Don't need to turn heat on! (apartment, house, noise, heating)

[aneye4detail]

I moved in to an apartment, and the first few days, the heat was needed and came on. After that, I noticed it never came on (it makes a lot of noise) and that the thermostat has been holding at 70. It's gotten down to about 40 degrees outside here, but inside still stays at 70! My bro said maybe I have really good insulation.

Does this mean I will also not need a/c in summer, or would it mean that because this place is "warm" the a/c might have to work extra hard?

[BostonMike7]

What floor are you on?

If on an upper floor, it could be heat from the units below you rising up through the floor and "assisting" in heating your place.

The opposite works in the summer as units on the lower levels tend to stay cooler than the higher levels.

Having good insulation does play a role, but there is no insulation between floor.

[aneye4detail]

I'm on the first floor.

[CarlitosBala]

I have only one apartment underneath me, and we hardly run our heat in the winter, at all.

It does get hot in the summer though, so whatever you save in the winter in terms of utilities, you'll make up for it in running the ac.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by aneye4detail

I moved in to an apartment, and the first few days, the heat was needed and came on. After that, I noticed it never came on (it makes a lot of noise) and that the thermostat has been holding at 70. It's gotten down to about 40 degrees outside here, but inside still stays at 70! My bro said maybe I have really good insulation.

Does this mean I will also not need a/c in summer, or would it mean that because this place is "warm" the a/c might have to work extra hard?

Looking into my crystal ball.....I have no idea.

But, if we do simple math... It's 30 degrees warmer in your apt than it is outside.

So, when it's 100 outside it will be 130 in your apt....

[oregonwoodsmoke]

My large house stays 70 degrees when it is 32 degrees outside, as long as the sun comes out part of the day and there is no strong wind. I often don't run the heat (wood stove) at night unless temperatures are at least 10 degrees below freezing.

Once the apartment comes up to the correct temperature and all the indoor objects are also that temperature, acting just like heat sinks, if the insulation is decent and you keep the doors and windows closed, it should not take much to maintain that temperature.

If your house is maintaining temperature without you paying for electricity, just be glad about it.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Also, in the summer, you will probably find that you can open the windows at night to let the cool air in, and then close the house up and it will stay cool until late afternoon.

There is a lot to be said for good insulation.