|
Post by myshelly on Sept 18, 2017 3:04:15 GMT
Explain this to me.
I often see posts here about turning on the heat or turning on the AC.
I have only ever lived in houses where the temperature control is just not a big deal. Turning on the AC or the heat is as easy as flipping a light switch. They're the same system, on the same controller, so switching back and forth between them is also as easy as flipping a light switch. It's literally just hitting one button on a keypad.
But some peas talk about it like it's some epically big deal to turn on the heat or the AC for the season or like it's a real chore to switch between the two.
So enlighten me - why do some people act like it's such a big deal? Do you have to do more than touch a button?
|
|
|
Post by crazy4scraps on Sept 18, 2017 3:10:55 GMT
It isn't a big deal physically, it literally is just flipping a switch like you say. The thing that makes it a bigger deal in certain areas is that it costs significantly more to pay the gas / electric bill once that switch is flipped. Ours goes from roughly $165 a month in the summer to over $350 a month in the winter, so obviously the longer you can go before "flipping the switch" the better.
ETA: In the summer where I live, more often than not the A/C isn't needed if you can just open the windows and turn on the whole house fan. But when the cold weather arrives, there is no other option than turning on the heat or your water pipes freeze and burst, you and your kids freeze to death, etc.
|
|
|
Post by Zee on Sept 18, 2017 3:13:17 GMT
I ding think it's a chore as much as spending money. You probably have your AC on most of the time, but in other zones you can sometimes get away with a month or more without needing heat or AC (or at least, minimal heat/AC).
It's simply a switch of the button here too but I find it annoying to switch between the two in the same week. Today I sweated my ass off, last week it was chilly enough for a sweater (almost cold enough that I contemplated turning the heat on).
Because of my ragweed allergies I keep the AC on until the first frost. I wish I didn't have to keep my house closed up.
|
|
tanya2
Pearl Clutcher
Refupea #1604
Posts: 4,422
Jun 27, 2014 2:27:09 GMT
|
Post by tanya2 on Sept 18, 2017 3:13:27 GMT
yup that
|
|
|
Post by busy on Sept 18, 2017 3:14:03 GMT
I’ve never taken it as people thinking it’s a big chore, more that it’s an indicator of weather and changing seasons. One year, we didn’t need to turn on the heat until almost Thanksgiving (and all we do to “turn on” the heat is flip the switch on the thermostat from “cooling” to “heating”) - we made a “big deal” of it because it was very late. Usually, it’s cool enough around here by early to mid-October to need heat. So it was a “big deal” because the weather was so atypical. And this year, though we ended having a record warm summer, it started “late” and we were still heating the house until early June.
|
|
scrappinwithoutpeas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,901
Location: Northern Virginia
Aug 7, 2014 22:09:44 GMT
|
Post by scrappinwithoutpeas on Sept 18, 2017 3:16:30 GMT
For me (and probably for most of the peas) it is as simple as flipping a switch and/or resetting the temperature, as you say. IMHO, I don't think the threads are about the actual act of flipping the switch, but more about how early (or late) in the season it starts getting cold (or hot) enough to have to make the switch. For those of us who live in a 4-season climate, ideally we hope to have a few weeks of no temperature adjustment at all (no heat OR AC), usually in the fall and spring. It's nice when we get a good long stretch where no adjustment is needed. So for peas who have already had to turn on the heat this fall, it's probably a bit disappointing that it's so early. That's my take on it, at least
|
|
|
Post by katlady on Sept 18, 2017 3:18:39 GMT
I have a programmable controller. It only becomes "difficult" when you have to make a change because you have to go through a bunch of steps to either reprogram it, or manually turn things on or off. It is a touch pad that sometimes requires just the right touch and angle to get the touchpad to respond. We don't need to manually adjust the settings too often. We have it set for the heater to come on when it gets to about 67 and the A/C comes on when it get to around 76.
And yes, I think people are only commenting because of the fact that the seasons are changing, not that it is difficult.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
May 5, 2024 17:05:25 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2017 3:21:29 GMT
I agree with busy that it isn't a big chore just an indication of the change of season has happened. But I have lived in houses where turning on the heat was a small production in cleaning the heating element (with emits a funky odor the first time is burns in the season) and getting the pilot lit. Reaching the pilot wasn't always the easiest thing to reach.
|
|
|
Post by Delta Dawn on Sept 18, 2017 3:22:47 GMT
It's an acceptance that summer is over. It's more metaphorical than literal. I am even considering turning on the heated floor in the bathroom it's so cold. I haven't turned it on in years! Friends across town have said the same thing to me. It's only about 10 degrees C here (50F).
|
|
|
Post by chaosisapony on Sept 18, 2017 3:22:48 GMT
Flip of a single switch here. Like the others have said though, it's just an indication of the seasons changing and some people like to put it off so that their energy bills are lower. For example, in April and October I typically don't have to use either the a/c or heat. It's quite pleasant without them. But in May or November the bills will raise dramatically when I turn the systems on. Consequently, I try to delay it as much as possible.
|
|
|
Post by myshelly on Sept 18, 2017 3:32:30 GMT
It's very common for people here to have averaged billing where the electricity bill is the same every month, so I wasn't thinking about higher energy costs.
|
|
|
Post by bc2ca on Sept 18, 2017 3:40:01 GMT
I’ve never taken it as people thinking it’s a big chore, more that it’s an indicator of weather and changing seasons. One year, we didn’t need to turn on the heat until almost Thanksgiving (and all we do to “turn on” the heat is flip the switch on the thermostat from “cooling” to “heating”) - we made a “big deal” of it because it was very late. Usually, it’s cool enough around here by early to mid-October to need heat. So it was a “big deal” because the weather was so atypical. And this year, though we ended having a record warm summer, it started “late” and we were still heating the house until early June. DH's goal is to get through the winter without heat and the summer without cooling and I find it interesting to note when and if we have to use either. I've always taken these threads to be a discussion on the changing seasons and, as crazy4scraps, said changing budgets/expenses. When we lived further north, temperature control was a winter expense and living in Southern CA it is a bigger summer expense.
|
|
|
Post by kels99 on Sept 18, 2017 3:45:01 GMT
We don't have A/C here (near Seattle), so it's only a big deal in that our power bill goes way up once we start using it. It can be as low as $100 in the summer and over $400 (rarely) in the winter/month, so we try to put off turning it on as long as possible.
|
|
|
Post by crazy4scraps on Sept 18, 2017 3:46:17 GMT
It's very common for people here to have averaged billing where the electricity bill is the same every month, so I wasn't thinking about higher energy costs. We can do that too, but since there is such a big swing in cost from summer to winter, it amounts to letting the power company use a bunch of our money interest free for six months of the year, and DH is opposed to that. It's kind of the same concept as overpaying your payroll taxes all year long just so you're guaranteed to get a big tax refund.
|
|
|
Post by freecharlie on Sept 18, 2017 3:49:40 GMT
We don't have A/C here (near Seattle), so it's only a big deal in that our power bill goes way up once we start using it. It can be as low as $100 in the summer and over $400 (rarely) in the winter/month, so we try to put off turning it on as long as possible. I'm shocked at the winter expense. I live in colorado and hate to be cold, so we are know to run the heat and the gas fireplace. I still don't think I have ever had a gas bill over $100, maybe $120 tops.
|
|
Nanner
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,963
Jun 25, 2014 23:13:23 GMT
|
Post by Nanner on Sept 18, 2017 3:51:11 GMT
Turning on the heat means that winter is on its way.
|
|
|
Post by mama2three on Sept 18, 2017 3:52:08 GMT
It isn't a big deal physically, it literally is just flipping a switch like you say. The thing that makes it a bigger deal in certain areas is that it costs significantly more to pay the gas / electric bill once that switch is flipped. Ours goes from roughly $165 a month in the summer to over $350 a month in the winter, so obviously the longer you can go before "flipping the switch" the better. This. We hold out as long as possible before turning on heat because the bills go way up. Usually sometime in November.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
May 5, 2024 17:05:25 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2017 3:55:35 GMT
It's very common for people here to have averaged billing where the electricity bill is the same every month, so I wasn't thinking about higher energy costs. It isn't just energy costs changing but also means time to swap out the summer wardrobe for winter. Find my coat, hats, gloves and dust off the boots; put the sandals and flip flops away. Get my car winterized by making sure the radiator coolant is right for the winter, fill the washer fluid with non freezing washer fluid, find the ice scraper and put the spray de-icer back in the car. Plants that have been outdoors on the patio need to start being moved to their winter locations either in the house or in the garage. Turning on the heat is just a first step in getting everything ready for winter because usually it comes on before we hit the first freeze.
|
|
Peal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,524
Jun 25, 2014 22:45:40 GMT
|
Post by Peal on Sept 18, 2017 3:59:44 GMT
We don't have A/C here (near Seattle), so it's only a big deal in that our power bill goes way up once we start using it. It can be as low as $100 in the summer and over $400 (rarely) in the winter/month, so we try to put off turning it on as long as possible. I'm shocked at the winter expense. I live in colorado and hate to be cold, so we are know to run the heat and the gas fireplace. I still don't think I have ever had a gas bill over $100, maybe $120 tops. I think of all the places we have lived Colorado had the most reasonably priced utilities. Although water here is dirt cheap. Save
|
|
|
Post by kels99 on Sept 18, 2017 4:02:23 GMT
We don't have A/C here (near Seattle), so it's only a big deal in that our power bill goes way up once we start using it. It can be as low as $100 in the summer and over $400 (rarely) in the winter/month, so we try to put off turning it on as long as possible. I'm shocked at the winter expense. I live in colorado and hate to be cold, so we are know to run the heat and the gas fireplace. I still don't think I have ever had a gas bill over $100, maybe $120 tops. Maybe your house is more energy efficient? Or maybe your gas is cheaper? It doesn't usually get up to $400, but $300 is pretty common in Jan/Feb.
|
|
|
Post by ~summer~ on Sept 18, 2017 4:05:43 GMT
To me it is an indicator of the seasons changing.
We don't have AC and don't use the heater all summer - we only turn it on when the house gets really cold -- so it is something that is definitely noticeable!
|
|
|
Post by flanz on Sept 18, 2017 4:19:52 GMT
I ding think it's a chore as much as spending money. You probably have your AC on most of the time, but in other zones you can sometimes get away with a month or more without needing heat or AC (or at least, minimal heat/AC). It's simply a switch of the button here too but I find it annoying to switch between the two in the same week. Today I sweated my ass off, last week it was chilly enough for a sweater (almost cold enough that I contemplated turning the heat on). Because of my ragweed allergies I keep the AC on until the first frost. I wish I didn't have to keep my house closed up. I'm in that allergy boat with you... grateful for A/C, not many homes here have it. We added it 17 years ago because of my allergies. (((HUGS)))
|
|
|
Post by melanell on Sept 18, 2017 4:20:11 GMT
It has nothing to do with any difficulty in switching the heat on. You just turn it on and you're done. Easy peasy. And for me, it has nothing to do with heating costs. My home is tiny and well suited to keep heat well. We have electric heat and my bill may go up $40 tops in even the dead of the winter. It's all about it being a sign---a sign that the cold weather has officially arrived. If I don't turn on the heat then I can pretend that it's just a cooler than normal night, or it's just a bit nippy today. It's not actually almost Winter (cue creepy music). For me, the other sign is when we finally pull out the winter jackets from the closet. We'll stand out there in hoodies shivering for a few days before we finally give in and make the switch. Winter is a different world for us, and while it has nice points, it can be a right pain in the a$$ in a great many ways. So we like to pretend it's not really coming up upon us as quickly as it is. Especially since we are huge fans of Fall here. So we want to try to isolate Fall from the nasty Snow Miser following in Fall's footsteps. And we do that through absolute stubborn denial. (Now mind you, we do prepare for Winter--but we like to pretend that we're preparing for something that months away, not just around the corner.)
|
|
|
Post by 950nancy on Sept 18, 2017 4:35:02 GMT
I'm shocked at the winter expense. I live in colorado and hate to be cold, so we are know to run the heat and the gas fireplace. I still don't think I have ever had a gas bill over $100, maybe $120 tops. I think of all the places we have lived Colorado had the most reasonably priced utilities. Although water here is dirt cheap. SaveHousing taxes are also pretty darn good compared to other states. My dad said his were three times what we paid.
|
|
|
Post by PolarGreen12 on Sept 18, 2017 4:38:54 GMT
I'm shocked at the winter expense. I live in colorado and hate to be cold, so we are know to run the heat and the gas fireplace. I still don't think I have ever had a gas bill over $100, maybe $120 tops. Maybe your house is more energy efficient? Or maybe your gas is cheaper? It doesn't usually get up to $400, but $300 is pretty common in Jan/Feb. For us it's more expensive during the summer months when we are running A/C which is electric. Our heat system is natural gas.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
May 5, 2024 17:05:25 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2017 4:42:33 GMT
"Turn on the heat" means that it is already cold enough to need the heater on and winter weather is close at hand.
|
|
|
Post by papercrafteradvocate on Sept 18, 2017 4:47:11 GMT
I absolutely refuse to "turn on the heat" before November 1st!! Lol
I will turn on the AC if it is humid out--I don't mind dry heat but humid just wreaks havoc here!
|
|
|
Post by pondrunner on Sept 18, 2017 4:50:01 GMT
It's not a big deal, I can do it from my phone in about 5 seconds.
I just try to delay it until it's really necessary. Our AC is electric and our heat is gas so averaging our bill doesn't make a difference. I just try to wait to start using the heater until we really need it. It feels like a seasonal milestone to turn the heater on.
|
|
|
Post by crimsoncat05 on Sept 18, 2017 5:59:41 GMT
I'm just waiting till we can turn off the AC and open the windows!! I love sleeping with the windows open; we're not quite at that point yet though. And yeah, it's not about the act of doing it, so much as it's what it signifies. For us here in Phoenix, it's kind of like what spring feels like other places. Turning on the heat, getting out the sweaters, being able to use the fireplace again, it's a good thing, because it means we can enjoy the outdoors and fresh air again without melting, lol.
|
|
sueg
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,021
Location: Munich
Apr 12, 2016 12:51:01 GMT
|
Post by sueg on Sept 18, 2017 6:20:10 GMT
Here it actually is a thing - the boiler in the basement needs to be switched on to supply heat to the apartments. The good thing is that I don't have to do it - the building manager does. We can then control the heat in our apartment by the dials on the heaters, but until the boiler is switched, that does nothing. Officially 'turn on the boilers' day is Oct 1, though it can be earlier if there is a really cold snap. It is cooling down here, but not enough to need heat, so I think it will be Oct 1 this year. Cost is irrelevant - it is a part of our rental agreement.
|
|