People who set the heat higher than the AC (best, old)

[ragnarkar]

I don't understand this at all.. I've been to plenty of people's homes where they routinely set the heat *higher* in the winter months than the AC in the summer months. Like 75 heat in the winter and 68 AC in the summer.

If you can tolerate 75 degree room temperature in the winter, what's the point of setting the thermostat to 68 in the summer?

[snofarmer]

Guilty,
In the summer I like the house to be so cold you want to put a sweat shirt on, 64*-65*

In the winter I crank up the heat to 73*- 74*.

It's the temp differentiation between out side temp and the indoor temp.

The hotter it is outside the cooler I like it inside.

[Escort Rider]

Originally Posted by snofarmer

Guilty,
In the summer I like the house to be so cold you want to put a sweat shirt on, 64*-65*
In the winter I crank up the heat to 73*- 74*
It's the temp differentiation between out side temp and the indoor temp.
The hotter it is outside the cooler I like it inside.

The answer to the OP's question is as stated above: People do it because they like it that way. Of course it is terribly wasteful of fossil fuels and terribly expensive for most individuals (depending on utility rates in their area, which can vary a lot from place to place). I've never really understood it either, but I think it boils down to one's attitude toward wastefulness. Notice that I am not contesting anybody's "right" to set their own thermostat (some people like to hijack the discussion in that direction); I'm just questioning the long-term wisdom of this particular form of wastefulness.

Personally, I am not uncomfortable setting the heat at 62 degrees and the air conditioning at 78 or 80 degress. I prefer less, not more contrast between inside and outside. That is, I am more comfortable with less contrast, because it's so much easier to take when you go outside.

[harry chickpea]

The difference is because of a couple things. Humidity in summer can make a room uncomfortable, and the lack of humidity in winter turns any perspiration into a chilling system. When you also have walls that get cold in winter and hot in summer because of poor insulation, many people aren't comfortable.

[WannaliveinGreenville]

To me : I freeze in the winter ( use lots of blankets ) and in the summer, I keep it set high , use ceiling fans and make the best of it...

[PastTense01]

I don't understand the 68 in summer--this makes going outside feel that much hotter.

As to the 75 in winter, that is only where the thermostat is located. The temperature on the floor is a lot colder.

[Pruzhany]

Humidity is usually the factor. On the West coast there is a lack of humidity in the air, so you will have a wider swing in temperatures due to the dry air. On the East coast the air is moister so the swing is much less. For us 70ish is the norm in either season. The house is well insulated, so we would need extreme weather to deviate from this.

[BuffaloTransplant]

Good grief. It is the humidity factor. Get a humidifier on the furnace for winter use ( obviously, shut it off in summer). If you can't put it on the furnace, get one for the house.

We do 70 a/c in summer and 67 heat in winter.

[TKramar]

I watched a show the other day that says the the average human starts feeling cold at about 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

I know that I feel cold if the outside temp falls below 75. I love the summer heat, I live for it.

Living in this apartment is the first time I've had any control over the thermostat.

[plwhit]

For me cold starts in around 69.

I guess it depends on where you live.