A better way to set your thermostat

This winter I decided to try what I've thought about doing for a while-namely having the temperature higher at night instead of during the day as most people usually do. I have to say I like it better. Before the house often reached uncomfortably hot temperatures once the sun came in. What would happen is that in the mornings the heat would bring the house to 68°F, but in rooms which had other heat sources like the kitchen (refrigerator), or my bedroom (computer, TV) plus good sun exposure temperatures would often get into the mid or high 70's. When you're up and about even the low 60s is plenty comfortable, and mid or high 70s feels like a retirement home. Now when we're on the former night setting of 62°F during the day the rooms we're in the most remain comfortable, and even those which are cooler are still fine.

The nights are also better. When you're sleeping or not moving you feel cold more easily, so that's exactly the time it makes the most sense to have the house warmer rather than colder. As a bonus, since we're only on the high setting for about 8 hours as opposed to 16 before we should save oil. I only wish we had done this sooner, and recommend to everyone else to try it.

I am with you backwards from most. I like it warmer at night (67ish) and during the day anywhere above 60 is fine with me. But since we have 3 kids 3 and under we can't keep it as cold as I would like. I have never understood warming the house during the day and cooler at night? To really save money you have to set it at what ever temp at any time of the day you can deal with. Also since we are home often at different times it makes it hard to set the thermostat. I wish it had 3 buttons, gone, home but not sleeping and sleeping. I often just set the temp and hit the "hold" button, but then I forget and it is to cold for the kids.

I like a colder house at night and I then sleep with a heavy comforter. If the house is too warm, 68ish I can't get a good nights sleep.

VWTim said:

I like a colder house at night and I then sleep with a heavy comforter. If the house is too warm, 68ish I can't get a good nights sleep.

Click to expand...

I'm the same way. I keep the house cooler at night and sleep in minimal clothing with several blankets. If it approaches 68°-69° I get too hot and can't sleep. If my wife accidentally moves the thermostat up just a degree or two, it is often enough to wake me up. The colder at night the better for me, if I could keep the house at 55° at night I would, but that wouldn't work for my wife and kids.

-Keith

The problem with low temps at night isn't so much when you're in bed but rather if you need to get up to use the bathroom. Nothing worse than to go from under the covers into a 55° room while your body temp and metabolism are still low. I've gone into uncontrolled shivers more times than I care to think about when that's happened.

Interesting. We used to do the same sort of thing when I was growing up, only not really on purpose. I grew up in an OLD farmhouse with a wood furnace in the basement. In order to go through the night you'd pack that sucker full at about 8:30pm and not have to load any more wood until about 9:00am. Of course that also meant that the house was heated more for the early part of the evening.

That was really okay with us though because during the day we'd be outside doing the farm stuff so by the time we came in 68 degrees felt like 85 and 70+ was just too warm!

I regulate my intake of liquids so I don't have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I used to have to do that a couple of times a week though, and going from the cool house to the warm bed wasn't a problem for me.

-Keith

Heh, I drink a full glass of milk (actually more than 12oz) along with a snack right before bed every night. I don't have to go to the bathroom except in the morning. I also like to keep it cold, too hot and I can't sleep and just toss and turn more!

I have no idea how you guys do the 55 at night thing. I start to get a runny nose around 65 degrees. The heavy blanket, sleeping bag thing I get either too hot and or sweaty after a few hours and try alternating between covering up my upper body and moving it down.

I like the higher temp at night too, summer and winter. I find the sun does a good job inaddition to the tv or computer to keeping the apartment warm during the day. I just set the stat to 68 degrees year round and turn it off at day during the winter and at night during the summer and when I am not there.

IsaacHayes said:

Heh, I drink a full glass of milk (actually more than 12oz) along with a snack right before bed every night. I don't have to go to the bathroom except in the morning. I also like to keep it cold, too hot and I can't sleep and just toss and turn more!

Click to expand...

Which says quite a lot about your age...

Wait.

I like it warmer at night also. If I get too cold I can't sleep well, and I REALLY hate a cold toliet seat in the middle of the night!

I keep the thermostat set no higher than 64 in the winter, usually more like 62. Most of the house probably stays around or under 60. All day, all night, no change. Doesn't bother me. Right now I'm wearing two pairs of socks, long underwear, two shirts, and a sweatshirt. Sleep under two comforters. All about conserving body heat.

My wife and three daughters are always saying they are cold, so in my house it is always on 71 or 72, day or night. I do like your idea, I am just outnumbered in my house.

i keep it hot all day long

Just to complicate the discussion a little: :naughty:

Besides air temperature, the perception of temperature is also highly dependent on:

1. Room humidity.
2. Reflectivity of room surfaces.
3. Air speed (radiant heating or forced air heating?)

dcarch8

I prefer it to be warmer during the day, usually around 68 degrees or so, and cooler at night, usually around 60-64 degrees. I don't notice it being colder at night because I'm sleeping and am not awake to notice the colder temp, plus, I'm kept warm by the blankets on my bed. I personally would find it very wasteful to heat my house when I'm unable to notice it (because I'm asleep). As far as I'm concerned, as long as the pipes don't freeze, that's what really counts.

The only reason why I even use heat here in Atlanta is cuz my girlfriend would drive me crazy it I didn't. I've got my programable thermostat set to 64 from 5:30 pm till 11:00 Pm and then from 6:00 -7:00 am 64 degrees. The rest of the time it's 58 degrees. These times are totally around her comfort. I'd prefer to sleep in a cold house and during my teenage years slept in a unheated basement (in atlanta). I'd rather get the shivers while I pee than pay to be warm.

Brock, you got three kids now? I remember when you posted pics about the first one! I also recall and enjoy pics of your house and the inside swimming pool if I remember correctly. That's a cool thing to have an inside swimming pool.

Anyhow, congratulations!

Brock said:

I am with you backwards from most. I like it warmer at night (67ish) and during the day anywhere above 60 is fine with me. But since we have 3 kids 3 and under we can't keep it as cold as I would like. I have never understood warming the house during the day and cooler at night? To really save money you have to set it at what ever temp at any time of the day you can deal with. Also since we are home often at different times it makes it hard to set the thermostat. I wish it had 3 buttons, gone, home but not sleeping and sleeping. I often just set the temp and hit the "hold" button, but then I forget and it is to cold for the kids.

Click to expand...