How cold could I comfortably keep my house if I dress really warmly?
March 3, 2022 5:35 PM Subscribe
I live in the northern midwestern United States and normally heat my house to between 68 and 70 degrees in winter, while typically wearing jeans and a short-sleeved t-shirt. I find these temperatures to be completely comfortable. I have recently been wondering how cold I could keep the house and remain comfortable if I were to wear very warm clothes indoors: thermal underwear, a long-sleeve t-shirt plus a heavy sweater, maybe some light gloves, maybe a hat and some kind of scarf.
I realize the best way to find this out would be to try it, but I do not actually have all of the clothes/equipment I envision using, and would be curious to hear what other people think before I go buy them all.
I realize the best way to find this out would be to try it, but I do not actually have all of the clothes/equipment I envision using, and would be curious to hear what other people think before I go buy them all.
I live in NC and kept my house at 60-62 all winter entirely for economic reasons. I will say that even on cold days I felt “warm” coming into the house though that quickly disappeared once inside. I’ve found that house shoes/slippers are a must and honestly, a sweatshirt and long sleeves was enough to keep me warm. However something to consider is activity. When sitting all day for work it would feel chilly but if I started moving around and cleaning (for example then I felt good again.
I don’t think you really need much else to test this. Mostly just a sweatshirt and good socks (maybe a hat)
posted by raccoon409 at 5:42 PM on March 3, 2022 [8 favorites]
I don’t think you really need much else to test this. Mostly just a sweatshirt and good socks (maybe a hat)
posted by raccoon409 at 5:42 PM on March 3, 2022 [8 favorites]
My parents subscribe to this way of thinking, and often keep their house around 62-63 during the day, and around 60 overnight. With enough clothing, it's passable. As someone who is naturally cold, either moving about briskly or hiding under a pile of blankets is very helpful. My fingers get very chilly if I use a computer or any other activities that requiring sitting and fine hand movement. Below about 62, regardless of clothing layers, my nose starts to get uncomfortably cold.
I spent most of a winter in a different country where I didn't know where to get kerosine for our heater--anywhere in the 50s, all I wanted to do was hide with my electric heating pad and not move. I do not recommend.
posted by past unusual at 5:44 PM on March 3, 2022 [6 favorites]
I spent most of a winter in a different country where I didn't know where to get kerosine for our heater--anywhere in the 50s, all I wanted to do was hide with my electric heating pad and not move. I do not recommend.
posted by past unusual at 5:44 PM on March 3, 2022 [6 favorites]
We keep our house cool in the winter - 63 during the day and 57 at night. We have a heated mattress pad and some random heating pads in the living room.
We wear slippers/socks in the house, and we have a selection of "House Hoodies" (Twins baseball giveaway zip-up sweatshirts...we have a lot) that we are almost always wearing. I usually have on a long sleeve t-shirt, a House Hoodie, either jeans or pajama pants, wool socks, and a pair of slippers. At night we use the heated mattress pad and sleep under several layers of blankets/quilts.
We experimented with going lower, but my plants started to suffer. I have to pull them away from the windows a bit when it gets really cold, but otherwise they'll hang on during 57 degree nights. I do have a few finicky plants that go to my perpetually chilly sister's house in the winter where they luxuriate in the warmth.
I also find that the lower temps are much more tolerable if the house is properly sealed. 57 and protected from the wind is one thing; 57 and having to deal with an indoor windchill (no matter how small the draft!) is another.
posted by Gray Duck at 5:50 PM on March 3, 2022 [8 favorites]
We wear slippers/socks in the house, and we have a selection of "House Hoodies" (Twins baseball giveaway zip-up sweatshirts...we have a lot) that we are almost always wearing. I usually have on a long sleeve t-shirt, a House Hoodie, either jeans or pajama pants, wool socks, and a pair of slippers. At night we use the heated mattress pad and sleep under several layers of blankets/quilts.
We experimented with going lower, but my plants started to suffer. I have to pull them away from the windows a bit when it gets really cold, but otherwise they'll hang on during 57 degree nights. I do have a few finicky plants that go to my perpetually chilly sister's house in the winter where they luxuriate in the warmth.
I also find that the lower temps are much more tolerable if the house is properly sealed. 57 and protected from the wind is one thing; 57 and having to deal with an indoor windchill (no matter how small the draft!) is another.
posted by Gray Duck at 5:50 PM on March 3, 2022 [8 favorites]
I have lived in a city where central heating doesn’t exist, where indoor temps would probably be in the fifties. Strategies! Drink hot water all day long - for the hand-warming as well as the adding-to-internal-heat. A high-quality thermos is great for this. (Matchsticked ginger at the bottom of the cup doesn’t hurt, either!) Eat hot foods - rice and beans/curries, soups. Wear socks *and* a decent slipper that covers your ankle - we lose a lot of heat through feet. Wrap your midsection in a warm blanket, almost like a towel wrapped at waist height - you can find wool skirts that belt like this, or help keep them up with a webbing belt, but it’s kind of fun to have the habit of standing up and adjusting. A light silk or wool/cashmere scarf, not a proper muffler, but just a little square you can tie on for the whole day, is also really helpful. Merino, silk, and cashmere are the freaking deal. I wear thin, inexpensive merino sweaters all winter long like tee-shirts. Look for seconds at places like Sierra Trading Post - you can find great base layers at a discount. Get up and walk around regularly. Do jumping jacks! I don’t like the feeling of a hat, and gloves would keep me from all the things I need to do, but doing these things, my fingers and nose always stayed warm enough.
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 6:06 PM on March 3, 2022 [8 favorites]
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 6:06 PM on March 3, 2022 [8 favorites]
IME in the mid-fifties and below you will still be OK but if you're just bundled up and reading or watching TV, but activities that require manual coordination (typing, musical instruments, etc.) will suffer.
posted by mark k at 6:07 PM on March 3, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by mark k at 6:07 PM on March 3, 2022 [6 favorites]
You might find this article useful: Restoring the Old Way of Warming: Heating People, not Places
posted by caek at 6:09 PM on March 3, 2022 [11 favorites]
posted by caek at 6:09 PM on March 3, 2022 [11 favorites]
I spent a winter with the thermostat at about 60-62 during the for cost-saving reasons, and I was sad and cold and uncomfortable the whole time, and I look back on that winter with regret. I think it made a hard time worse.
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:11 PM on March 3, 2022 [26 favorites]
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:11 PM on March 3, 2022 [26 favorites]
Our house is set to 65 during the day almost all winter and 60 at night, unless temp outside goes down to the low 20s or worse. I’m usually wearing a heavy wool sweater over a thermal undershirt, or a long-sleeved T-shirt with a flamnel and a sweatshirt or a fleece. Sometimes tights under jeans, sometimes just jeans or heavy sweats. Thick, tall socks are crucial, and if I’m just sitting around, a throw blanket is nice, as are hot beverages of any kind. You’d be surprised how quickly you can get used to this when it costs eight hundred bucks to fill up the tank.
posted by scratch at 6:18 PM on March 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by scratch at 6:18 PM on March 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
This account with linked video shows that you can keep yourself very warm using only point sources of radiant heat if you’re mostly sitting in one place.
posted by migurski at 6:18 PM on March 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by migurski at 6:18 PM on March 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
Forgot to mention fingerless gloves are crucial if you’re doing a lot of typing or mousing.
posted by scratch at 6:21 PM on March 3, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by scratch at 6:21 PM on March 3, 2022 [7 favorites]
A large proportion of Australian houses lack serious (or any) heating so get down to 10ºC–15ºC (50ºF–60ºF) in the winters. It's pretty unpleasant. I once spoke to a Canadian(!) who told me the winter he spent in a Melbourne share house was the coldest he'd ever been. Gray Duck is absolutely correct and these are words that should be inscribed in lightning:
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 6:22 PM on March 3, 2022 [9 favorites]
lower temps are much more tolerable if the house is properly sealedOthers have described the impacts on your body, but there's also consequences of an unsealed unheated house for your house and your possessions—you will certainly get mould in your clothes, books, and on surfaces; carpets and floor coverings will never quite dry out, and forget drying your clothes on a line inside. You'll need to clean and dust much more frequently, at the same time as cleaning with liquids (mopping, scrubbing) will take longer and dry more slowly.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 6:22 PM on March 3, 2022 [9 favorites]
If you’re not moving around, an electric throw covered with a light fleecy throw to keep the heat in, and dressed in wooly layers, you can get down to low 50s.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:26 PM on March 3, 2022
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:26 PM on March 3, 2022
My parents kept our leaky northeast U.S. 1880s house at 58° in the winter, except when we were all actively spending time in one room. We got to experience 64° at those crazy times! (But only as long as the curtains between the rooms were drawn.) As a scrawny kid, I found it terribly difficult to get and stay warm. Having a personal blanket to drag from room to room was...normal. Hats and wool socks were standard all day, all night.
These days I keep my own house at 62° during the day, and work on the upper floor which usually gets up to 68° with residual heat. Sometimes I use an electric heating pad on my lap if I'm inactive and it's really cold. For a few hours each day around dinner time and before bed, when everyone's together, I set the heat for 68°. The heat is set to 58° at night. This house is tight, which helps. I just got off of a video call with my parents and siblings where they pointed out I was wearing my long down coat, which I've had on all day. I have a long sleeve polypro shirt on under it. I keep my hat on if I'm inactive (reading, working at the computer) but if I'm moving around I warm up enough to take it off. A lightweight buff is nice for my neck, and I wear fingerless gloves most of the day except when I'm cooking. A pair of Ultra Mini Uggs are really great for my feet and are warm enough for me to skip socks, but I also have some cotton house slippers that make a difference when I'm wearing socks. I still wear a hat to bed in the winter out of habit and actual warmth. I have an electric mattress pad to warm my bed before I get in, and I turn it off when I get in.
One thing that comes with cold room temperatures, at least for me, is noticeable lethargy. I have a portable oil heater for my bathroom and I take a hot bath a few times a week. It's the only thing that gets me actually, fully warm on cold days. Once a week or so I turn the heat up to 72° for my mental health.
posted by cocoagirl at 6:26 PM on March 3, 2022 [4 favorites]
These days I keep my own house at 62° during the day, and work on the upper floor which usually gets up to 68° with residual heat. Sometimes I use an electric heating pad on my lap if I'm inactive and it's really cold. For a few hours each day around dinner time and before bed, when everyone's together, I set the heat for 68°. The heat is set to 58° at night. This house is tight, which helps. I just got off of a video call with my parents and siblings where they pointed out I was wearing my long down coat, which I've had on all day. I have a long sleeve polypro shirt on under it. I keep my hat on if I'm inactive (reading, working at the computer) but if I'm moving around I warm up enough to take it off. A lightweight buff is nice for my neck, and I wear fingerless gloves most of the day except when I'm cooking. A pair of Ultra Mini Uggs are really great for my feet and are warm enough for me to skip socks, but I also have some cotton house slippers that make a difference when I'm wearing socks. I still wear a hat to bed in the winter out of habit and actual warmth. I have an electric mattress pad to warm my bed before I get in, and I turn it off when I get in.
One thing that comes with cold room temperatures, at least for me, is noticeable lethargy. I have a portable oil heater for my bathroom and I take a hot bath a few times a week. It's the only thing that gets me actually, fully warm on cold days. Once a week or so I turn the heat up to 72° for my mental health.
posted by cocoagirl at 6:26 PM on March 3, 2022 [4 favorites]
As you can see from folks examples 60 F is the bottom for under freezing. Part of what you are doing with your modern house is trying to keep it warm enough so that if you lose power or your heating source goes out, you have more time before damage begins to occur (pipes freezing, etc).
May your bill be lowered but not incur a whole bunch of other expenses.
posted by mutt.cyberspace at 6:27 PM on March 3, 2022 [3 favorites]
May your bill be lowered but not incur a whole bunch of other expenses.
posted by mutt.cyberspace at 6:27 PM on March 3, 2022 [3 favorites]
A lot has to do with your cold tolerance and ability to acclimatize. I mean there are people who live in unheated tents in below zero temperatures quite comfortably. When I was working full time in below freezing temperatures I'd get to the point where I could stand around in short sleeves in an enclosed building even if it was -5 (and then sweat my ass off when forced to work in 25 degree heated spaces).
However you need to keep your house warm enough to prevent frost/ice forming on windows or walls and to prevent pipes from freezing.
Assuming you live someplace that gets below zero there is a big difference between low heat and no heat. With low (consistent) heat your furnace will usually dehumidify your spaces preventing a lot of condensation problems. If you are cycling across a dew point though those low temperatures will cause problems as humidity in the air condenses on colder objects.
posted by Mitheral at 6:40 PM on March 3, 2022 [8 favorites]
However you need to keep your house warm enough to prevent frost/ice forming on windows or walls and to prevent pipes from freezing.
Assuming you live someplace that gets below zero there is a big difference between low heat and no heat. With low (consistent) heat your furnace will usually dehumidify your spaces preventing a lot of condensation problems. If you are cycling across a dew point though those low temperatures will cause problems as humidity in the air condenses on colder objects.
posted by Mitheral at 6:40 PM on March 3, 2022 [8 favorites]
I have this winter cycling top made of some kind of fleece that is extremely thin and yet also the warmest thing I have. It's too warm for me to wear while cycling unless the temperature is well below freezing. You wear that around the house and you'll be fine at any temp. It's made of a polartec like fleece but I don't think it is polartec because then it would say so on a label or its product page.
That being said I spent a couple of winters in Japan and it was miserable inside unless the heater was on or I was in a kotatsu.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:59 PM on March 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
That being said I spent a couple of winters in Japan and it was miserable inside unless the heater was on or I was in a kotatsu.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:59 PM on March 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: When I was younger, I lived a house which intentionally skirted the edge of freezing, with outer rooms that would dip into the low 30s and a warm core that was heated enough to preserve the pipes (this was facilitated by fairly simple plumbing, with one "wet wall" running up the center of the building). I'd occasionally wake up to find ice on the surface of a glass of water on my bedside table (actually, I slept on the floor or on a couch, but you get the idea). There was also a quartz radiant gas heater built into the wall of the living room which made working or hanging out in that room much more pleasant.
It was...okay, but not something I think I would have been able to tolerate much past the end of my 20s. Like biking everywhere all year, it was definitely the sort of thing that was made possible by the relative good health and fiery ideological purity of youth. (We also didn't have a refrigerator, which as you might imagine is easier when much of the house is refrigerator-cold for a few months out of the year.)
Which brings me to my point: cold housing is literally bad for you. That is, it produces measurable negative health outcomes, and there is an outsized effect on the elderly, the very young, and those with chronic illnesses. For instance, the WHO proposes 18 C (~64 F) as a minimum (with information on health effects), and in Chicago, where I live now, landlords can be fined $1000/day if their rental units are below 68 F. So, while I think there's something to be said for jumpernomics under certain circumstances, there's a certain amount of unnecessary puritanism in the idea that a cold house is virtuous--it's far better to find a way to keep the air temperature up without excessive energy consumption, at least in the rooms that are in use. I know this isn't a trivial problem, especially in older housing stock, but I don't think the answer is to just tough it out.
posted by pullayup at 7:05 PM on March 3, 2022 [43 favorites]
It was...okay, but not something I think I would have been able to tolerate much past the end of my 20s. Like biking everywhere all year, it was definitely the sort of thing that was made possible by the relative good health and fiery ideological purity of youth. (We also didn't have a refrigerator, which as you might imagine is easier when much of the house is refrigerator-cold for a few months out of the year.)
Which brings me to my point: cold housing is literally bad for you. That is, it produces measurable negative health outcomes, and there is an outsized effect on the elderly, the very young, and those with chronic illnesses. For instance, the WHO proposes 18 C (~64 F) as a minimum (with information on health effects), and in Chicago, where I live now, landlords can be fined $1000/day if their rental units are below 68 F. So, while I think there's something to be said for jumpernomics under certain circumstances, there's a certain amount of unnecessary puritanism in the idea that a cold house is virtuous--it's far better to find a way to keep the air temperature up without excessive energy consumption, at least in the rooms that are in use. I know this isn't a trivial problem, especially in older housing stock, but I don't think the answer is to just tough it out.
posted by pullayup at 7:05 PM on March 3, 2022 [43 favorites]
I toed this lone in central PA when we had a largish rental house with oil heat that came by truck and cost $$$.
We bottomed out about 62F day/ 55 overnight, but didn't wear that much more than normal sweaters and slippers and such. I could have definitely gone colder with long underwear and an electric blanket or heated mattress pad.
I guesstimate you could easily hold at 58/48 the whole winter with the right gear and attitude, while still not tapping into anything that weird or being uncomfortable in anything other than small degrees and duration. Getting out of the shower was the worst, hot baths became higher value than normal (but the water heat was relatively low too)
PS I keep many houseplants in a cold semi-heated room over winter that rarely gets above 50 and dips to the mid 30s; they are all fine but I am also well experienced in plant husbandry.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:22 PM on March 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
We bottomed out about 62F day/ 55 overnight, but didn't wear that much more than normal sweaters and slippers and such. I could have definitely gone colder with long underwear and an electric blanket or heated mattress pad.
I guesstimate you could easily hold at 58/48 the whole winter with the right gear and attitude, while still not tapping into anything that weird or being uncomfortable in anything other than small degrees and duration. Getting out of the shower was the worst, hot baths became higher value than normal (but the water heat was relatively low too)
PS I keep many houseplants in a cold semi-heated room over winter that rarely gets above 50 and dips to the mid 30s; they are all fine but I am also well experienced in plant husbandry.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:22 PM on March 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
I am a big wuss about the cold and I live in Maine. I'm in my 60s, I have some health issues. I keep the thermostat programmed to 64 when I'm working from home, because when I'm not moving around, I get chilly. I usually wear a base layer - maybe fleece tights and a thermal undershirt, plus jeans, turtleneck, and either a fleece vest or wool sweater. The thermostat is set to 50 at night and I have flannel sheets, wool blanket and a down comforter. I have and use a hot water bottle, esp. if I stay up late, the house gets cool, I get chilled, and it's very hard to get warmed back up. I have a 2nd down comforter for very cold nights, when the house may be drafty. I do not like to be cold, but I acclimate. Sometimes in winter I get cranky and miserable and need to be warm, so I turn the heat to 68 and just enjoy it for a day. The house rarely gets down to 50 at night; there's usually enough residual heat for it to be 55 or better, but once the bed is warmed up, I'm fine.
I'm waiting on the chimney guy because the stove isn't working right, but I have a small wood stove and keep the living room @ 65. It's cozier near the fire, it's cozy to see the fire. Some days I get whiny about bringing in wood, but then I bundle up and do it and enjoy it.
I get good passive solar heat, and enjoy that late morning sun. I have a strong awareness of how cold it is outside and in various parts of the house. The toilet seat is cold at 3 a.m. but I'm basically warm, and the bed's still warm when I jump back in.
I like fleece, but find wool to be really warm. I sometimes wear an oversize fleece vest over a flannel nightgown, and it's so sexay... Wool socks are terrific. I don't wear a hat indoors, but a wool scarf sometimes. I don't like having a blanket on when I'm at my desk. I've tried flannel lined jeans and don't like the bulk. You can get spendy with base layers and technical clothing, but you can get started with reduced heat by adding a wool sweater or vest or a fleece. Lowering your thermostat a little will save fossil fuel, and you don't have to be cold. I've always kept my home cool at night; it saves fuel, so I can afford the down comforter. I know plenty of Mainers who brag about keeping the house cold, etc. I'm not competitive about it, I want to feel comfortable in my home.
posted by theora55 at 7:35 PM on March 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'm waiting on the chimney guy because the stove isn't working right, but I have a small wood stove and keep the living room @ 65. It's cozier near the fire, it's cozy to see the fire. Some days I get whiny about bringing in wood, but then I bundle up and do it and enjoy it.
I get good passive solar heat, and enjoy that late morning sun. I have a strong awareness of how cold it is outside and in various parts of the house. The toilet seat is cold at 3 a.m. but I'm basically warm, and the bed's still warm when I jump back in.
I like fleece, but find wool to be really warm. I sometimes wear an oversize fleece vest over a flannel nightgown, and it's so sexay... Wool socks are terrific. I don't wear a hat indoors, but a wool scarf sometimes. I don't like having a blanket on when I'm at my desk. I've tried flannel lined jeans and don't like the bulk. You can get spendy with base layers and technical clothing, but you can get started with reduced heat by adding a wool sweater or vest or a fleece. Lowering your thermostat a little will save fossil fuel, and you don't have to be cold. I've always kept my home cool at night; it saves fuel, so I can afford the down comforter. I know plenty of Mainers who brag about keeping the house cold, etc. I'm not competitive about it, I want to feel comfortable in my home.
posted by theora55 at 7:35 PM on March 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
I live in Cape Town where people don't generally have central heating. In winter my house can get to 10C (50F) more often it's 15C (60F)
How well I tolerate this depends on how much I can move around. If I have to sit still, I get very cold and miserable.
I wear thermal underwear and many thin layers of warm clothing all winter long. The moments of undress between warm day clothes and warm night clothes are unpleasant enough to tempt me to just sleep in my day clothes.
Sometimes I get so cold that the only thing that warms me is a bath.
I drink a lot of tea simply because it's warm. I wear a beanie indoors.
The time I spent in the USA with central heating was a revelation. What, people can wear summer clothes in winter?!?!
I like winter a lot but I must admit I don't like being cold all the time.
posted by Zumbador at 7:43 PM on March 3, 2022
How well I tolerate this depends on how much I can move around. If I have to sit still, I get very cold and miserable.
I wear thermal underwear and many thin layers of warm clothing all winter long. The moments of undress between warm day clothes and warm night clothes are unpleasant enough to tempt me to just sleep in my day clothes.
Sometimes I get so cold that the only thing that warms me is a bath.
I drink a lot of tea simply because it's warm. I wear a beanie indoors.
The time I spent in the USA with central heating was a revelation. What, people can wear summer clothes in winter?!?!
I like winter a lot but I must admit I don't like being cold all the time.
posted by Zumbador at 7:43 PM on March 3, 2022
I live in the northern midwestern United States
Me too, not all that far from you (relatively speaking) if your profile location is correct.
thermal underwear, a long-sleeve t-shirt plus a heavy sweater, maybe some light gloves, maybe a hat and some kind of scarf
For me, the very idea that I would need/want to wander around my home - the place where I'm supposed to relax - in the same multiple layers and accessories that I need to wear to go outside is just "AAAAAAAAARGH!!!!" Might as well go live in my car then, if I want to save that much money that I need to bundle up all the time.
The sheer psychological relief of "I AM TAKING OFF ALL THE HEAVY CLOTHES NOW" is part of the joy of coming home, and the preparation of "I AM PUTTING ON ALL THE HEAVY CLOTHES RIGHT NOW AND I'M GONNA GO OUTSIDE AND KICK WINTER'S ASS" is also fun (sometimes.)
Admittedly, I live in an apartment with radiator heat, so I don't directly pay for heating costs, which might make me think about this a little differently. But there's a couple of weeks a year where the heat gets turned on too late/shut off too early and it drops into the high 50's in the pad sometimes and it's pretty unpleasant - even when I'm clothed/blanketed enough to feel warm, I don't feel like doing much of anything besides staying in the place where I'm warmest and conserving energy.
I wouldn't want to live like that for a whole winter.
posted by soundguy99 at 7:44 PM on March 3, 2022 [8 favorites]
Me too, not all that far from you (relatively speaking) if your profile location is correct.
thermal underwear, a long-sleeve t-shirt plus a heavy sweater, maybe some light gloves, maybe a hat and some kind of scarf
For me, the very idea that I would need/want to wander around my home - the place where I'm supposed to relax - in the same multiple layers and accessories that I need to wear to go outside is just "AAAAAAAAARGH!!!!" Might as well go live in my car then, if I want to save that much money that I need to bundle up all the time.
The sheer psychological relief of "I AM TAKING OFF ALL THE HEAVY CLOTHES NOW" is part of the joy of coming home, and the preparation of "I AM PUTTING ON ALL THE HEAVY CLOTHES RIGHT NOW AND I'M GONNA GO OUTSIDE AND KICK WINTER'S ASS" is also fun (sometimes.)
Admittedly, I live in an apartment with radiator heat, so I don't directly pay for heating costs, which might make me think about this a little differently. But there's a couple of weeks a year where the heat gets turned on too late/shut off too early and it drops into the high 50's in the pad sometimes and it's pretty unpleasant - even when I'm clothed/blanketed enough to feel warm, I don't feel like doing much of anything besides staying in the place where I'm warmest and conserving energy.
I wouldn't want to live like that for a whole winter.
posted by soundguy99 at 7:44 PM on March 3, 2022 [8 favorites]
During winter I run at 64F overnight, 68 during morning/evening, and 65 midday (since I’m active then, what with WFH and the plague).
Works fine for me (polo shirt, long pants, socks), but then again I grew up in Edmonton AB in an old house where 65F was strikingly warm in winter and 80F was insufferably hot in summer.
posted by aramaic at 7:46 PM on March 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
Works fine for me (polo shirt, long pants, socks), but then again I grew up in Edmonton AB in an old house where 65F was strikingly warm in winter and 80F was insufferably hot in summer.
posted by aramaic at 7:46 PM on March 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
I lived in an apartment in Minnesota for three years where I had to pay for my own heat and I was living off of $15,000 a year. I kept it at 55. I generally wore slippers, flannel pants, long underwear tops, and a fleece.
posted by notjustthefish at 8:03 PM on March 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by notjustthefish at 8:03 PM on March 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
I live in Vermont and am frugal when I am paying for my own heat (which I am not doing right now but at some point I will again). Some of this depends on what your goal is. Saving money? Using less energy? Acclimatizing yourself to lower temps?
I keep my house thermostat at 65 during the day and 55 at night. My house is pretty non-drafty which means it can get up to 68 a lot of the time in parts of it. I am always wearing a sweater inside and sometimes a hat, but I like wearing a hat so it's not a real issue. At night I have a mattress pad warmer so my bed isn't freezing. I keep humidifiers running all the time so that even when it's cold it's not dry which I think makes a big difference, but it's chilly enough in here that I turn the heat up when I take a shower so the bathroom is warmer and I open the oven when I'm done baking stuff so it gets a little warmer.
I'm New Englandy enough that I can't sleep when it's too warm, really like the feeling of a ton of blankets on me, but I grew up in an old farmhouse where it was TOO cold a lot of the time (and drafty) and I always turn the heat up for guests because I know my idea of "just right" is slightly below average. Part of the rest of dressing for it is humidity management, so I change my socks a lot so my feet stay dry and if I am coming in from the outside and I've been exercising I'll usually change clothes so I'm not wearing clothes that are even a little sweaty. I put on moisturizer when I get in too, I find that having skin that doesn't feel all chilled and dried out can help the subjective feeling of chill/warmth.
posted by jessamyn at 8:07 PM on March 3, 2022 [4 favorites]
I keep my house thermostat at 65 during the day and 55 at night. My house is pretty non-drafty which means it can get up to 68 a lot of the time in parts of it. I am always wearing a sweater inside and sometimes a hat, but I like wearing a hat so it's not a real issue. At night I have a mattress pad warmer so my bed isn't freezing. I keep humidifiers running all the time so that even when it's cold it's not dry which I think makes a big difference, but it's chilly enough in here that I turn the heat up when I take a shower so the bathroom is warmer and I open the oven when I'm done baking stuff so it gets a little warmer.
I'm New Englandy enough that I can't sleep when it's too warm, really like the feeling of a ton of blankets on me, but I grew up in an old farmhouse where it was TOO cold a lot of the time (and drafty) and I always turn the heat up for guests because I know my idea of "just right" is slightly below average. Part of the rest of dressing for it is humidity management, so I change my socks a lot so my feet stay dry and if I am coming in from the outside and I've been exercising I'll usually change clothes so I'm not wearing clothes that are even a little sweaty. I put on moisturizer when I get in too, I find that having skin that doesn't feel all chilled and dried out can help the subjective feeling of chill/warmth.
posted by jessamyn at 8:07 PM on March 3, 2022 [4 favorites]
Indoor temps in the winter are between 55 F and 65 F. I always wear long underwear or the equivalent (leggings, yoga pants) underneath sweatpants or jeans. I always wear thick socks and if I'm wandering around in the kitchen where there are no carpets, slippers. Those are the only musts for me, I hate having cold toes and keeping my butt warm is necessary since I spend a lot of time sedentary in front of my laptop. I usually wear a tshirt, a buttondown (usually flannel-ish) and a cardigan and am happy. And on colder days, I have a puffy vest that I'll put on to keep my torso warm.
Try lowering your thermostat a few degrees and add an extra layer or two on top and on bottom.
posted by spamandkimchi at 8:33 PM on March 3, 2022
Try lowering your thermostat a few degrees and add an extra layer or two on top and on bottom.
posted by spamandkimchi at 8:33 PM on March 3, 2022
In the spirit of "heat the person, not the air", this kind of project would be much more tolerable if you're willing to use things like a heated mattress pad and warm mist humidifier for sleeping and heated throw or heating pad or hot water bottle for inactive sitting. These things consume far less power than heating the air but mitigate the really painful aspects of a cooler environment.
And yeah, even a 250w "personal heater" will warm up a bathroom to un-miserable. Don't be miserable in the bathroom, that's a terrible way to live.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:52 PM on March 3, 2022
And yeah, even a 250w "personal heater" will warm up a bathroom to un-miserable. Don't be miserable in the bathroom, that's a terrible way to live.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:52 PM on March 3, 2022
Canadian here to say that this is super variable and based on your own comfort levels; even with warm clothes, if you run cold - say, due to anemia - or tend to tense or stiffen when cold - arthritis etc - the subjective experience of being too cold can be truly terrible even if it’s not “that” cold.
I’m anemic, mildly arthritic, run cold, and dislike cold, and worked in a chilly office with a slight draft from a vent right above me - while wearing a silk undershirt, cotton shirt, wool sweater, silk scarf, long Johns, jeans, wool socks, and sheepskin shoe insoles, and drinking tea all day - and I was absolutely wretchedly miserable. The guy beside me wore a cardigan and was fine. The draft definitely made the coldness worse but even when when I moved seats, I was still miserable. Some people are just not built to tolerate cold.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 8:59 PM on March 3, 2022 [9 favorites]
I’m anemic, mildly arthritic, run cold, and dislike cold, and worked in a chilly office with a slight draft from a vent right above me - while wearing a silk undershirt, cotton shirt, wool sweater, silk scarf, long Johns, jeans, wool socks, and sheepskin shoe insoles, and drinking tea all day - and I was absolutely wretchedly miserable. The guy beside me wore a cardigan and was fine. The draft definitely made the coldness worse but even when when I moved seats, I was still miserable. Some people are just not built to tolerate cold.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 8:59 PM on March 3, 2022 [9 favorites]
My experience as a big dude who generally prefers things a bit chilly and cheerfully wears big sweaters is that waking up in a house much below 55 is hard even in your 20s, and being mentally active but physically quiet at temperatures much below 60 is difficult. As I get older my tolerance for the cold gets less, and there are days where I struggle with temps below 65 or higher.
posted by wotsac at 9:33 PM on March 3, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by wotsac at 9:33 PM on March 3, 2022 [4 favorites]
Having grown up in a house with just a wood stove at the one end of a rather large 1930s farmhouse... as long as the pipes aren't frozen, you're fine. (For reference, this was Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.)
I detested building a fire even once I was old enough, and so never did, despite coming home alone to an empty house from about second grade on. Adding a sweatshirt - or maybe even a coat - was almost always enough. I might, as I got older, sometimes wrap a blanket around me instead. As long as my head was covered - hood of hoodie pulled up - I was good.
I'm one of those people that's always cold, too. As I'm sitting here typing, in the PDX metro... I'm in a lightweight tank top and capri leggings, accuweather says today's high was around 50, it's 45 right now, and it's about 70 in my bedroom. I'm slightly chilly, but refusing to put on anything warmer because my shoulders have been aching for the last few days. I shut my window sometime earlier, but both the other bedroom window and the sliding glass door are open, because my daughter tends to run much warmer than me.
Oh, and we haven't even turned the heat on yet this winter. I'm sure we're pulling some heat from our downstairs neighbor, but he's gone 4 days a week, if not working out of town a week or two at a time. (For the record, I think I only turned on the heat in my room about 3 times LAST winter.)
Keep in mind, I'm an Oregon native. Above 45 is sweatshirt weather, above 55 or 60 is t-shirt weather, and for many, above 80-85 is too darn hot. (Unless you're like me - I'm perfectly happy with 100+, so long as humidity is below 35-40ish.) It's the humidity - and the wind - that bother me.
So... it really depends on you. I'm fine unless I get too chilled, but that has a lot more to do with if it's damp than cold. I don't seem to tolerate humidity well at either temperature extreme any more.
posted by stormyteal at 10:20 PM on March 3, 2022
I detested building a fire even once I was old enough, and so never did, despite coming home alone to an empty house from about second grade on. Adding a sweatshirt - or maybe even a coat - was almost always enough. I might, as I got older, sometimes wrap a blanket around me instead. As long as my head was covered - hood of hoodie pulled up - I was good.
I'm one of those people that's always cold, too. As I'm sitting here typing, in the PDX metro... I'm in a lightweight tank top and capri leggings, accuweather says today's high was around 50, it's 45 right now, and it's about 70 in my bedroom. I'm slightly chilly, but refusing to put on anything warmer because my shoulders have been aching for the last few days. I shut my window sometime earlier, but both the other bedroom window and the sliding glass door are open, because my daughter tends to run much warmer than me.
Oh, and we haven't even turned the heat on yet this winter. I'm sure we're pulling some heat from our downstairs neighbor, but he's gone 4 days a week, if not working out of town a week or two at a time. (For the record, I think I only turned on the heat in my room about 3 times LAST winter.)
Keep in mind, I'm an Oregon native. Above 45 is sweatshirt weather, above 55 or 60 is t-shirt weather, and for many, above 80-85 is too darn hot. (Unless you're like me - I'm perfectly happy with 100+, so long as humidity is below 35-40ish.) It's the humidity - and the wind - that bother me.
So... it really depends on you. I'm fine unless I get too chilled, but that has a lot more to do with if it's damp than cold. I don't seem to tolerate humidity well at either temperature extreme any more.
posted by stormyteal at 10:20 PM on March 3, 2022
throw a weater. When its cold I'll add another sweater, hat, maybe a cotton shirt). I have a heating blanket on the bed and another on the couch (snowflake dogs) and i throw a ing so I always look forward to it.
Usually wearing sweats, thin undershirt, and a sweater. When its cold I'll add another sweater, hat, maybe a cotton shirt). I have a heating blanket on the bed and another on the couch (snowflake dogs) and i;throw a blanket on my lap when i sit on the couch.
Its fine I'd prefer 60/59 day/night but set to 57 during a cold snap trying to keep the furnace from running constantly and realized I mostly don't even notice!
posted by esoteric things at 10:53 PM on March 3, 2022
Usually wearing sweats, thin undershirt, and a sweater. When its cold I'll add another sweater, hat, maybe a cotton shirt). I have a heating blanket on the bed and another on the couch (snowflake dogs) and i;throw a blanket on my lap when i sit on the couch.
Its fine I'd prefer 60/59 day/night but set to 57 during a cold snap trying to keep the furnace from running constantly and realized I mostly don't even notice!
posted by esoteric things at 10:53 PM on March 3, 2022
I'm pretty jealous of this thread. I'd love to try these, but my wife keeps our thermostat at 73F all winter and I'm inside sweating and covering my lips in chapstick due to the super dry air.
When I'm home alone during the day, I can get it down to about 65F and it's still very comfortable. I'd also love to experiment about how cold it could get before I get uncomfortable.
posted by The_Vegetables at 11:30 PM on March 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
When I'm home alone during the day, I can get it down to about 65F and it's still very comfortable. I'd also love to experiment about how cold it could get before I get uncomfortable.
posted by The_Vegetables at 11:30 PM on March 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think you could get a sense of what could be comfortable for you if you gradually turn down the temp. At some point, you'll probably want wool/ fleece socks and/or slippers, but before then, "regular socks" will do.
Or if you don't have long underwear, perhaps you already have sweat pants. If you don't have a snuggy or a fleece robe, you can "wear" a blanket instead.
Instead of lightweight gloves, you may want finger less gloves if you use a touch pad/ touch screens.
posted by oceano at 2:05 AM on March 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Or if you don't have long underwear, perhaps you already have sweat pants. If you don't have a snuggy or a fleece robe, you can "wear" a blanket instead.
Instead of lightweight gloves, you may want finger less gloves if you use a touch pad/ touch screens.
posted by oceano at 2:05 AM on March 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Thumb Hole Shirts. Hara Maki. Thermal Underwear. Fleece Slipper Socks. Quilted Lined Flannel. Maybe a Beanie/Toque or Hoodie. As long as you're not going down to freezing and worrying about pipes busting you should be set.
posted by zengargoyle at 2:49 AM on March 4, 2022
posted by zengargoyle at 2:49 AM on March 4, 2022
I used to always keep it warm (20-22C ie. 68-71F) and hated cold, but this winter due to the cost of heating the place while working from home, I’ve kept the heat off until mid afternoon (I live in Scotland, so it’s cold out but generally above freezing). The temps I work in now vary between about 14 and 18 (57 and 64) - the latter when I have to heat on- and I’ve adjusted better than I thought I would. I have a lap-sized heating pad, big slippers, wear a couple of jumpers if I need to. Heat’s always off at night. I also have electric blankets on the bed and sofa.
The big thing I’ve learned is that the cold is much more about how long I’ve been sedentary than the temperature on the thermometer. Sometimes I’m comfortable around 15C (59), sometimes I’m freezing at 17C (62.5), and if the latter happens, it means I’ve been sitting still for hours and need to go out for a walk to get my circulation going.
posted by penguin pie at 3:18 AM on March 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
The big thing I’ve learned is that the cold is much more about how long I’ve been sedentary than the temperature on the thermometer. Sometimes I’m comfortable around 15C (59), sometimes I’m freezing at 17C (62.5), and if the latter happens, it means I’ve been sitting still for hours and need to go out for a walk to get my circulation going.
posted by penguin pie at 3:18 AM on March 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
there's also consequences of an unsealed unheated house for your house and your possessions—you will certainly get mould in your clothes, books, and on surfaces; carpets and floor coverings will never quite dry out, and forget drying your clothes on a line inside.
There's a good chance this comment was specific to OP's region (the northern midwestern United States) and maybe that's true there. But it's not universal: in my area, which has relatively mild winter temperatures (cold, but almost never freezing), if it's not raining I keep around half the the windows open all winter and open everything but the bedroom windows at night (I really like fresh air, if you can't tell.) None of the above issues ever comes up (except that drying clothes does take longer - so I point a fan at them). Pretty sure it depends on humidity levels, construction materials, and so on.
posted by trig at 4:02 AM on March 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
There's a good chance this comment was specific to OP's region (the northern midwestern United States) and maybe that's true there. But it's not universal: in my area, which has relatively mild winter temperatures (cold, but almost never freezing), if it's not raining I keep around half the the windows open all winter and open everything but the bedroom windows at night (I really like fresh air, if you can't tell.) None of the above issues ever comes up (except that drying clothes does take longer - so I point a fan at them). Pretty sure it depends on humidity levels, construction materials, and so on.
posted by trig at 4:02 AM on March 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
We set the thermostats at 62 in winter. It's just so great.
We get to wear sweatpants and slipper-socks and sweatshirts like God intended! Sometimes we even get to put blankies on while sitting and watching tv!
The day is coming when I'll need to take off my sweater and slipper socks to be comfortable. I dread that day.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 4:10 AM on March 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
We get to wear sweatpants and slipper-socks and sweatshirts like God intended! Sometimes we even get to put blankies on while sitting and watching tv!
The day is coming when I'll need to take off my sweater and slipper socks to be comfortable. I dread that day.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 4:10 AM on March 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
there's also consequences of an unsealed unheated house for your house and your possessions—you will certainly get mould in your clothes, books, and on surfaces; carpets and floor coverings will never quite dry out, and forget drying your clothes on a line inside.
I live in Switzerland - I used to live in an upper floor apartment and had several windows open all day all year round and the heating turned down - specifically the bedrooms and often the kitchen. It never got damp. And due to the benefits of great insulation and central heating, it would warm up quickly when I wanted it to.
I also used to live in the UK and my bedroom window was open then as well. The place had much worse insulation and the heating was electric, with only one room on night storage so so it was not cost efficient to heat a room with an open window. The place still never got damp or mold.
I will say that line drying things in winter could be challenging there but people still do it if it is a dry day, especially if it was both dry and windy. It just takes a lot longer than during summer because even on a fine, dry day humidity seemed to be higher in winter and the sun clearly not as strong.
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:21 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
I live in Switzerland - I used to live in an upper floor apartment and had several windows open all day all year round and the heating turned down - specifically the bedrooms and often the kitchen. It never got damp. And due to the benefits of great insulation and central heating, it would warm up quickly when I wanted it to.
I also used to live in the UK and my bedroom window was open then as well. The place had much worse insulation and the heating was electric, with only one room on night storage so so it was not cost efficient to heat a room with an open window. The place still never got damp or mold.
I will say that line drying things in winter could be challenging there but people still do it if it is a dry day, especially if it was both dry and windy. It just takes a lot longer than during summer because even on a fine, dry day humidity seemed to be higher in winter and the sun clearly not as strong.
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:21 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
My personal line for indoor layers is a need for gloves, because most indoor activities I do—typing, prepping food, knitting, even reading—are a pain in the ass with even thin gloves on. I find that below about 65 my hands get clumsier and are bleedingly chapped with any amount of lotion or base layers. The house default is 66 during the day and 62 at night.
posted by tchemgrrl at 4:30 AM on March 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by tchemgrrl at 4:30 AM on March 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Related tip: I wait until Halloween to turn on my heat every year. Depending on the weather, it may go down to 50 indoors. I wouldn't enjoy those temps all winter, but they help me a lot with acclimating to the colder weather, so I'm more comfortable indoors and out.
posted by metasarah at 4:56 AM on March 4, 2022
posted by metasarah at 4:56 AM on March 4, 2022
I spent two winters in Vermont, in a drafty house that stayed at about 60-65 all winter (would dip down further at night). My partner would wear wool socks, thermals, pants, and a long sleeved top and be fine. I would be in: wool socks, wool slippers, wool long underwear, thick fleece pants, long sleeved shirt, wool sweater, and then two fleece jackets, wool hat, and still be miserably cold. I would often sit with a down comforter over me and drink tea all day and dream of the summer.
So! Every body is different - for some, those temperatures would be fine. For others, it is a painful experience.
posted by umwhat at 5:07 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
So! Every body is different - for some, those temperatures would be fine. For others, it is a painful experience.
posted by umwhat at 5:07 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
Here's the thing: I like winter and I like wearing layers and sleeves. I grumble all summer long and my best day is the first morning when I can comfortably pull on thick socks, throw a hoodie or flannel over my shirt, and grab a jacket before leaving the house. I call it pocket weather (your hands are too chilly exposed, but perfectly comfortable in your pockets). If it's winter and the inside is too warm for me to be comfortable wearing cozy warm weather clothes, I am absolutely and unreasonably enraged. It's not right. My brain just shouts things like you want to wear a t-shirt in January, move to Florida, you fucking lizard on repeat.
I keep my home between 62-64 during the day and at 60 at night. (Back when I lived in apartments with radiator heat I couldn't control I always left a window or two open just to survive.)
posted by phunniemee at 5:23 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
I keep my home between 62-64 during the day and at 60 at night. (Back when I lived in apartments with radiator heat I couldn't control I always left a window or two open just to survive.)
posted by phunniemee at 5:23 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
The sheer psychological relief of "I AM TAKING OFF ALL THE HEAVY CLOTHES NOW" is part of the joy of coming home, and the preparation of "I AM PUTTING ON ALL THE HEAVY CLOTHES RIGHT NOW AND I'M GONNA GO OUTSIDE AND KICK WINTER'S ASS"…
No, no, you’re not getting it. If you’re already wearing three layers, you only need to throw on a top coat to go out. Saves so much time!
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:31 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
No, no, you’re not getting it. If you’re already wearing three layers, you only need to throw on a top coat to go out. Saves so much time!
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:31 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
I live in New England and we keep our home set at 62ºF and wear lots of wool items. We are lucky to have a house oriented so that we get solar gain though, so your mileage may vary.
posted by Hey, Zeus! at 6:11 AM on March 4, 2022
posted by Hey, Zeus! at 6:11 AM on March 4, 2022
I grew up in houses heated with wood, so I can't really be comfortable in my own home if the thermostat is set over 65. It's normally around 62-63. If it gets too warm while I'm trying to sleep sometimes I'll reach over and crack the bedroom window for a while. I like being able to wear a couple of layers.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:24 AM on March 4, 2022
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:24 AM on March 4, 2022
It’s worth noting that room temperatures in the high 50s/low 60s during the winter was normal until relatively recently. Even in the mid 70s is was normal for people to keep their homes in the lower 60s during the winter in the Boston area where I grew up. This is why there were things such as winter weight fabrics, three-piece suits and wearing a jacket or thick sweater indoors (it’s also why red wines were served “room temperature). Nowadays most places are so warm you can go around barefoot in jeans and a tshirt. If I were to wear one of my grandfathers winter weight three-piece suits indoors I would be overheated and sweating.
posted by slkinsey at 7:16 AM on March 4, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by slkinsey at 7:16 AM on March 4, 2022 [6 favorites]
Best answer: For the Juffo-Wup to flow properly, you'll need temperatures approximately hundreds of degrees, which is likely to burn down any wooden houses.
For dispersal of spores, you're in much better shape: they can survive the vacuum of space!
But seriously, this is a trial and error thing. You won't know how cold is acceptable until you slowly drop down to 'too cold', then come back a touch.
posted by Acari at 7:46 AM on March 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
For dispersal of spores, you're in much better shape: they can survive the vacuum of space!
But seriously, this is a trial and error thing. You won't know how cold is acceptable until you slowly drop down to 'too cold', then come back a touch.
posted by Acari at 7:46 AM on March 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
fiery ideological purity
I have this in the winter only. In the summer I have no ideology. Just sweat and misery and the desire to indulge myself. In the winter I refuse to turn on the heat at ALL so that I can somewhat make up for my horrible behavior in the summer, when I blast the AC all night like a depraved oligarch. I use a little radiant heater for TV watching. When I'm not basking in front of that and constructing little heat tents for my legs with blankets draped over TV tables or else fiddling around in the kitchen for hours on end baking things (or in the bathroom--there's another one in there), I've got "heated throws," turtlenecks, thick socks and slippers, sometimes a hat. I used to have lovely silk long underwear that I'd layer under everything. And my mom bought us matching down core warmers this Xmas. Those things really work, plus it's nice to be braving the cold together in matching uniforms. Anything in the 60s is easily do-able. When the house cools down into the 50s, you start to feel it, but it's still do-able. At the back of my mind, all of the time, is the terrible knowledge that summer is coming. It's not warming, precisely, but it's bracing.
posted by Don Pepino at 7:50 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
I have this in the winter only. In the summer I have no ideology. Just sweat and misery and the desire to indulge myself. In the winter I refuse to turn on the heat at ALL so that I can somewhat make up for my horrible behavior in the summer, when I blast the AC all night like a depraved oligarch. I use a little radiant heater for TV watching. When I'm not basking in front of that and constructing little heat tents for my legs with blankets draped over TV tables or else fiddling around in the kitchen for hours on end baking things (or in the bathroom--there's another one in there), I've got "heated throws," turtlenecks, thick socks and slippers, sometimes a hat. I used to have lovely silk long underwear that I'd layer under everything. And my mom bought us matching down core warmers this Xmas. Those things really work, plus it's nice to be braving the cold together in matching uniforms. Anything in the 60s is easily do-able. When the house cools down into the 50s, you start to feel it, but it's still do-able. At the back of my mind, all of the time, is the terrible knowledge that summer is coming. It's not warming, precisely, but it's bracing.
posted by Don Pepino at 7:50 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
I work in our chilly basement and bought a really soft, $50 fleece that I put on when I get home for just this reason. And then suddenly Mr. Rogers changing when he got home made perfect sense.
posted by mecran01 at 8:30 AM on March 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by mecran01 at 8:30 AM on March 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
How long are you looking to try this for and how long are your winters? If you have to go buy wool clothes, several pairs of thermal underwear, and more long sleeves, pants, and blankets, you would be spending money just to save money for a few months. Your loads of laundry would get bigger/more frequent with bigger pieces of clothing. You would definitely save money in the long run if you commit to this, but depending on your tolerance of the cold, is it worth it?
I'm shivering at 73F in long pants/sleeves/socks so the experiment definitely wouldn't be for me, but sounds like you could easily try it for a day without stocking up on clothes.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 9:14 AM on March 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm shivering at 73F in long pants/sleeves/socks so the experiment definitely wouldn't be for me, but sounds like you could easily try it for a day without stocking up on clothes.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 9:14 AM on March 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Your loads of laundry would get bigger/more frequent with bigger pieces of clothing.
Not necessarily. In winter I wear many layers and bulky clothes, certainly, but I only need to wash the clothes that are next to my skin, which is thermal underwear, long sleeved tshirts etc . Warm bulky clothing is the outer layer and only occasionally get washed. I don't have more laundry in winter than in summer.
posted by Zumbador at 9:28 AM on March 4, 2022 [6 favorites]
Not necessarily. In winter I wear many layers and bulky clothes, certainly, but I only need to wash the clothes that are next to my skin, which is thermal underwear, long sleeved tshirts etc . Warm bulky clothing is the outer layer and only occasionally get washed. I don't have more laundry in winter than in summer.
posted by Zumbador at 9:28 AM on March 4, 2022 [6 favorites]
I only need to wash the clothes that are next to my skin
Exactly, and I wear even these for longer because of the sweat factor. I definitely have a lot lot less laundry in the winter because I'm not having to change clothes like three times a day. I also take many fewer showers because I don't stink and my hair stays cleaner longer. I love summer. It's my favorite season. But it's very expensive. Much, much water saved in winter.
posted by Don Pepino at 10:29 AM on March 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Exactly, and I wear even these for longer because of the sweat factor. I definitely have a lot lot less laundry in the winter because I'm not having to change clothes like three times a day. I also take many fewer showers because I don't stink and my hair stays cleaner longer. I love summer. It's my favorite season. But it's very expensive. Much, much water saved in winter.
posted by Don Pepino at 10:29 AM on March 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
And indirectly related but reoccurring comment here - this winter I discovered heated desk pads that just dump 50w of heat right into your desk, where the cold surface would normally drain heat out of your hands and make your bones ache. Between that and my 700w oil radiator as needed, jeans and a hooded sweatshirt are usually enough to make my 60F office tolerable to work in. We keep the house at 66F during the day and 60F at night, but my office isn't well-supplied by the central furnace so it needs some spot heating.
That said, I'm starting to look forward to the couple of weeks during the summer sauna when it's 85F in the house and humidity is super high and I'm never cold. In August I'll pine for the depths of February's cold, when I can curl up under heavy blankets and can snuggle in bed all day...
posted by Kyol at 10:47 AM on March 4, 2022
That said, I'm starting to look forward to the couple of weeks during the summer sauna when it's 85F in the house and humidity is super high and I'm never cold. In August I'll pine for the depths of February's cold, when I can curl up under heavy blankets and can snuggle in bed all day...
posted by Kyol at 10:47 AM on March 4, 2022
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone, for all the input! I did not expect this question to attract as much interest as it has. To answer a few questions / address a few points raised so far:
What's the weather actually like here?
The winters are long and cold. The climate is similar to that of Chicago.
It is so cold here for most of the winter that there is zero risk of the indoor humidity increasing to a level that would lead to condensation on windows or uncomfortable dampness (let alone mold growth) as long as a building is heated to any even remotely reasonable level. I seriously doubt humidity would become a problem anywhere above 40-45 degrees (F), and that is already significantly colder than I am considering.
Why am I interested in this?
A number of reasons. Saving money is always nice, but is not the main reason.
I have gotten to thinking in recent months that heating the place (as I now do) to the point where I would be overly-warm if I wore more than jeans and a short-sleeve t-shirt just seems generally wasteful. And bad for the environment. So that got me wondering about various lower setpoints and what clothes would be needed to remain comfortable at them. Obviously this will vary (a lot, it seems) from person to person, and I think there have been enough detailed responses in this thread that I now have a pretty good idea of where I would likely fall.
Additionally, due to recent events, I have been pondering how people in Europe would cope / how bad it would get if Russian natural gas imports were to stop. (Home heating is one of the large consumers of gas in that region.) Never having attempted to cope with cold indoor winter temperatures here, I had very little idea what would be involved, and your answers have given me a much clearer picture.
What am I likely to do, based on what I have learned?
Probably put on a sweater and light (or fingerless) gloves and keep the heat set modestly cooler than I do now. I already like things cooler than most people do, and I am not actually sure I want to become acclimated to much colder temperatures than I already am.
Thanks again to everyone who responded. And also to Acari, for catching the Star Control II reference ;).
posted by Juffo-Wup at 11:13 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
What's the weather actually like here?
The winters are long and cold. The climate is similar to that of Chicago.
It is so cold here for most of the winter that there is zero risk of the indoor humidity increasing to a level that would lead to condensation on windows or uncomfortable dampness (let alone mold growth) as long as a building is heated to any even remotely reasonable level. I seriously doubt humidity would become a problem anywhere above 40-45 degrees (F), and that is already significantly colder than I am considering.
Why am I interested in this?
A number of reasons. Saving money is always nice, but is not the main reason.
I have gotten to thinking in recent months that heating the place (as I now do) to the point where I would be overly-warm if I wore more than jeans and a short-sleeve t-shirt just seems generally wasteful. And bad for the environment. So that got me wondering about various lower setpoints and what clothes would be needed to remain comfortable at them. Obviously this will vary (a lot, it seems) from person to person, and I think there have been enough detailed responses in this thread that I now have a pretty good idea of where I would likely fall.
Additionally, due to recent events, I have been pondering how people in Europe would cope / how bad it would get if Russian natural gas imports were to stop. (Home heating is one of the large consumers of gas in that region.) Never having attempted to cope with cold indoor winter temperatures here, I had very little idea what would be involved, and your answers have given me a much clearer picture.
What am I likely to do, based on what I have learned?
Probably put on a sweater and light (or fingerless) gloves and keep the heat set modestly cooler than I do now. I already like things cooler than most people do, and I am not actually sure I want to become acclimated to much colder temperatures than I already am.
Thanks again to everyone who responded. And also to Acari, for catching the Star Control II reference ;).
posted by Juffo-Wup at 11:13 AM on March 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Also special thanks to pullayup, for the link to that WHO paper. I had no idea that negative health effects in otherwise-relatively-healthy people started at the temperature ranges discussed therein.
posted by Juffo-Wup at 11:18 AM on March 4, 2022
posted by Juffo-Wup at 11:18 AM on March 4, 2022
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posted by Juffo-Wup at 5:41 PM on March 3, 2022