# Fuck you, window-opener-freaks (and other unreasonable rants). **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 21, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334 "2014-01-21T01:36:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/81 "2014-01-23T17:08:47Z")
> [@Septima](#): > > I have no idea what this “thermostat” is everyone keeps going on about. The “baseline” temperature at my workplace is set my maintenance, and I wouldn’t know where or how to mess with it even if I was allowed to. Then you should call maintenance and DEMAND that they turn it up. Problem solved, right? > [@](#): > > Temperature in individual rooms is regulated with ovens. Ovens? Wow, that’s a really strange word to American ears. To us, an oven is what you bake bread in. Perhaps you all have fresh-baked bread in your offices though. You are Europeans after all. > [@](#): > > There is something called a “thermostat” on my home boiler, but it regulates the water temp, not house heat. > > _lightbulb_ This is that AC stuff americans keep going on about on House Hunters, is it? Weird. Um, if someone “lowered” it, I’d…no idea actually. What does that do? I think we’re making progress. I do, all winter long. I honestly, swear to any available deity, don’t think my preference is unreasonably warm. I’m pretty firmly convinced the window-openers are either making it up, or have gone completely nuts. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/82 "2014-01-23T17:09:47Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > So, you can’t choose a temperature. So instead, you have to…open windows! ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/83 "2014-01-23T17:14:44Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > If it’s in the UK, we have hot water, not steam radiators. The temperature of the water can be set at the heater, and it’s also possible to control how much water goes into each radiator, and thermostats can be used to set when the water heating is on or off. > > But no, in general you can’t set a single control to have the house stay at one temperature. Interesting. We have radiator heat here too, in older buildings. But most newer buildings have HVAC using “forced air” - a furnace heats air or a refrigerating coil cools it, and a fan blows it through ducts to each room. Another system of ducts brings air back from most rooms into the system to be heated or cooled. A thermostat keeps track of room temperature and cycles the heat or cooling on or off to maintain the air temperature. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/84 "2014-01-23T17:33:22Z")
I think I can agree that a normal indoor temperature is 65 to 75, and that if your body is freaking out about that then maybe you are the one with the problem. Also, old style thermostats didn’t have any computers and I’m a bit surprised they’re not as common elsewhere as I thought. Basically, from my understanding of what my dad told me as a kid (and I have not looked it up since, sorry) is that inside analog thermostats there is a knob with a piece of thin flat metal attached. The flat metal is comprised of two types of metal fused together - one side expands/contracts at a different temperature than the other side. So, when it gets cold, the metal bends one way as one side contracts before the other. When it gets hot, the metal bends back the other way as the other side expands. The metal bending contacts another bit, causes a closed electric circuit past a certain point, and turns your furnace on. You can control at what temperature the metal will create contact by turning the knob. Engineers have already done all the thermodynamic caluclations to figure out where to put the knob for specific temperatures at which you get a closed circuit for the furnace to start, so from the outside you just see a dial with numbers. ANYWAY. I suffer from too much heat at my apartment. There is one thermostat for the whole house, and it sits in the front entryway. Every time someone opens the front door to go to their apartment, the temperature drops in the entryway and the furnace comes on, regardless of the apartment temperatures. I’m sure it’s set to a reasonable 65 or 66 or something, but that effect combined with hot air rises means that in the winter our second floor apartment can sometimes reach above 80 degrees! We don’t like it much (but we like it better than our stingy last landlord who kept it too cold), but we tend to keep the windows cracked to try and keep the temperature indoors in the 70s. The landlord controlls the thermostat and pays the heating bill, so apparently this arrangement has suited his tastes because it’s been the same ever since we moved in. I also dislike office buildings cooled excessively in the summer. Ah well… First world problems, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/85 "2014-01-23T22:17:41Z")
[QUOTE=lance armstrong] Then you should call maintenance and DEMAND that they turn it up. Problem solved, right? [/QUOTE] That’s a solution to a different problem then the one under discussion. And I like the maintenance people and would never yell at them. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/86 "2014-01-24T00:01:45Z")
You’ve been hanging out with my mother-in-law, I see. “OH, MY GAWWWD, HOW CAN YOU STAND IT, IF WE DON’T OPEN THE WINDOWS I’M GONNA DIE, IT’S SO HOT IN HERE…” ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/87 "2014-01-24T03:33:24Z")
you can always be warmer by adding clothes. to get cooler all you can do is be naked. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/88 "2014-01-24T03:58:04Z")
> [@Septima](#): > > I have no idea what this “thermostat” is everyone keeps going on about… Honestly? So, not only have you never heard the word, you couldn’t look it up before posting your ignorance here (or is it more accurate to call it pride at being ignorant?)… and… you couldn’t even just ask us? I’d be glad to explain it, if you really need help. Or did you take the time to google it yet Or did you not need to? ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/89 "2014-01-24T07:33:54Z")
Um…I did ask. It was explained to me. I realized I do have one, and we had a riveting and mutually beneficial discussion about hot water radiators and HVAC. Did you miss page 2 or something? I wish I could smile, but since this is text, I guess I can’t. I’m not sure what you’re upset about though. Can I help? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/90 "2014-01-24T13:42:20Z")
> [@Septima](#): > > Um…I did ask. It was explained to me. I realized I do have one, and we had a riveting and mutually beneficial discussion about hot water radiators and HVAC. > > Did you miss page 2 or something? > > I wish I could smile, but since this is text, I guess I can’t. I’m not sure what you’re upset about though. Can I help? Umm, is there a “nevermind” smilie? I’d just had an emotionally exhausting day (and wanted be a jerk, I guess)… sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/91 "2014-01-24T16:09:24Z")
Reading the OP I’m sure he’s just some mamby pamby living in south Carolina who is complaining because the weather has the temerity to get down to the mid 50’s, and he might just need to put on turtleneck. Let me just check his location to prove I’m right . . . Oslo??? :eek: Ok Septima you’ve got a point. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/92 "2014-01-24T16:41:49Z")
Pretty sure the OP is a she as it’s been mentioned several times in this thread. Reading in fundamental. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/93 "2014-01-24T17:41:03Z")
> [@Blue\_Mood](#): > > This is probably not true. Inside air contains more pollutants than outside, even in cities. Living spaces should be aired out once every day or so. (See this article in the [Chicago Tribune](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-01-20/classified/sc-home-0116-indoor-air-20120120_1_indoor-air-fresh-air-purifier) for example.) > > Airing out means only an exchange of air, which means temporary coldness. Once the windows/doors are closed again, the air quickly heats back up, because all of the furniture, walls, etc. are still the same temperature. I’m pretty sure my office never opens the windows and airs out the offices but they have a HEPA HVAC system that circulates and filters the air. My home has a filtered central air system and half a dozen coway air purifiers. The air inside my home is cleaner than the air out side my home in my tree lined suburban neighborhood. > [@Foxy40](#): > > Perhaps you don’t but with three dogs and an occasional smoker guest, I do. If it is any less than 60 degrees in Florida, all my windows are thrown open. When it was in the 40s this past weekend, I told my family to put on a sweater and deal with it. The fresh crisp cool air smells good and gets rid of some of the AC stuffiness. > > Yes, I am a window-opener-freak and proud of it. Airing out the house at those temperatures wouldn’t bother me and if you lived in Michigan, I would suggest air purification systems. Its 8 degrees (or -13 degrees celcius) over here. Hot water turns into snow if you throw it out the window. > [@Kimballkid](#): > > Reading in fundamental. 😃 Is spelling fundamental? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/94 "2014-01-24T17:52:35Z")
**Spelling In Fundamental** ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/95 "2014-01-24T18:47:29Z")
Dammit! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/96 "2014-01-24T19:00:06Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > Wait a minute - I’m female and I am the one looking longingly at the window, wondering how many people will fuss if I crack it even a little. Yes – I am the most senstive to heat in our area and unfortunate the thermostat is in my cubicle but can’t be adjusted by me, so I have to helplessly watch it. It’s 78.1 and climbing. It’s 11 outside. We keep the house at 50 at night and that plus the electric mattress pad = heaven. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/97 "2014-01-25T02:12:21Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > you can always be warmer by adding clothes. > > to get cooler all you can do is be naked. With respect, there is a limit to adding more clothes; eventually, you can’t move your arms. And nothing keeps your fingers warm except those fingerless gloves and you can’t wear them in public. And not many people can get away with wearing bed-slippers and two blankets. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2014, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/98 "2014-01-25T12:15:35Z")
In the building where I work, they’ve got some supposedly high-tech temperature control system that’s supposed to ensure that the temp is always between 70° and 74° F. (21.1°-23.3° to you Celsius folks, if I’ve converted correctly.) 70° or even 71° is a bit cold for my tastes, but I’m willing to put up with it, in the winter at least. But when I started calling them when the nearest thermostat showed that the temp had dropped into the 60s, they replaced the thermostat with one that didn’t have a temperature display. “Call us when you’re cold, not when it drops below a number,” they said. Sorry, but fuck that shit. ‘Cold’ is subjective. 69.3° is not. Sometimes I’ll feel cold when my desk thermometer says 73°, but I recognize that _that’s my problem_. But when the temperature drops below the low end what they define as the acceptable range, that ought to be theirs. The other thing that irritates me is that it’s **the same range, year-round**. Apparently they haven’t noticed that _people dress differently in the summer_, that in July I don’t wear the heavy shirt and sweater I wear into the building in January. It bugs the hell out of me that I can’t wear a short sleeve shirt to work in the summer, because I’ll freeze indoors. And then when I walk out of the building in my long-sleeve shirt in July, I immediately sweat through it. I’ve noticed that most of the women in the building wear shawls at their desks in the summer. The physical plant people say that they keep the temp in this range because of course they can’t please everyone. But they’ve _never tried to find out_ what would please most people - whether most people are too hot or too cold, and whether that varies with the seasons. And any claims of keeping the temp in a certain range for energy efficiency are belied by the fact that they could save a bunch of energy by cooling the building to, say, the 72°-76° range during the summer, rather than down to the 70°-74° range. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/99 "2014-01-26T18:46:19Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Yes – I am the most senstive to heat in our area and unfortunate the thermostat is in my cubicle but can’t be adjusted by me, so I have to helplessly watch it. It’s 78.1 and climbing. It’s 11 outside. > > We keep the house at 50 at night and that plus the electric mattress pad = heaven. Take a look at the thermostat cover. It has slots in it so the air can circulate around it. Things can be stuck into those slots. Things that can be used to pry the setting lower… 😉 Don’t ask me how I know this. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334/100 "2014-01-27T23:52:09Z")
If I open a window in winter, it’s probably not because I’m hot, but rather that you stink. I’d rather be cold and able to breathe than at a comfortable temperature and having to endure a foul stench. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-window-opener-freaks-and-other-unreasonable-rants/679334.md?page=6)