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Post by rhiannon67 on Aug 29, 2014 17:35:00 GMT -8
I ask this because as much as I love winter, there is an aspect of it that makes me very angry....and that is the fact people overheat the crap out of businesses and frankly, their own homes.
It seems commonplace here to keep the thermostat set at 72 degrees, and make damn sure every single ounce of fresh air is permanently locked out of your house....effectively creating a stifling space with no fresh airflow. This is how all businesses establishments feel to me, and quite frankly when I go into almost anyone else's house, I feel like I'm gonna die.
How can a person enjoy wearing all the lovely winter/fall styles when the second they go indoors they feel like they're overdressed? I don't layer as it is because it overheats me so when I wear a sweater, it is actually the only thing I have on.....but damn if the the second I go indoors I start to feel overheated.
We use little heat in the winter.....thermostat is set at about 58 degrees and I keep most windows cracked at least as inch or two. Yes I know this is less energy efficient and all that but what's the point of any of it if I am gonna be uncomfortable in my own house? It is much better to have warm and cool pockets throughout the house as is common when you have dynamic airflow.
Am I crazy? Anyone else here relate?
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Post by GregR on Aug 31, 2014 17:15:04 GMT -8
I love the cold, and while my wife likes it warmer than I do, we keep our house at 68F during the day and 55F at night, primarily to save on energy costs.
I agree, household and business interiors are kept far too warm. 68F should be the high setting. I teach, and my school sets it at 68F, and hallways aren't heated at all. Still, by the time the end of the day comes in my top floor classroom, just the heat of the student and staff bodies since 7:30 am and the rising heat from the lower two floors raises the temp in my room to around 75F.
I usually wear a short sleeve shirt all winter long since its so warm.
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Post by rhiannon67 on Sept 1, 2014 1:47:29 GMT -8
Glad to see someone finally respond lol. Americans are much more wasteful with their heat usage than anyone. Just yesterday when we FINALLY had a day of clouds and rain with temps in the mid 60s....I walked into a store and ALREADY felt a blast of heat! For cripes' sake it's SUMMER people....they're already using heat?!?
Seems people cannot deal with even a minuscule sense of cold. Yet it is ever so much easier to simply don another garment or two if you are cold… Not so easy if you are way overheated and even a short sleeve or sleeveless shirt isn't helping.
I frankly get sick of having to wear short sleeves all the time… I long to wear long sleeve's and actually be comfortable indoors wherever I go, but I can't because people overheat everything ridiculously so..... Even in the mild temperatures. It's so pathetic.
Oh, and as for our 58° heat setting… That's only for the common part of the house. In our bedroom I use no heat whatsoever. My husband calls me his own personal BTU unit because I put out so much heat at night When we are in bed sleeping lol.
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Post by ginger on Sept 1, 2014 20:02:00 GMT -8
I agree with you, people do overheat their houses and some stores and restaurants are sooo hot! I like the heat set on 61 and I do open the upstairs windows a lot to let in the fresh cool air! My husband thinks it's too cold in here ,but I bought him those electric heating throws to use when he's watching TV. He's happy then! Our Ac bills are more than our heating bills because I like to keep the ac on 63 degrees , my husband says "like a meat locker" in here,LOL. I love it you can actually do stuff in the house with out sweating to death. It's worth the extra money on the electric bills, and works out with the low gas bills in the winter. Totally different than most people.
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Post by rhiannon67 on Sept 1, 2014 21:05:36 GMT -8
I agree with you, people do overheat their houses and some stores and restaurants are sooo hot! I like the heat set on 61 and I do open the upstairs windows a lot to let in the fresh cool air! My husband thinks it's too cold in here ,but I bought him those electric heating throws to use when he's watching TV. He's happy then! Our Ac bills are more than our heating bills because I like to keep the ac on 63 degrees , my husband says "like a meat locker" in here,LOL. I love it you can actually do stuff in the house with out sweating to death. It's worth the extra money on the electric bills, and works out with the low gas bills in the winter. Totally different than most people. You are extremely similar to me Hubs is just like your hubs as well. However, after 11 years of marriage, I have slowly converted him as far as the AC and heat goes. He has learned what he needs to do in order to be comfy, and I am always trying to find new ways for him to be happy. If I forget to leave the AC on when he goes to bed, he will yell at me to turn the thing on lol.
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Post by GregR on Sept 4, 2014 13:27:33 GMT -8
When I describe how I experience temperature, I first try to establish there is a comfortable RANGE of temps that a person feels comfortable in. Then I suggest that most people enjoy a range like this (holding my thumb and forefinger apart vertically like I'm showing a range against a thermometer). Then I show them my range by putting my left hand in the same position, then drawing my two hands together, with my left finger just above my right thumb. In other words, my hottest comfortable temps are just above most others coldest comfortable temps.
Visually they get it. I am quite comfortable down to 55 degrees in short sleeves, and my upper limit is around 75. It seems to me most others have a lower limit of 65 and an upper of 85F.
I simply experience cold differently. It feels good to me, it is a pleasant sensation on my skin, even really cold temps in January. Heat OTOH is usually unpleasant, and that is a big part of my Summer SAD. I don't really know if it's genetic and caused my SummerSAD or it's an acquired perception that grew as a result of my SummerSAD?
Anyone else?
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Post by ginger on Sept 5, 2014 19:30:17 GMT -8
My mom was always hot in the summer like I am ,so I'm wondering if it is genetic? But my 2 daughters love the heat? So now I'm not sure. It seems my heat upper limit is 70 degrees and then I want ac ! I like to go outside and walk when it is 60 or below, even in the winter I have gone out when it has been 15 degrees but sunny out. Very refreshing!When it's 70 or above I start to feel hot and uncomfortable. As for heat on in the house when it's mid 40's outside during the day I turn the heat off. I will turn it back on at night if it's 30's or below out , as my husband will say "it's cold in here!"
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Post by GregR on Sept 7, 2014 11:50:06 GMT -8
OK! I like this thread!
Next question...how late in the year are you still running the AC in your cars? Now I'm not talking about running the AC with the heat on to remove moisture in the car's interior...no, I mean to cool the interior air.
I'm regularly using it into November, and occasionally on a warmer winter day.
How 'bout you?
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Post by rhiannon67 on Sept 7, 2014 20:34:33 GMT -8
When I describe how I experience temperature, I first try to establish there is a comfortable RANGE of temps that a person feels comfortable in. Then I suggest that most people enjoy a range like this (holding my thumb and forefinger apart vertically like I'm showing a range against a thermometer). Then I show them my range by putting my left hand in the same position, then drawing my two hands together, with my left finger just above my right thumb. In other words, my hottest comfortable temps are just above most others coldest comfortable temps. Visually they get it. I am quite comfortable down to 55 degrees in short sleeves, and my upper limit is around 75. It seems to me most others have a lower limit of 65 and an upper of 85F. I simply experience cold differently. It feels good to me, it is a pleasant sensation on my skin, even really cold temps in January. Heat OTOH is usually unpleasant, and that is a big part of my Summer SAD. I don't really know if it's genetic and caused my SummerSAD or it's an acquired perception that grew as a result of my SummerSAD? Anyone else? I think my experience of the cold is similar to yours. Although another reason I love the cold so much is because I can finally be comfy wearing 3/4 length or long sleeves, etc. Of course as soon as I enter some establishment, within about 10 minutes I've become flushed and overheated because most places are kept stiflingly warm. Oddly, my experience of A/C set at the exact same temp as indoor heating is not the same. The feeling of A/C is comforting to my skin.....so unlike heat. My temp ranges for being comfy only go about as high as 60, ideally speaking. If I have to dress in short sleeves and light clothing, I am not at my ideal any longer. Lower temp tolerance is pretty much anything.....because I find the super cold completely invigorating. I love snowshoeing, for example....and yet due to chronic lower back pain issues now, walking for long periods of time isn't something I enjoy as much.....UNLESS it's super cold and snowing or there's snow on the ground. That's how invigorating I find the cold
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Post by rhiannon67 on Sept 8, 2014 1:12:09 GMT -8
I run the AC into November.....we sleep by the AC pretty much all year round until it is at it's very coldest....then I use low fan.
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Post by GregR on Sept 8, 2014 17:26:11 GMT -8
So it it the way we experience temperature that causes our SummerSAD, or is our SummerSAD what causes the way we experience temperature?
I think it's the former. I believe I was born this way, with a thermostat that is set lower than other people's, and it pre-disposed me to prefer winter and cooler weather to the summer heat and humidity.
Saskia posted a long time ago on another forum some info that people in warmer climates have a higher incidence of SummerSAD than WinterSAD, contrasting that with those who live in higher latitudes (like us) who see the reverse. It makes sense though. People who would have WinterSAD would be less likely to experience it if they lived in the tropics, just as I doubt I'd be complaining about summer heat if I lived above the Arctic Circle.
All in all I'm a happier person today than I was a month ago. The weather is improving, and I'm back to work teaching after the long, unpleasant summer break. I hope the weather improves for all of you as well.
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Post by rhiannon67 on Sept 8, 2014 19:29:33 GMT -8
Greg, I definitely think it's the way we experience temperature (and bright sunlight for me) that causes the summer SAD. Pretty sure though for me that once we're living in Alaska, I will find myself complaining a lot less.....perhaps even never. One can only hope. Today was a day of blessed cloudy skies!!! The temp never went over 70 today so I was very happy for that. Tomorrow is much the same as today, but afterward the temp climbs back up again because the clouds are leaving us after that. Curious, do you dislike bright sunlight in general? Even if the temp is say....70? My issues are with sunshine and temperature, both. Although on colder days I am more tolerant of the sunshine than I am when it's hot. Of course hot to me is anything over 70 degrees, while 60-70 degrees represents an intermediate zone. Curious as to everyone's AC settings at home? I keep ours at its lowest setting.
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Post by GregR on Sept 9, 2014 16:22:43 GMT -8
I have blue eyes, and lighter colored eyes are said to be more sensitive to light. I dislike the sunlight's intensity, but it isn't as important as the heat and humidity is to me.
The light intensity in late April is the same as that in late August, yet I'd take the weather in April over August's any day. I know the difference is simply that the Earth is still receiving more energy in late August that its reflecting/emitting back into space, so it's warmer, but it explains why the intensity of the light isn't quite as important to me.
The AC in the house and in my car is always at the lowest setting too.
I mean, why wouldn't you set it there?
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Post by rhiannon67 on Sept 10, 2014 2:02:15 GMT -8
I have blue- green eyes and very large (mydriatic) pupils....the combination makes for strong light sensitivity lol. I also hate bright indoor lighting and keep my home dimly lit in colored lights as a result. It helps that this sort of lighting also acts as a mood enhancer for me.
Winter would be perfect all around for me if the indoor heating was not such a problem.
I used to have thermostat wars with one of the charge nurses....she'd crank the heat to 75 bloody degrees....then I'd come along and push the thermostat back 10 degrees lol. Funny thing is it wasn't just me doing it lol
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Post by ginger on Sept 19, 2014 18:59:05 GMT -8
Summer is sneaking back here outside Chicago! NOOOOO! Last week we had 3 days in the 50's and cloudy with northwest winds BEAUTIFUL! Now tomorrow is going to be 80 degrees or above ! And HUMID!! Then a big cool off on Sunday to 74,big deal. And the rest of the week is going to get warmer till it's in the 80's again by Thursday and Friday! What the heck fall starts Monday evening?? And of course the weather people are just loving this ,saying how wonderful the weather is going to be! How depressing this is.And to top it off they are hinting this above normal temps will last into the first week of October. Central ac is running in our house till this heat goes away!
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