When do you turn on the heat?

[Twoboos]

I think we do a thread like this yearly. ;)

So it's been cold here at night, low 40's. This morning when we got up it was 42 outside and 62 in our house. Right now it's 63 in the house, definitely chilly. It's only going to get to the mid-60's today, so it's not like the house will be able to warm up, even with the sunshine. But it's supposed to be in the mid-70's later in the week, with lows in the 60's.

DH wants the heat on. I said not yet. When would you turn on the heat?

[BabyBearsMom]

We turn on the heat when the temperature inside the house drops below 60. We only heat the house to 63 degrees in the winter, so it has to be below that. I run a little cold, so I usually walk around in lots of layers and sweaters and socks. DH is a stickler about when to turn the heat on. He used to insist we wait until it hit 55 in the house but now that we have DD he has relented to 60. He runs warm, and never thinks it is cold.

[lizzywednesday]

We turn it on when we're sure it's going to be consistently cold at night.

40s isn't so bad, but when it drops below that, we'll consider switching the heat on.

We do this because our living room can get quite warm without the heat on if the temperature is above freezing - we have lovely long windows that catch the morning sunlight.

[Toba]

Only when our teeth are chattering when we wake up in the morning. ;)

[Kindra178]

I have never, ever put the heat on in September. Well, last Friday our upstairs dropped to 61. Not acceptable! So I put the heat on 69 for a few hours. Took the chill out of the house, then I turned it off.

Normally we go right from air to heat. We usually make that transition in October. This September has been bizarrely cool (but I am not complaining).

[dogmom]

Not until October. I don't care if it gets to the 40's, it usually gets up past 60's during the day and our house keeps it heat well.

[MoJo]

Never this early before! But it was already 60 in the house in the evening, with a forecast low of 45, and the 15-month old has outgrown her sleepsacks and won't stay under a blanket. So we turned it on last week, but it's back off now.

[MommyAllison]

I always hope we can make it through October without turning the heat on, but we haven't been able to do it (except when we lived in an apartment). We usually make it midway through October though. We've had a warm September - weather in the 80s & 90s this week - so we haven't been tempted to turn on the heat yet. No A/C here, so I like to keep our utilities bill low as long as possible. :)

[HIU8]

We put it on from about 11 pm to 7 am when it's consistently 40's at night. We don't turn it on during the day until probably the end of October. We do not have the heat on yet at all. No A/C right now either. We are running the fan only now.

[SnuggleBuggles]

When we get cold :). We can always turn it off when we don't want it. So, however the mood strikes. I always have the thermostat set and it will come on at 65. We have radiators. It kicked on the other day.

Beth

[KrisM]

We have it on now, but set to 64. Just so it doesn't get too cold. I think it's only kicked in 1 day so far. I like the time between a/c and heat the best!

[wendibird22]

We turned ours on the other night because neither DD keeps their blankets on. DH and I are ok with just turning the gas fireplace on to take the chill out of the downstairs but obviously we don't leave that on at night. We've only had it on 2 nights and turn it off during the day. I figure we work hard for our money and I'm not going to be chilled in my own home when I can afford heat.

[pastrygirl]

We have four heat zones, so we always leave the kids' room zone on, year-round. That way, it comes on when needed (it doesn't fight with the a/c, because we only have one a/c zone).

We try to make it to October. So far it's been OK here.

[khalloc]

when my husband lets me. he actually turned it on this weekend. It was probably in the low 60s inside the house. He turned the heat to 68 without any prompting from me. I was impressed!

[maestramommy]

We probably turn it on when it starts dipping into the low 60s indoors. Right now it's like 40 in the morning and 70 at high noon, and the thermometer on the thermostat's reading 67. That feels very comfy, in the winter that would be downright cozy.

Now if MIL were visiting we'd probably turn it on because anything below 68 and she starts getting chilled.

[ett]

We usually keep our house at 68 in the winter, so when I temp. inside the house drops below that, we turn on the heat. Our house is very drafty though, so even though the thermostat in the hallway says 68, it's several degrees lower in the bedrooms. Our heat has turned on a couple of times already which is earlier than normal. I did see the temps forecasted to be in the 70's later this week, but since both boys are currently sick, I'm just going to keep the heat on. (And I actually have it set to 71 right now, but I still feel cold!)

[Jo..]

We went from a/c to nearly freezing here. One day we had a high in the 110-115 range, a few days later we had a low in the mid forties. Most days lately I could use a little more warmth, some days it's still too hot. So we are suffering through it. I hope not to turn the heat on until November or December. We close the blinds during the day and open the windows at night. Not ideal in this climate.

[blue]

We turn the heat on when we need to. We live a trailer that gets cold or hot very fast depending on the weather outside. I had to turn the heat on last week for about an hour at noon because I was shivering it was so cold (even with multiple layers on). I have not had to turn it on since, and actually had to turn the air conditioner back on today it is so hot..... I am glad we are moving soon to a house with actual insulation.

[KrystalS]

Central TX area here. I wish we could turn on the heat! Our highs have finally dropped to the 90s vs record highs(107+) last week. I doubt our heat will be on before November, if that.

I'm so tired of summer clothes, and DS is growing like a weed if it doesn't cool off soon he will have no shorts that fit! DD still hasn't been able to wear any of her new school clothes because it has been so hot!

[alien_host]

we are trying to hold off...I should get the down comforter on the bed though as I was freezing this AM...and it was 69 in the house so not that cold. I just don't want to admit that winter is coming (and I am NOT happy that it is getting dark out so early!).

[crl]

When wimpy dh insists.

Catherine

[SpaceGal]

We just set the thermostat at night to 65. During the day there's enough heat to warm up...but if not 69 during the day since we are home. No sense in getting cold and possibly getting sick.

[mackmama]

Before DC, we rarely used the heat or AC. Since DC, we use both much more often to maintain comfortable temps.