Where do you set your thermostat?

[BARBARAAPPLE]

We have all electric (heat pump) which, IMHO, does a lousy job of "warming" a house. How can the temperature of your house go up when the air coming out of the vents is COLD??

I AGREE WITH YOU ON THE HEAT PUMP
I HATE A HEAT PUMP WE ARE THINKING OF PUTTING IN A PROPANE HEATER

 

[jeancbpugh]

For people who live where it's cold in winter,

Where do you set your thermostat?

Let's answer regarding during the day when people are home. Not at night or when the house is empty.

Is your main concern cost, comfort, environmental impact?

Also, very important aspect-- do you pay for your own heat?

Just curious.

It depends on what I am doing. If I am sitting at the computer, I may set the thermostat to 67. Usually it is at 64. 64 is better if I am running around cleaning the house.

Yes, we pay for our heat.

 

[Debbie]

I programme for comfort. I hate, hate, hate being cold. I have the heat come on to 72º while we are waking up, down to 67º during the day for the cats, mouse and DH. He doesn't feel the cold, so it's okay. The heat goes up to 72º before I come home and stays there until I go to bed. It's amazing that by 10:30, I feel the chill and hop into bed with the electric blanket. Overnight it is set for 64º. I've heard that there shouldn't be too big of a change throughout the day . I am actually wearing sweaters and shoes while I'm awake, and, if it were to work (ie if I didn't feel cold), I'd adjust the thermostat. Already, I miss summer!!!!

 

[rrs_mhs]

Do you think that it costs more to heat your home when you have such drastic changes in temperature; for example, 70 during the day and 60 at night? Or do you think it is better to try and keep the temps closer together like 70 and 65?

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

It's usually at 68 I turn it down to 66 at night. DH will usually crank it up to 70
but since he falls asleep before me, I turn it back down. We haven't turned it on yet but I'm cold tonight and tomorrow is going to be chilly too.We'll jsu have to bundle up some more in the house.

 

[twinscandc]

We usually set our thermostat at 68 for our comfort, but also for the rising cost of fuel.

We just went to the "budget billing" through our Gas Company. They set our bill off of our last years average monthly gas bills. I think our highest bill last year during the cold winter months was almost $200!! Our new budget billing is $98/mo. I think we can deal with that this winter. My concern is that we will have to continue budget billing and next years monthly costs will be determined by this years costs....I was thinking that we could keep our home nice and toasty this winter without worrying about the costs, but I don't want to pay out of the nose next year!!!!

Stay Warm Everybody!!!!

 

[LoveWDW]

Electric baseboard heat- each room has a heater and thermostat. I turn way down any room that isn't being used- guest bed and bath. When it gets below freezing I also drop down the dining room and we don't use it. Otherwise about 67 during the day and 60-65 at night. I put the bathroom up to 70 when showering.

For the parrot- Pet supply stores must have heating devices for reptiles and maybe birds. The parrot would be terribly uncomfortable, so I hope you can find something.

 

[PJV57]

We set our T-stats at 68 during the day and 64 at night to save energy and money. If cost were not factor, I'd set it at 72. I wear T necks and sweaters/sweatshirts to stay warm and comfortable. MY DH, on the other hand, finds 68 very comfortable.

 

[disneychrista]

I don't generally "set" it at anything. I turn it on when we are home, generally to about 65. I'll turn it off when we are not home or at night. My kids would like it higher but they also want to run around in shorts and tee's.

 

[kilee]

This winter nobody is going to bump that thermostat above 67-68 at most. Trying to keep it closer to 65. For us it's economical.

We have a 100+ yr old house that has floor to ceiling old windows (still in good shape but a bit drafty) and 2 stories of cathedral ceilings. Anyhow, last year we paid an average of $750 a month for heat and that was w/ the setting at 70. So, I'm figuring the cost this year could be as much as $1000 a month if we don't take control of no raising the thermostat.

We are honestly thinking of investing in an electric heater for the living room during the evenings. We spend 90% of our home/awake time there. So, it would still probably be cheaper than gas. Then we may be able to get away w/ setting the thermostat at 65.

 

[kilee]

I'm reading what everyone's highest gas bills were last winter----I'll trade w/ anyone. So if I have any takers just let me know!

 

[WIDisneyFan]

My vote was at the 66-67 level - up until this year would have been more like 62-63 but with a 7 moth old in the house just can not keep it that cold anymore

 

[mickeysaver]

In the summer, we air conditioned to 74 degrees. This winter, we will heat to 70 to 72 degrees. We have gas heat, so there will be a space heater in our finished basement where the dogs live. Chihuahuas need a little extra warmth due to their small size. Maggie

 

[SamSam]

I'm really conservative when it comes to my heating or AC costs. In the summer I keep my AC thermostat set at 80 and in the winter I set the thermostat at 65-66.

 

[disneychrista]

I could not imagine an $1000 heating bill. I freak out when it gets above $200.

 

[Mandabella]

DH would love it if we set it to 65F year round. But because I'm NOT a polar bear, we usually set it at 68 in the winter and 72 in the summer.

We do not pay for heat, but do pay for AC. Heat is included in our rent.

 

[Jakesmom504]

Me too!! I live in RI and I was holding out for Nov. 1 but DH couldn't take it anymore!!

Us too! This morning I woke up and it was 64, my poor DS was freezing with warm fleecy PJ's and socks on. I broke down and put it on but only set it to 68. I'd rather be cold than hot, but I hate when you just can't warm up! I swore I wasn't putting it on until Nov but I felt horrible when I got DS out of his crib this morning.

 

[Diabolicdesire]

We have all electric (heat pump) which, IMHO, does a lousy job of "warming" a house. How can the temperature of your house go up when the air coming out of the vents is COLD??

We set our thermostat in the 70-71 range, but it never seems that warm. Most of the time in the winter it doesn't even turn on much because we have a fireplace insert (propane) that pumps out LOTS of heat....and it's in the same room as the thermostat!!! We warm the downstairs with that. Upstairs is usually pretty chilly, but heated mattress pads take care of that problem.

Our sunroom does not have duct work, so we use an oil filled radient heater in there.

Today the thermostat is set at 74 because I want to make sure it's working well before the bitter cold sets in and I had to bump it up just to get it to turn on!

I to have a heat pump and am not real happy with it. It's a new unit we had installed in the spring. When I got up this morning my thermostat said 63 and DH had put the heat on to 74 when he got up, which was fine with me. But I'm sitting right near the vent and nothing was coming out. So now I switched it from auto to on and bumped it up to 79 to see if it'll get warm and the air coming out is cold. What gives? I know nothing about heating being born and raised in Florida. But how can this thing keep the house warm if it blows cold air ????

 

[snels]

This year we are going to try to have the temp set at 65 during the day when we are home. At night when we are sleeping we keep it around 60. We used to keep it at 68 during the day, but because of rising natural gas prices we will try lower temperatures.
We live in northern Wisconsin, so the heat must be on from early Sept. until the end of May.

 

[casey49781]

my heat is turned on 72 most of the time,,i hate being cold plus my granny lives with me and is always cold,,,i also have 2 young kids,,,we are from northern michigan so its always cold here and have had my heat turned on since sept,,i moved to a different house but last year had 300.00 natural gas bills,,,,and the highest here they said last year was 270.00,,,so will see for this winter,,and i do pay my own bill.....have a safe and happy winter,,,