Winter Thermostat Temperatures in your Place? (Madison: apartments, rental, house)

[Chelito23]

I would like to know what people in the forum put their thermostat at during the cold winter months, day and night if it varies. Also, when do you turn it on and turn it off (months)? If you have a fringe temperature that deviates from what most posters share, feel free to mention the costs or savings associated with it.

Also, what temperature do your offices or places of work set the winter heat to, if you know?

General comfortable range for being inside?

[Megan1967]

72 year round. Air goes on if it is above 72. Heat goes on if it is below 72. Not sure how it compares to other people's bills though.

[7G9C4J2]

Wintertime setting when we're home and awake is 70 degrees. Winter setting when we are either at work or asleep is 62. We turn the furnace on in the fall when we reach the point of having to wear sweaters in the house and put the wool blanket on the bed; some years, that's early October and others it's in November. Whenever I reach the point of opening one of the storm windows in the spring, generally in late March or April, the furnace is turned off for the summer.

The house is a 65-year-old bungalow, about 1,000 square feet. We have an old (half a century) hot-water radiator heating system, and while we like hot-water radiant heat, it's not cheap to run. The cost differential between a non-heating month (say, September or October) and a heating month like January can be as much as $75 or $80. At some point, I know we'll have to replace the furnace, but I'm trying to put off that expense as long as possible.

Workplace heat setting is harder to define. I work in one of the big buildings downtown, and I'm guessing they keep the winter temp set at 70 to 72. There are huge variations in the actual temperature, though, depending on where in the building you happen to be located. My work location is in the southeast corner of the fourth floor, and it's always about 5 degrees colder than the center of the building. My spouse who works in the same building has a work location in the southeastern quadrant on the first floor, and he's generally roasting.

[r_k]

Winter: 71 degs when at home and awake. 60 degs when asleep or away.
Summer: 78 degs.

[MaseMan]

During winter we have our heat at 70 during the day, 65 while we're sleeping. During summer we're at 74 or so.

[Chelito23]

When landlords control the heat in an apartment building, what is the temperature supposed to be set at? Granted, depending on the actual insulation and apartments, despite the temperature coming out, it may be much colder inside...but I'm wondering if there is a law that mandates a minimum.

[7G9C4J2]

Originally Posted by Chelito23

When landlords control the heat in an apartment building, what is the temperature supposed to be set at? Granted, depending on the actual insulation and apartments, despite the temperature coming out, it may be much colder inside...but I'm wondering if there is a law that mandates a minimum.

Per Madison General Ordinances Section 27.04(2)(h):

Heating. All habitable rooms, kitchens and bathrooms shall be provided with a permanently
connected heating system complying with Chapter 30 (Heating, Ventilating and Air
Conditioning Code) of the Madison General Ordinances. Refer to Sec. 30.03(1) and Sec.
30.04(4)(d).
The heating system shall be maintained in a safe and efficient condition by a qualified
person and a record kept at the premises showing the date of service and by whom. A
minimum temperature of sixty-seven degrees Fahrenheit (67°) shall be maintained in all
habitable rooms, kitchens and bathrooms.The occupant of a room or an apartment may maintain a lesser temperature than is
specified above as long as it does not affect the temperature in other habitable areas of the
building.

If a rental property has insufficient heat, the tenant must first try to work with the landlord to remedy the situation. If that does not resolve the problem, the tenant should contact the city's building inspector.

[lookb4youcross]

72 here, sometimes up to 74 if its real windy and single digits outside or lower. I have a small house, so the gas bills arent too bad, even with an old furnace.

[ranger17]

whether when we lived in Madison area, or now down in SC, we set temps in winter when we are home at 68 with nights at 65. It's what we found for us to be a reasonable mix of comfort and cost.
Down here in summer since it's long and hot, we try to keep those temps 75-78.

[ranger17]

Originally Posted by Chelito23

When landlords control the heat in an apartment building, what is the temperature supposed to be set at? Granted, depending on the actual insulation and apartments, despite the temperature coming out, it may be much colder inside...but I'm wondering if there is a law that mandates a minimum.

many years ago, i "heard" a cold pack by the thermostat would help raise the temps inside.

Seriously, had friends in those crappy old homes for UW students where the thermostats were locked up and it was cold as ice inside. So they had to improvise to stay warm as they got nowhere with the landlords at the time.....