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When do you turn on?

5K views 78 replies 53 participants last post by  Blue XJ 
#1 · (Edited)
When do you turn on the furnace for the winter (fuck you Immortal) season? When I was a kid my dad refuse to even consider it until October 1st. I have kept that ridiculous goal also, and aim for Oct 30th as my date that the thermostat finally gets turned above 50 (bottom of the thermostat).

Do you have a certain date? Do you have a certain temperature? Maybe until the wife starts lighting fires in the kitchen to keep warm?

Most importantly, have you turned on the furnace yet this year?
 
#33 ·
Our house is the model of inefficiency so I like to avoid the furnace as much as possible. I like to keep the house at 62 but we have a nanny home with our kids now, and with my home automation I can tell she screws with the thermostat and turns the fireplace on and off throughout the day. I will probably start keeping the house warmer.

I guess I don't see the problem of putting on heavier clothes if it saves $50 -$100 a month.
 
#34 ·
For me it hasn't been uncomfortable at my house yet to justify heat, still good with shorts and a hoodie.

If my dog starts freezing I'll turn on the heat :sonicjay:
 
#35 ·
So far I have yet to turn it on and temps have been very comfortable in the house. Our bedrooms are upstairs so we get the added benefit of heat rises.
I've just upgraded my wood stove from a Vermont Casting 30,000 Btu to a LOPI Liberty 75,000 Btu unit.

I'm redoing the back splash with stone veneer instead of the old school face bricks so I'm hoping that I'll be ready to fire up the new stove in two weeks.

Once that's up and runing I sleep with the bedroom window open almost the entire winter.
If it were up to the inhabitants of the house they would have to heat on once the temps got below 70 degrees outside.
jim
 

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#39 ·
If it were up to me, I'd keep it off until the interior temps were consistently in the low 50s. I'd also be sleeping with all of the windows open every night.

However, my wife has a different notion of what is comfortable and is the one who is at home all day so the furnace has already been on this year. She has it set to warm the house up for a few hours early in the morning (which I must admit is nice) and then I think she usually turns it on for a while in the afternoon. Otherwise, if the temp falls below 64º inside it is on as well.
 
#43 ·
Heat

My wife rules the thermostat year round. I make adjustments in my wardrobe to keep comfortable. Its one decision I don't get to make. I have threatened to put a fake thermostat on the wall to keep her from being able to make constant adjustments.
 
#45 ·
I have had a few fires in our small soapstone wood stove to supplement our furnace. Once the temps get colder outside, I will fire up the wood furnace. Keeps it 90 in my basement and 75 to 80 in the house, but boy, does she like to eat wood. I will burn between 20 and 25 face cords this year. Keeps me on my toes!
 
#47 ·
I re-insulated my house about four years ago and saw my heating bills cut by over 50%. Leave the t-state at 70* during the day and 65* at night (sleep better when it is a little cooler). Biggest gas bill last year was less than $100 so I do not care when it comes on! House has not gone below 72* yet this fall so furnace has not run yet.
 
#49 ·
We turned ours on yesterday. My grandpa likes its about 68-70 in the house so thats where we keep it. I agree for what it costs to turn it on a few weeks early isn't worth sitting in my house all bundled up, our highest non snowing gas bill has only been 40 bucks but our stove also is gas. Worth it.
 
#51 ·
I was outside bbq'ing last night and I heard our AC kick in. So I'm assuming it'll be a while before the heat gets turned on. I think the AC is set to 74, so it hasn't gotten below that in our house yet. New windows and 2 feet of attic insulation really helps hold the temperature in the house.

Once it drops in temp we'll have to keep it on, since we have an infant in the house.
 
#53 ·
My wife's ideal room temp is 74.5, kids are a factor too. Above 75 and the air comes on, below 74 and the heat comes on. I've seen her go from heat in the morning to ac in the day and back to heat that same night.

Digital thermostat is set for 74 in the winter and 75 in the summer. Heat cycle drops to 69 at night and 65 while we are work. AC cycle is 78 away and 72 at night.

Heat off and on since late August this year. The AC has run this week.

Believe it or not my bills have been reasonable in the new house. New insulation standards are a big help. Six inch exterior walls and they insulate the foundation walls now. The house holds a temp well.
 
#54 ·
62 in the winter and 68 in the summer is perfect. Lounging in the house I wear a tee shirt and shorts year round unless I have been working in the cold all day long. If I am in the basement watching a movie and get cold I just grab a blanket. In the winter if the house gets above 65 I can't sleep.
 
#57 ·
I have an outdoor wood boiler, so I started it sept 14th. Does not eat that much wood unless I am in the shop alot, just turned that on yesterday, I like to work in a t-shirt, figure if I have to cut the wood and all that goes along with it, I am going to be warm when working in there, and or drinking and watching tv, part of my garage is a man cave!!!!!!!
 
#62 ·
I still haven't filled the lp tank yet but its going to happen soon
I did home delivery for ProGas for a couple years. One of the reasons I started looking for a different job is people who were on autofill, to get the reduced rate, I'd show up to fill it, hand them a bill for 5-600 bucks, and they would be upset becasue they simply didn't have the money to fill it. I felt like such an ass, but didn't have a choice. We had to get the gallons out for our quota.

Not saying you guys can't afford it, I just remember the looks in peoples eyes when i would hand them a bill.
 
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