# Northern Dopers, have you turned your heat on yet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 19, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898 "2014-09-19T02:12:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/21 "2014-09-19T15:06:32Z")
Nah, it’s been low to mid 50s at night here. The last couple of nights I was contemplating closing the windows up and turning the AC unit on, it was so warm in the apartment. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/22 "2014-09-19T15:10:52Z")
I’m about as far north as you can get and still be in the contiguous U.S., but I’m on the left coast with the Salish Sea moderating the temperatures. So no, we haven’t turned the heat on yet. It’s cool and raining today, but not cold. Sunday we should get up to 83ºF. It will cool off in Winter though, when the winds start blowing out of the Fraser Valley. We have about half a cord of firewood waiting. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/23 "2014-09-19T15:20:43Z")
Yes, I’ve turned my heat on recently. It’s been cold, especially at night (not sure what the temperature would be in Fahrenheit.) ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/24 "2014-09-19T15:37:12Z")
Nope. I’ve closed my bedroom windows once, when it got down into the upper 30’sF overnight, but otherwise I keep everything open as much as possible. When the thermostat gets down to 62F inside, I will think about it. In the dead of winter, IF I’m feeling flush, I’ll have the heat up to 68F, so I figure what I may think of as chilly now will be downright balmy in January. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/25 "2014-09-19T17:01:12Z")
Boston (hi **RandMcNally**!) isn’t as far north as many dopers’ locale, so no, we haven’t turned the heat on. We will wait as long as possible out of some kind of perverse Yankee pride. One year we had an unusually mild Fall and didn’t turn on the heat until December. It hasn’t gotten very cold yet here. Last night was our first night in the 40s, I think, and we still slept with the windows open. The down comforter was retrieved from the closet last week, though, so it’s definitely not summer anymore! ETA: I can’t wait 'til the tap water gets down to a proper cold temperature. It’s not cold enough unless it gives me brain freeze! ---
**Author:** ![Boggette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@Boggette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boggette)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/26 "2014-09-19T17:32:59Z")
We’re in Eastern PA and started the woodstove this past weekend. I woke to the smells of woodstove and bacon. Life is good. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/27 "2014-09-19T17:38:14Z")
We’ve had several nights of frost and the daytime highs have been around 20C, so I’ve reluctantly had to flash up the boiler for the basement/garage in floor heat. The furnace has been kicking on at night on and off for most of Sept at night. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/28 "2014-09-19T17:46:14Z")
The first cold night, it dropped to 39F so we turned it on. Since then it’s been in the 40’s at night so we’ve kept it off and the heat from the day is enough to keep us going. A little chilly in the mornings but we’re all out the door by 6:30am anyway so no sense in turning the heat on then. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/29 "2014-09-19T18:28:19Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I ran in shorts and t-shirt this morning before dawn and swam this evening in Walden Pond. It’s pretty mild out. Yeah, I wore a cotton sweater, skirt, and boots to work this morning, and am quite comfy. As a native Floridian, I cannot swim in any natural body of water here. They are all too bloody cold. Haven’t turned on heat yet, tho. But I live in an apartment, so I get other apartments’ heat. I normally don’t turn on the heat until December. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/30 "2014-09-19T18:47:47Z")
So far just keeping my windows closed on the coolest nights has worked. but I did flush the water out of my furnace to get ready. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/31 "2014-09-19T18:48:15Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > I’We also bought flannel sheets. Buy a second pair – one for the bed and one for laundry. Mine are on the bed from mid-November through about April. But I sleep with the window cracked even in February. I’d rather be slightly chilled than too hot. Last year was bad though; All of the cats slept with me, and I had a space heater in the bedroom, and the window closed, and wore gloves to bed (I sleep with my hands outside the covers) and I was \*\*\*still \*\*\*cold. I hope it isn’t that bad again; it was a PITA to set up the space heater to come on around 4 am so the room warmed up by 5:30 am. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/32 "2014-09-19T20:06:11Z")
It was cold for a few days, and so I turned the furnace on. But the weather warmed back up, and I don’t need it now. Soon, though… ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/33 "2014-09-19T20:44:27Z")
Yeah, it’s getting cold here in AZ as well. With the hurricane weather influence this week, it’s only 90 today. Might be able to turn off the AC soon. Maybe by October. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/34 "2014-09-19T21:00:42Z")
The tested the snow guns at Sunday River last night. It’s starting 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/35 "2014-09-19T21:13:27Z")
I don’t know if you consider New Jersey north. No heat here. It’s been a little chilly at night but the house retains heat well. Pleasant temperature during the day. Supposed to get up to 84 on Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/36 "2014-09-19T22:20:18Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > I’m pretty sure you’re right. I’ve had to pull out my cold weather gear from the military in anticipation. We also bought flannel sheets. Please consider an electric mattress pad. Electric blankets are nice too, but the heat rises away from them. The mattress pad heat rises through you – nice. We haven’t physically turned on the heat as in, we were too cold and turned up the thermostat. It’s set on 50 still and will kick on if it needs to. The days are perfect! 50s with bright sun and intense blue sky. Just the best. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/37 "2014-09-19T22:28:04Z")
We had one day last week where the high was 44° - we even got a little snow. It was in the 70’s the next day, though and this week was in the high 80’s. Next week looks like more warm weather. I just used the gas fireplace that evening and things were fine. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/38 "2014-09-19T23:15:24Z")
No, screw that noise. I walked three blocks without a jacket in 30-some degree temps this morning, because I refuse to admit it’s fall yet. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/39 "2014-09-19T23:30:01Z")
I turned it on for about 10 minutes the other night just to make sure the furnace would kick on properly before it got too much later in the year. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898/40 "2014-09-19T23:33:48Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Please consider an electric mattress pad. Electric blankets are nice too, but the heat rises away from them. The mattress pad heat rises through you – nice. > > We haven’t physically turned on the heat as in, we were too cold and turned up the thermostat. It’s set on 50 still and will kick on if it needs to. > > The days are perfect! 50s with bright sun and intense blue sky. Just the best. I love our electric mattress pad. I turn it on ten minutes or so before bed, and then turn it off after half an hour or so because I’m warm enough, and I usually stay warm all night. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-dopers-have-you-turned-your-heat-on-yet/698898.md?page=3)