cooler than 80.

 

[tink_lover]

Now that is just - there are no words! - I was in North Dakota last week and had to turn the car seat heaters on and wear mittens and a hat!

 

[blondietink]

We keep our house at 60 degrees ... that is when the oil furnace will turn on. We heat with a wood stove, so it is usually around 65 degrees on the coldest days of winter until the fire dies out overnight then the furnace kicks on. Looking at upgrading to a pellet stove after our wood is gone next year, as DH's back is bad and hauling wood isn't good for him. we live in layers. My DS has on a timberland sweatshirt on now with Sherpa lining right now. Got it at Sam's yesterday for $30.00.

We didn't even get our air conditioners out of the boxes this summer it has been so cold. Put a window fan in for a couple of days but that was it. I would be curious as to how much people spend on air conditioning yearly in the south. Probably as much as we spend on heat yearly.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I would be curious as to how much people spend on air conditioning yearly in the south. Probably as much as we spend on heat yearly.

I can't really tell you....I've only lived here 3 months. My two electric bills were $95 and $84...for July and August. I have a 750 sf apartment; it's on the first floor and has other apartments on three sides and above me. The one side that faces out gets the sun only in the morning.

Most people's bills are far higher...they keep it cooler and it's not common to be quite as cave-like as this apartment is!

 

[Colleen27]

I put plastic over all my windows a few years ago. The windows are all fairly new but the wood around the interior of the window is old. When I took the plastic off in the spring, part of the wood finish came off some of the windows where the tape had been. I haven't used plastic since. Since the windows are fairly new and double pane I'm not sure how much more the plastic helped, especially considering it took the finish off the wood.

Now you've got me second-guessing the plastic idea! I didn't even think about the possibility of it damaging the woodwork.