# Turn the heat up, or put on a sweater? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 21, 2017, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004 "2017-12-21T16:28:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Rutherford\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Rutherford\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rutherford_B)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/81 "2017-12-23T00:46:18Z")
I grew up poor an d in an old uninsulated farm house in MN. I vowed once I got a job I never will be cold in my house. 72 in winter 75 in summer ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/82 "2017-12-23T00:48:55Z")
Thermostat (just replaced after a week of no heat from the gas furnace) set at 72 in the winter. Dad never let it be above 68, but neither I nor Mr. CK can tolerate that. Summer, 76 is about how warm we can stand. I know the bills would be cheaper if we set the temperature colder in winter and warmer in summer, but I’m willing to pay to be a little more comfortable. I am a rare human in that I get sleepy when I’m cold instead of when I’m warm, so if I were to turn the heat down, I wouldn’t get anything done. If 68 in winter wasn’t bad enough, my dad was adamant that the AirCon should always be set 10 degrees below the outside temp. Not much of a problem where we lived, because it really isn’t the heat; it’s the humidity. He just never said a thing when we had triple-digit heat waves. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/83 "2017-12-23T01:44:17Z")
I was feeling a little chilly, so instead of putting on a sweater or socks or anything, I increased the temperature of the heater. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/84 "2017-12-23T04:28:30Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I was feeling a little chilly, so instead of putting on a sweater or socks or anything, I increased the temperature of the heater. 🙂 The environment thanks you. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/85 "2017-12-23T05:25:33Z")
We keep ours around 73. If I get cold, and I usually am, I wear 2 flannels or put on the space heater. ---
**Author:** ![Sveltington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@Sveltington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sveltington)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/86 "2017-12-23T14:37:37Z")
I add layers of clothing. I do not like to inhale heated air. Also my furnace makes SO much noise. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/87 "2017-12-24T00:01:54Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > The environment thanks you. Using a natural gas heater affects the environment? ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/88 "2017-12-24T00:03:59Z")
> [@Missy2U](#): > > We keep ours around 73. If I get cold, and I usually am, I wear 2 flannels or put on the space heater. When you get cold, why don’t you turn up the heater? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/89 "2017-12-24T01:09:32Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > When you get cold, why don’t you turn up the heater? it’s wasteful ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/90 "2017-12-24T01:20:01Z")
I turn up the heat usually. We wear wintery clothes in winter most times, so we tolerate a lower temp than we do in summer, but I don’t trifle with being cold. If I’m wearing sweats, and I’m still cold, I turn up the heat. The temperature is uneven in our house. It’s always good in the living room, chilly in the bedroom and freezing in the bathroom. It makes for a lot of juggling with the thermostat. But we do have an automatic one that resets to base temp after a while. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/91 "2017-12-24T01:27:45Z")
Fascinating thread. It’s like reading a transcript of every conversation I’ve had with my 90 year old mother, my wife and kid about home heating and cooling. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/92 "2017-12-24T02:31:08Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Fascinating thread. It’s like reading a transcript of every conversation I’ve had with my 90 year old mother, my wife and kid about home heating and cooling. When I was a kid, I wasn’t allowed to touch the thermostat, which annoyed me particularly because I was often left home alone for long periods of time, so it’s not like I could say to anyone, ''It’s unreasonably cold, please let’s turn up the heat?" I just had to be cold forever. So yeah, I’m turning up the damned heat if I’m cold. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/93 "2017-12-24T18:50:15Z")
> [@SeniorCitizen007](#): > > Nobody has mentioned the fact that exposing the palms of tbe hands to radiant heat causes this heat to be transfered directly to the body core. Really? I’ve seen data that indicates that IR on the face can increase palm temperature due to thermoregulation (warning, 184 page pdf), but no changes in core temperature were observed. There was no evidence that IR on the palms changed core temperature either. They did a 10 minute test of IR on the hand in a cold room (figure 74 in the pdf). Do you have a cite? ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/94 "2017-12-24T19:01:32Z")
Wouldn’t be caught dead in a sweater but I can wear shorts and t-shirt year-round inside and most of the year outside. I don’t like the heat too high in general, 68 is good. Higher than that I would have to remove clothing. I err on the cool side - turn up the AC a lot more compared to heat because adding layers is always easier if it comes to that. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2017, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/95 "2017-12-26T14:33:19Z")
Keep the thermostat set to around 67 during October-April. I would set it a tad lower to save more $ but my better half finds the temps I choose uncomfortably cold. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/96 "2017-12-26T20:57:42Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Well, I’m trying to keep this judgement free 🙂 > > Wearing shorts and a T-shirt is the most comfortable clothes I can wear, for me. Why wouldn’t I want to wear comfortable clothes inside my own house all year? What does the temperature OUTSIDE have to do with what clothing is comfortable for me to wear? > > And for people who think 76 or 77 degrees is some type of sauna or something, what do you do in the summer? Just never go outside? 🙂 > > Edited to add: Some people clearly have it hotter in their house in the summer, but it seems like if it was that temperature in the winter, they just couldn’t possible stand it, it’s so hot. I don’t get that. To me, warmer clothes (long sleeves, pj bottoms/sweat pants) are the most comfortable, and I love warm, fuzzy socks. I absolutely love bundling up blankets during the winter. I usually wear shorts and teeshirts/tank tops in the summer, but I really can’t stand the heat. It gets too hot and muggy around here, so I generally stay in air conditioned places whenever possible. The only summer activity I like is swimming. If I could live in a cold temperature year round, I would. Summer sucks. (Surely I can’t be the only one who likes to be coccooned in blankets at night?) ---
**Author:** ![Not\_a\_Platypus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@Not\_a\_Platypus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_a_Platypus)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/97 "2017-12-27T00:52:01Z")
Before living where I am now, we basically never turned on our heaters and never had AC. It didn’t really get below 60 inside in the winter, but summers could be pretty rough. We just made do with fans, less clothing, and attempts at swamp coolers. Where we are now… jesus, this place is awful for temperature. Little-to-no insulation in the building, the chimney flue only closes halfway, and the second “bedroom” that’s 3/4 windows has a double-whammy of a broken heater and a badly hung window that doesn’t close completely. If we don’t turn the heater on it will get into the low 40s inside in the winter. As it is it’s hard to keep it barely above 60, but at least that’s comfortable enough with sweaters. I’m sure we could turn the heat up more, but it’s so drafty that just feels like we may as well just chuck our money in the fireplace and burn it. It’s already two or three times the cost in the winter just to keep it set to 60. We do have a little window AC now that we keep in the living room, but it’s used sparingly for the same reason. I’m not sure that we would change our habits much if heating/cooling was free. We’re pretty used to it always being either kind of cold or kind of hot, and frankly it’s easier to just throw on a blanket or put on a tank top. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/98 "2017-12-27T01:24:14Z")
I have individual units in each room. The a/c is usually on year round. Set as low as it will go which is 59F. Hot flashes doncha know? Now, when we do have a cold snap the heat goes to 80F and the warm clothes come out. 72F is supposed to be the ideal temperature for humans or so my husband says. He is in the HVAC business so he has studied this at some point. He is pretty opposite. He can’t tolerate cold at all but does OK with heat. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2017, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/99 "2017-12-27T04:37:59Z")
Well here is a weird thing I have been wondering about. In the summer, the temp gets down to low 60s most nights\*, and we are okay with that, sleeping under a comforter and sheet., with the window open for fresh air. In the winter, like now, I have an additional down comforter along with the one that sits atop the bed. And I feel like I need it. But…we have heat, and the heat is set to 65 during the day. So it couldn’t possibly be all that much colder in the winter, and I’m sleeping in flannel jammies instead of a short silk nightshirt. Let’s say it’s 10 degrees colder. That really shouldn’t make that much of a difference, yet…it does. Maybe it’s all in my head. Years ago we had a spell of extremely cold weather. Temps under 0F for nine days. On the 10th day it went up to 16F and I went about with my down coat unzipped it seemed so balmy. So, a few degrees can make a difference! Today I have been bitching that it’s colder in Denver than it is in Barrow, Alaska. It was 16F, far from balmy as it’s been in the 60s the last few days. In answer to the OP, I put on a sweater AND turn up the heat, but I don’t turn it up all that high. 75F is the perfect year-round temperature. Rarely attained in this house. \*This is on its own. No AC ever. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2017, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004/100 "2017-12-27T05:37:28Z")
Sweater. sweatshirt or hoodie. I usually keep mine around 62/63 unless I know we’re going to be home an extended period. Then I usually go 67. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-heat-up-or-put-on-a-sweater/805004.md?page=6)