23 votes

Rethinking space heating

12 comments

  1. Gyrfalcon
    Link
    I have been working on this article for my personal website and wanted to share! I have been looking at lower tech ways to reduce one's carbon footprint and heating was interesting to me right now...

    I have been working on this article for my personal website and wanted to share! I have been looking at lower tech ways to reduce one's carbon footprint and heating was interesting to me right now since it's cold where I live.

    8 votes
  2. [6]
    skybrian
    Link
    We use an electric blanket at night, along with a thermostat that's set to a low temperature during the night hours and automatically turns up in the morning. We're pretty happy with it, though...

    We use an electric blanket at night, along with a thermostat that's set to a low temperature during the night hours and automatically turns up in the morning. We're pretty happy with it, though sometimes "tablet hand" is a side-effect.

    6 votes
    1. [2]
      Gyrfalcon
      Link Parent
      Oh I'm very familiar with that phenomenon, though for me it's usually my mouse hand at my desk. We don't have a nice thermostat in our apartment, so we just keep it at 66 F all the time. I'd...

      Oh I'm very familiar with that phenomenon, though for me it's usually my mouse hand at my desk. We don't have a nice thermostat in our apartment, so we just keep it at 66 F all the time. I'd probably be willing to let it go even lower at night, but I think my SO would freeze!

      3 votes
      1. Wes
        Link Parent
        I bought some cheap fingerless gloves for use at the computer. Helps a little bit!

        I bought some cheap fingerless gloves for use at the computer. Helps a little bit!

        4 votes
    2. [3]
      Algernon_Asimov
      Link Parent
      What's "tablet hand"?

      sometimes "tablet hand" is a side-effect.

      What's "tablet hand"?

      5 votes
      1. [2]
        skybrian
        Link Parent
        If the room is cold then anything you have outside the covers gets cold. Like, the hand you were using to hold onto your tablet while reading.

        If the room is cold then anything you have outside the covers gets cold. Like, the hand you were using to hold onto your tablet while reading.

        10 votes
  3. [5]
    acdw
    Link
    Awesome article. My house is really drafty, so I know we're spending a lot on heating -- we did have those plastic window covers, but tore them down last summer. We should put them back in, but...

    Awesome article. My house is really drafty, so I know we're spending a lot on heating -- we did have those plastic window covers, but tore them down last summer. We should put them back in, but haven't gotten around to it.

    Plus, around here (LA), it's been so hot-then-cold-then-hot that I've switched the thermostat from A/C to heat and back maybe 4 times this week. I should wear more sweaters at home.

    4 votes
    1. [4]
      Don_Camillo
      Link Parent
      It is a true mystery for me how people can desire to live in such a fixed temperature range as a lot of US people seem to do. I live in a place where outside temperature can vary between -10° C to...

      It is a true mystery for me how people can desire to live in such a fixed temperature range as a lot of US people seem to do. I live in a place where outside temperature can vary between -10° C to 38° C and its common for inside temperature to vary between 18° C and 28° C in a normal day in spring/automn. Variety is the spice of live, it can make you happy and healthy.

      4 votes
      1. [3]
        acdw
        Link Parent
        Hm, you know that's a good point. I hadn't thought my feelings were cultural, thanks for the perspective. Maybe I ought to try more variety in my home temps!

        Hm, you know that's a good point. I hadn't thought my feelings were cultural, thanks for the perspective. Maybe I ought to try more variety in my home temps!

        1 vote
        1. [2]
          Gyrfalcon
          Link Parent
          In my home, we don't let ours vary quiet so much, but we do 66 F (~19 C) in the winter and 78 F (~26 C) in the summer. Anything in between we turn the climate control off until we feel...

          In my home, we don't let ours vary quiet so much, but we do 66 F (~19 C) in the winter and 78 F (~26 C) in the summer. Anything in between we turn the climate control off until we feel uncomfortable.

          One tip to consider for making a wider range of temperatures comfortable is to use ceiling fans, and just fans in general. During winter, we have the ceiling fans running to blow air upward. That keeps warm air from rising and getting stuck up near the ceiling, where there's no people. In the summer, we flip the switch on the fans to blow down, right on us to cool us down. We also have a box fan that we use to pull in cool air in the evenings and mornings before we try to seal out the heat of the day.

          3 votes
          1. acdw
            Link Parent
            I need to do more work with the ceiling fan switches -- I've heard what you're saying before, but I can never remember which is for summer and winter. Thanks for the help!

            I need to do more work with the ceiling fan switches -- I've heard what you're saying before, but I can never remember which is for summer and winter. Thanks for the help!

            1 vote