I'm COLD!!

[3*is*magic]

OK, I read the "we don't dress warmly enough!" thread and then I started the "best long underwear" thread and I'm trying, I really am. The thermostat has been set to 60-62 for the last two weeks. I have been wearing thermal shirts under my regular clothes and adding a sweater. Right now I am wearing a thick ribbed turtleneck, a wool cardigan (buttoned up), flannel lined khakis, wool socks and wool slippers. I am still cold.

It definitely does not feel like 62 in my house. I told a friend that we were keeping the thermostat set at 62 and she commented that they did the same but that their house feels MUCH warmer than mine.

So, what to do? Invest in MORE warm clothes? I feel like at some point the investment starts to outweigh the savings of keeping the heat down low. I am also a little worried about the kids. They have not complained about the temp, but they hate wearing lots of layers and are constantly taking their clothes off to play dress up. It is not uncommon for them to be running around in their undies while I am shivering under my wool sweater. At night their rooms are FREEZING - probably low to mid 50s. There's no thermostat upstairs, and, since we're in a Cape, there's a lot of wall/ceiling space that's right under the roof (no attic) and it's poorly insulated. I ordered them down comforters and flannel duvet covers to compensate.

I have mostly not worn long underwear pants - just the tops. Does adding the pants really help a lot? Thoughts? Suggestions?

[Kerlowyn]

What other things have you done?

Covered all the windows in plastic?

Checked the doors for drafts?

Do you have a fireplace? If you are not using it, it will suck all the heat from your house of not properly covered.

My house is set for 61 degrees, we dress in layers, we are doing OK

[3*is*magic]

Originally Posted by Kerlowyn

What other things have you done?

Covered all the windows in plastic?

Checked the doors for drafts?

Do you have a fireplace? If you are not using it, it will suck all the heat from your house of not properly covered.

My house is set for 61 degrees, we dress in layers, we are doing OK

The windows are brand new (installed last year) and are not drafty at all. The doors seem OK. We do have a fireplace, though. Any thoughts on how to cover it when not in use? We use it almost every night, but not during the day (we close the flue during the day).

[Kerlowyn]

Does it have glass doors? If so, they do a pretty good job of keeping the heat in the house. Ours is not covered, so we try to keep it going when we are home and it is cold. It has a Heatolator, so it keeps the whole front of the house heated.

We got an oil filled heater for the kids room for at night. It is energy efficient, and is set to turn off at 4:00am.

You might want to call the folks in your area who manage the fuel assistance programs. They have contacts who can come to your home and evaluate it for heat efficiency, and they may figure out where your heat is going.

[SugarAndSun]

The pants make a HUGE difference. I started wearing long john pants under my jeans when I go out. I feel so much warmer. Also, wear a scarf and hat.

The kids are probably moving around a lot more than you, which is keeping them warmer. Try putting them in two thin layers though instead of putting bulky stuff on them.

[senmom]

Do you have enough insulation in the house itself?

[oneKnight]

Maybe attic/roof insulation next year?

Could you afford to bump your thermostat up to around 68F? You are right, there comes a point where your comfort is worth a little money.

I wear a hat when I get cold, that helps a LOT. More than extra pants, IMO. Also fleece sweatpants or fleece lined jeans seem warmer to me than regular flannel lined pants.

[3*is*magic]

Thanks for all the tips... To answer a few questions-

We already have glass doors on the fireplace, so I don't think that's our problem. I do think the house is poorly insulated. Unfortunately, we don't have any attic or even crawl spaces in the eaves that we could add extra insulation to. I think another part of the problem is that the (only) thermostat is in a fairly enclosed section of the house where there is no a lot of air circulation. So while it might me 62 there, it could be 5 or 6 degrees colder in the areas where we spend most of our time. I am going to see if my Dad has one of the portable digital thermometers that we can borrow so I can see exactly how cold it is in our living room, kitchen and bedrooms and try to adjust the thermostat to bring those areas up to 62. I'll keep you updated!

Happy Thanksgiving!

[oneKnight]

Originally Posted by 3*is*magic

...I think another part of the problem is that the (only) thermostat is in a fairly enclosed section of the house where there is no a lot of air circulation. So while it might me 62 there, it could be 5 or 6 degrees colder in the areas where we spend most of our time. I am going to see if my Dad has one of the portable digital thermometers that we can borrow so I can see exactly how cold it is in our living room, kitchen and bedrooms and try to adjust the thermostat to bring those areas up to 62. I'll keep you updated!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I bet that is a lot of your problem. Our house is a little bit this way. I have an atomic clock that has a digi thermometer on it, it can be 65 in the kitchen and 68 on the thermostat - and shortest distance between the two is probably under 10 feet! Fortunately, cooking warms up the kitchen.