Topic: winter - cold
seamac's photo
Tue 11/23/10 03:25 PM
So for many of us it is winter and getting colder by the day. I live in central, coastal Maine and it is really cold, damp, foggy - not nice! So I am wondering where you keep your thermostat set and why? I keep mine at about 58, that's the warmest room, the room where the heater is, drops a few degrees in the kitchen and a few more in the living room where I have my tv. No heat to speak of upstairs, last winter there were nights when I could see my breath in my bedroom! Good thing I have great blankets!! I am more or less used to being cold and wear layers...but I am cold because I can't afford to use more fuel.

So what is warm enough for you and do you compromise on it?

Rhearabies's photo
Tue 11/23/10 03:29 PM
It's about 80 here. So don't need heat or blankets! When it gets cold, usually keep the thermostat at around 68. :smile:

seamac's photo
Tue 11/23/10 03:36 PM

It's about 80 here. So don't need heat or blankets! When it gets cold, usually keep the thermostat at around 68. :smile:


68! What bliss! Actually with artificially heated air (as opposed to summer time heat, for whatever reason?) I have trouble breathing easily above about 64. Would love a freak 80 degree day here though! Maybe get my leaves raked before the snow flies!!

May777's photo
Tue 11/23/10 03:37 PM
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.....sounds pretty cool...uncomfortable..

I still live at home with my parents and they like a warm house..sometimes too warm ( I better not complain ) but I remember my apartment being pretty cool..had a little portable heater..especially for the bathroom...






seamac's photo
Tue 11/23/10 03:41 PM

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.....sounds pretty cool...uncomfortable..

I still live at home with my parents and they like a warm house..sometimes too warm ( I better not complain ) but I remember my apartment being pretty cool..had a little portable heater..especially for the bathroom...








Oh thank goodness my bathroom has a small electric heater built into a wall, otherwise I might not shower all winter and winter is loooong here!

I do sometimes wonder what it will entail when that wall unit dies...just throw money at it I suppose.

Rhearabies's photo
Tue 11/23/10 03:41 PM


It's about 80 here. So don't need heat or blankets! When it gets cold, usually keep the thermostat at around 68. :smile:


68! What bliss! Actually with artificially heated air (as opposed to summer time heat, for whatever reason?) I have trouble breathing easily above about 64. Would love a freak 80 degree day here though! Maybe get my leaves raked before the snow flies!!


I've been to Maine...was so cold up there! Loved it though. Yeah, us Texans are hot-blooded probably because the summers are so darn hot. Stay warm up there! :smile:

mssilverfox's photo
Tue 11/23/10 03:47 PM
Here in Ohio, and now in an apartment vs a house, I keep my thermastat set at 70 in my living rm, dining area and kitchen.. Not much heat in the bedroom( I have baseboard heat here, don't like it) I like it cool and I have a down comforter(thanks to my brother).. I do have a Franklin wood burner in the lvrm and use it on occasion.. Sometimes it gets so hot I have to open the doors and let the cold in...lol

May777's photo
Tue 11/23/10 03:48 PM
oh..no wonder.. electric wall units are expensive... heat and don`t give you a whole lot for your buck..

a friend of mine bought her grandmother`s old house and after the first winter ( like you --she froze ) she tore out all the old electric wall heaters...blew in insulation wherever she could..and bought a new gas furnace.. we`ll see how her heating bill is this winter..

but those old electric wall units are the worst consumption for your dollar

pick up one of those little Canadian Tire portable heaters..probably cheaper and maybe warmer for whatever room your in

seamac's photo
Tue 11/23/10 03:50 PM



It's about 80 here. So don't need heat or blankets! When it gets cold, usually keep the thermostat at around 68. :smile:


68! What bliss! Actually with artificially heated air (as opposed to summer time heat, for whatever reason?) I have trouble breathing easily above about 64. Would love a freak 80 degree day here though! Maybe get my leaves raked before the snow flies!!


I've been to Maine...was so cold up there! Loved it though. Yeah, us Texans are hot-blooded probably because the summers are so darn hot. Stay warm up there! :smile:



Hey thanks! It is funny cause all winter I sort of lose a hole story of my house. I go up there (usually) to sleep but change down stairs and don't use upstairs for much but storage. I love it here though and so far wouldn't be anyplace else. Just need to keep making energy saving improvements...first, well next thing would be to insulate under the house, don't know how much is there but it is not enough!! Also do the rest of the replacement windows and hang a few doors...my bedroom closet has the same piece of fabric hanging in it as it did last winter when I bought the house and I can lay in bad and watch if blow in the breeze coming through the closet/house walls. I have the door, just need to install it!

no photo
Tue 11/23/10 03:58 PM
U need a "HOT" seat"!!!!

boredinaz06's photo
Tue 11/23/10 04:01 PM
Edited by boredinaz06 on Tue 11/23/10 04:06 PM


It only gets into the low 40's at night so I have yet to fire up the furnace, but when I do I keep it at 78

burgundybry's photo
Tue 11/23/10 04:02 PM

oh..no wonder.. electric wall units are expensive... heat and don`t give you a whole lot for your buck..

a friend of mine bought her grandmother`s old house and after the first winter ( like you --she froze ) she tore out all the old electric wall heaters...blew in insulation wherever she could..and bought a new gas furnace.. we`ll see how her heating bill is this winter..

but those old electric wall units are the worst consumption for your dollar

pick up one of those little Canadian Tire portable heaters..probably cheaper and maybe warmer for whatever room your in


LOL..you ain't kiddin! I picked up a couple of those radiator's with the oil sealed in them....very nice, and portable..much safer than space heater's too!:thumbsup:

seamac's photo
Tue 11/23/10 04:06 PM

oh..no wonder.. electric wall units are expensive... heat and don`t give you a whole lot for your buck..

a friend of mine bought her grandmother`s old house and after the first winter ( like you --she froze ) she tore out all the old electric wall heaters...blew in insulation wherever she could..and bought a new gas furnace.. we`ll see how her heating bill is this winter..

but those old electric wall units are the worst consumption for your dollar

pick up one of those little Canadian Tire portable heaters..probably cheaper and maybe warmer for whatever room your in



Perhaps I wasn't clear, I have a heater that is supposed to be very efficient in my dining room. The electric wall unit is just for the bathroom and I only turn it on to shower (down Mikey) the problem is that the stairs and the mail heater are in the same room so the heat wants to just suck upstairs where I spend little time. I had to hang a heavy piece of fabric at the stairs to keep the heat down here.

Hope your friend makes out better and warmer this winter!

seamac's photo
Tue 11/23/10 04:07 PM

U need a "HOT" seat"!!!!




I have a heated toilet seat...is that what you mean???? (I love it - the seat I mean)

burgundybry's photo
Tue 11/23/10 04:08 PM


oh..no wonder.. electric wall units are expensive... heat and don`t give you a whole lot for your buck..

a friend of mine bought her grandmother`s old house and after the first winter ( like you --she froze ) she tore out all the old electric wall heaters...blew in insulation wherever she could..and bought a new gas furnace.. we`ll see how her heating bill is this winter..

but those old electric wall units are the worst consumption for your dollar

pick up one of those little Canadian Tire portable heaters..probably cheaper and maybe warmer for whatever room your in



Perhaps I wasn't clear, I have a heater that is supposed to be very efficient in my dining room. The electric wall unit is just for the bathroom and I only turn it on to shower (down Mikey) the problem is that the stairs and the mail heater are in the same room so the heat wants to just suck upstairs where I spend little time. I had to hang a heavy piece of fabric at the stairs to keep the heat down here.

Hope your friend makes out better and warmer this winter!


try a high speed velocity fan at the top of the stairs

Ruth34611's photo
Tue 11/23/10 04:09 PM
I keep my heater at 68 although I did just bump it up to 70 because I'm really cold right now. I think I'm running a temperature so I feel more cold than usual.

seamac's photo
Tue 11/23/10 04:15 PM


oh..no wonder.. electric wall units are expensive... heat and don`t give you a whole lot for your buck..

a friend of mine bought her grandmother`s old house and after the first winter ( like you --she froze ) she tore out all the old electric wall heaters...blew in insulation wherever she could..and bought a new gas furnace.. we`ll see how her heating bill is this winter..

but those old electric wall units are the worst consumption for your dollar

pick up one of those little Canadian Tire portable heaters..probably cheaper and maybe warmer for whatever room your in


LOL..you ain't kiddin! I picked up a couple of those radiator's with the oil sealed in them....very nice, and portable..much safer than space heater's too!:thumbsup:



The best most efficient heaters that I know of (and used to sell after turning my work place on to them) are Eden Pure heaters, they are never hot to the touch, never fall over, portable and very energy efficient. I heated a 70 foot trailer with one big one (about the size a room air conditioner is) and one smaller one in the bedroom. Problems here are 1. Maine has one of the highest electric rates in the country and 2. my bedroom has yet to have a door on it so a heater would try to heat much more space than just my bedroom...gosh old houses need so much work!

lilott's photo
Tue 11/23/10 05:59 PM

So for many of us it is winter and getting colder by the day. I live in central, coastal Maine and it is really cold, damp, foggy - not nice! So I am wondering where you keep your thermostat set and why? I keep mine at about 58, that's the warmest room, the room where the heater is, drops a few degrees in the kitchen and a few more in the living room where I have my tv. No heat to speak of upstairs, last winter there were nights when I could see my breath in my bedroom! Good thing I have great blankets!! I am more or less used to being cold and wear layers...but I am cold because I can't afford to use more fuel.

So what is warm enough for you and do you compromise on it?
Try Costa Rica. It's warm there all the time.

no photo
Tue 11/23/10 07:33 PM
58?????????

Yikes! I couldn't survive at that temperature. My thermostat is set at 72 and even then I have to wear layers.