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View Poll Results: What month do you first turn on the heat?
November 20 19.23%
December 31 29.81%
January 11 10.58%
I don't use the heat at all 42 40.38%
Voters: 104. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 01-03-2013, 08:41 PM
 
Location: Massachusetts
9,538 posts, read 16,530,025 times
Reputation: 14576

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Quote:
Originally Posted by cab591 View Post
Roommate and I kept a close eye on the temperature in our house last winter. We didn't use the heat at all. The coldest it got inside was 64 degrees one morning. Our electric bill was unbelievably low all winter!

One note with not using heat: put yourself in a different mindset. You don't have to have the house at a "shorts and T-shirt" temperature. On most of the cold days at our house, I'd sit around the house in sweat pants, a long sleeve shirt, and socks. Very comfortable, and much cheaper than running the heater. Heated blankets are also a nice thing to have for trying to get to sleep on a cold night. Most have timers, and will automatically go off at a certain time. I'd turn it on before going to bed, and it'd turn itself off after a few hours. Barely drew any electricity, and put me straight to sleep.

I honestly don't see a reason to use a heater in Phoenix...

I'm glad you don't need to heat your house, but I really don't understand that. It is in the low to mid 30's here, and really isn't all that warm here. Other than some afternoons. I tried going without heat in my 30 year old house this week. It went down to 58 and I had it. I have hardly used heat here but I can't take 58 degrees in a house. So I have no idea how people are living in this area without heat. This is obviously not some tropical paradise, and 30 and 40's is cold to be living with absolutely no heat. So again I am glad you are able to manage without it. I thought I would be able to, but evidently its not as warm as its thought to be in the winter.
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Old 01-04-2013, 08:25 AM
 
Location: Hard aground in the Sonoran Desert
4,866 posts, read 11,229,323 times
Reputation: 7128
I will admit, I've found myself turning the heat on more this year then the last few years. Don't know if it colder or I'm becoming less cold tolerant. Turn it on for about 30 minutes in the morning set to 70 degrees and then turn it off and good for the entire day.
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Old 01-04-2013, 08:35 AM
 
Location: Sonoran Desert
39,081 posts, read 51,259,863 times
Reputation: 28330
Quote:
Originally Posted by LBTRS View Post
I will admit, I've found myself turning the heat on more this year then the last few years. Don't know if it colder or I'm becoming less cold tolerant. Turn it on for about 30 minutes in the morning set to 70 degrees and then turn it off and good for the entire day.
This has been a cooler than normal winter for the last few weeks anyway. We had that 80 degree stuff, but it has been a while since we have seen even 70. Take heart though, as temps are right near the lowest of the year now. In a couple days, it will start the slow trek back up to 120. Ughh. Another summer.
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Old 01-04-2013, 08:39 AM
 
Location: Metro Phoenix, AZ USA
17,914 posts, read 43,435,088 times
Reputation: 10726
Quote:
Originally Posted by LBTRS View Post
I will admit, I've found myself turning the heat on more this year then the last few years. Don't know if it colder or I'm becoming less cold tolerant. Turn it on for about 30 minutes in the morning set to 70 degrees and then turn it off and good for the entire day.
You aren't the only one. I think it's a little of both... we've had several days when the high was in the high 50's low 60's. I turn it on early in the AM for a while too, on these colder days sometimes have to bump it up a little in the late evening for a while, then leave it off overnight. I'm also using a little space heater when I'm just feeling a little chilly but don't want to try to heat the whole house.
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Old 01-04-2013, 08:57 AM
 
Location: Hard aground in the Sonoran Desert
4,866 posts, read 11,229,323 times
Reputation: 7128
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ponderosa View Post
This has been a cooler than normal winter for the last few weeks anyway. We had that 80 degree stuff, but it has been a while since we have seen even 70. Take heart though, as temps are right near the lowest of the year now. In a couple days, it will start the slow trek back up to 120. Ughh. Another summer.
That puts it in perspective...already on our way to those dreadful temperatures. Enjoy it while we can!
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Old 01-11-2013, 05:48 PM
 
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
7,327 posts, read 12,348,840 times
Reputation: 4814
It looks like record cold temperatures are expected this weekend. For those that don't heat their homes at all, are you even considering turning the heat on? As pointed out, Phoenix isn't a tropical paradise where heating is unnecessary, and this weekend's record cold temperatures gives a good reason to turn the heat on.
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Old 01-11-2013, 06:17 PM
 
Location: Sonoran Desert
39,081 posts, read 51,259,863 times
Reputation: 28330
Not to be a warm blanket but these are no where near record low temps. The string of low night temps is unusual but the actually number in mid to upper 20s, meh, not much to get worked up about. We can see teens around here in a typical winter. Actually the daytime highs in the 40s strike me as more unusual. And your house is going to get darn chilly without the heat on after 4-5 days of that.
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Old 01-11-2013, 07:05 PM
 
1,551 posts, read 3,647,786 times
Reputation: 3131
I gotta admit, I finally turned on the heat for the first time since I got the house 18 months ago. I never tested it so I'm pretty happy it turned on.
I might even build a fire in the fireplace. I thought that was going to be useless when I moved in but I'm glad I'll get some use out of it even if it's only for a few nights.
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Old 01-11-2013, 07:36 PM
 
Location: Massachusetts
9,538 posts, read 16,530,025 times
Reputation: 14576
What do I need to do with the outside faucets since its going into the 20's? I can't get them to shut off. I have turned the valve in both directions and the water still turns on. Thanks
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Old 01-11-2013, 07:46 PM
 
Location: Verde Valley
4,374 posts, read 11,234,188 times
Reputation: 4054
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ponderosa View Post
Not to be a warm blanket but these are no where near record low temps. The string of low night temps is unusual but the actually number in mid to upper 20s, meh, not much to get worked up about. We can see teens around here in a typical winter. Actually the daytime highs in the 40s strike me as more unusual. And your house is going to get darn chilly without the heat on after 4-5 days of that.
Not record lows, but on the news last night (AZ Family) they said that this current cold snap will be the longest of it's type in the valley for 25 years so that's close to a record.
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