Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas > Dallas
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 02-02-2010, 07:29 PM
 
Location: Richardson, TX
339 posts, read 1,436,286 times
Reputation: 298

Advertisements

I've been reading through some of the threads regarding high winter energy costs and discovering I must be part Eskimo. Frankly, I'm feeling like a freak and need to double check that my birth certificate says I was born in Dallas!

My gas bill in Jan was $58 and my electric was $81. (1800 sq feet, older home, not up-to-date with current efficiency standards)

My numbers in Dec were about $5 lower and in Feb I expect it to drop even more. For me this is normal and so I was in a bit of shock reading of people's $400 gas or elec bills! I don't see anything close to those kind of elec figures even at the peak of our hottest summers, keeping our house, albeit a rather small one, quite cool.

Are there any native Texans or other folks born in/accustomed to warmer weather states who absolutely love LOVE cold temps and keep their thermostats like I do at 60 or below??

It's not unusual for me to even set it at 55. Until my dogs or DH say they can see their own breath indoors, and I've heard few complaints since DH is from PA and used to colder winters, I cannot imagine it any other way. The reason I set it so low is due less to keeping down energy costs and more because I cannot abide stifling, hot air blowing around. Feels like I'm suffocating. I can always just put on a sweater if I get genuinely cold and will only bump it up if someone is coming over because I'm learning these temps may not be hospitable.

But surely I am not the only one invigorated by keeping a chilly home? For folks who have certain health issues aggravated by the cold or young kids in the house, I can understand how low indoor temps could be dangerous, but are there any others out there like me who cannot imagine setting the thermostat up to 70+ degrees? Check in, please!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 02-02-2010, 08:05 PM
 
9,418 posts, read 13,500,168 times
Reputation: 10305
<<It's not unusual for me to even set it at 55. Until my dogs or DH say they can see their own breath indoors, and I've heard few complaints since DH is from PA and used to colder winters, I cannot imagine it any other way. The reason I set it so low is due less to keeping down energy costs and more because I cannot abide stifling, hot air blowing around. Feels like I'm suffocating. I can always just put on a sweater if I get genuinely cold and will only bump it up if someone is coming over because I'm learning these temps may not be hospitable. >>

OK, I won't be rude and ask how old you are. LOL. I'm in my mid-40s and yes, I have been turning the heat off when nobody is around because 68 (where dh sets it) feels stifling! It wasn't always like this, if you know what I mean. ;-) The heat is off right now and I'm just dreading dh discovering it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-02-2010, 08:18 PM
 
Location: Lakeview, Chicago
436 posts, read 1,348,382 times
Reputation: 364
I've lived most of my life in Texas and only turn the heat on in my not-all-that-well-insulated apartment if it drops below 60. And even then I turn the heat on to 63-64 or so. The heat is too drying. I don't even like much heat in my car...it has to be in the 30s to even think of turning the dial to heat. I'd rather put on a sweatshirt or throw an extra blanket on the bed than have the heat on. Two blankets do me just fine. That said, if I have guests over, I'd turn on the heat for their comfort. Same with the a/c...I keep it high unless people are coming over...you can only share the fan so much!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-02-2010, 09:18 PM
 
Location: The Big D
14,862 posts, read 42,882,290 times
Reputation: 5787
Quote:
Originally Posted by TXNGL View Post
OK, I won't be rude and ask how old you are. LOL. I'm in my mid-40s and yes, I have been turning the heat off when nobody is around because 68 (where dh sets it) feels stifling! It wasn't always like this, if you know what I mean. ;-) The heat is off right now and I'm just dreading dh discovering it.
I soooooo know what you mean. I'm not that bad but I'm not near as cold as I used to be. I used to sleep in socks year round. Now even on freezing nights I might not have anything on my feet at all. Unless I've been out in the cold like at a cold football game or something. Funny thing is it reverses with time. The men get on blood pressure meds that thin their blood and they stay cold and us ladies go the opposite direction. I've even opened a few windows in the afternoon when it has been sunny for a little bit to "air out the house". I hate how stuffy a house can get in the winter w/ everything "closed up". Even at church now I like the coldness to a point. I do NOT like to sit in freezing cold though even inside but I prefer a comfort zone that isn't chattering teeth cold or stifling hot w/ no air circulation. I can handle the warmth inside as long as some air is moving though.

But cold outdoor temps for too long.......... NO THANKS! Or the cold muggy stuff we had recently. HATE!!!! Absolutely HATE!!! Then again I have a daughter w/ asthma and that is the absolute worst kind of weather for asthmatics.

Then I go snow skiing. It gets all "comfortable" and does not bother me to not wear a coat when I'm not skiing if we are just running around. However, last year up in Squaw there were 2 days I skied WITHOUT my coat and my ski coat is a very lightweight. It was warm enough to wear a short sleeve t-shirt and a windbreaker type jacket (I have the pullover types like golfers ). No gloves either. Then again your actually doing something physical so it does warm you up and the drinks help . I'd say on those days the high was only in the mid to low 30's but it was sunny with no wind.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-02-2010, 09:22 PM
 
436 posts, read 1,614,254 times
Reputation: 166
ok, I would freeze to death in your home. I am cold at 71 (68 at night)! but then again, I keep it on 81 on the summer and think that's just fine, while everyone else thinks that is way too warm.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-03-2010, 08:42 AM
 
16,087 posts, read 41,166,264 times
Reputation: 6376
Doesn't really bother me unless temps go below 30. I have gotten by some winters with the bathroom gas wall heater (the old-timey kind - love 'em) a space heater and an electric blanket. Don't forget how cheap I am - taught by the master, my late Depression Daddy.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-03-2010, 09:30 AM
 
217 posts, read 1,045,836 times
Reputation: 138
I would keep the thermostat on 75 year round if my wife would let me. I can't stand this cold weather. Give me 100+ any day over this stuff.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-03-2010, 09:33 AM
 
Location: The Big D
14,862 posts, read 42,882,290 times
Reputation: 5787
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimithing78 View Post
I can't stand this cold weather. Give me 100+ any day over this stuff.
Right there with you.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-03-2010, 09:37 AM
 
Location: Boerne area
705 posts, read 1,759,741 times
Reputation: 861
native texan, 44 yo female, LOVE THE COLD. and I hate the heat. I am only allowed so much latitude in my house, however, because my husband can't stand to be cold. We also have different internal temps; I just don't feel the cold like he does. My kids tend to be like me; our dog, however, needs a blanket if it is below 70. So for the dh and the dog, the temp stays around 65. And our family has always been like that, it hasn't changed w/ age.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-03-2010, 09:50 AM
 
70 posts, read 265,201 times
Reputation: 68
Yeah, can't feel you on keeping it cold. I'm the one with the $400 electric bill and last night I attempted to turn it down from 74 to 70 and I was freezing so I bumped it to 72 which was ok since I had a blanket. We're going to keep it like that for about a week and let ourselves adjust and then try it again at 70. I hate cold weather and I always have a sweater at work that I wear and blankets on the couch at home. If everybody else is burning up, I'm usually comfortable. I think it has something to do with me not getting enough iron...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas > Dallas
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:24 PM.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top