Open Windows in the Winter

[PhilDernerJr]

The temperatures lately have been flirting with the low 30s. Regardless, Mel and I have the windows wide open.

Why? Because our radiator is nearly pumping fire into our apartment.

A lot of people that I know deal with this, where the heat is on so high (and you can't control it, as it's a building function), that you have to keep windows open. It doesn't bother me, though, because our previous apartment hardly had any heat whatsoever. In fact, her and I would walk past our current building and see people with their windows open and we'd think "Man, I wish we lived in a place that had heat that good!" And here we are now. :)

Anyone else deal with similar temperature issues?

[Nonstop2AUH]

Know this problem well. Fortunately not at home but my office is in a former residential hotel constructed in 1926 that has the infamous freeze or fry heating coils of old NYC buildings. Not much you can do besides open the window as you say or, if you have one, also run a window unit airconditioner as a bit of an offset. In winter regulating the temp in my office could be a full time job as there is always some debate about how wide the window needs to be open and if it's hot in here, too hot, not hot enough, cold, too cold etc.

[mirrodie]

Funny you wrote that, as I'm taking a break from the current insulation I've been putting in the house here.

We have one zone, but the main floor stays cold. Once we put the heat to 67 ( try to keep it at 64-65 overnight), the main floor is warm and the upper rooms are TOASTY to a crisp. Spend last weekend in the crawlspace, sealing that. Still have to finish that. Plus trying to find the draft spaces.

So I've been spending the last few weekings insulating and trying to balance our heaven/hell temperature issues.

As for keeping the windows open, I've been tempted but then I think of an Arab sheik jumping for joy as I burn more oil, I'm more inclined to sleep sans PJs.

[PhilDernerJr]

We don't pay for heat here. If you live in a home that you own, that insulation will save you mucho bucks.

[mirrodie]

I figured as much. Can't control that steam. But still, wouldn't it be nice if your landlords did, and reduced the temps. SAves a few bucks all around. But knowing landlords, they'd keep the savings instead of passing it on.

[PhilDernerJr]

I just wish my shower water was as hot. I set two alarms to wake up in the morning. One at 5:00am to turn the shower on, then I go back to bed and am woken up at 5:25am to actually shower.

My kitchen is on a different boiler and we get very hot water fast.

In a couple years, if finances allow, I think I might enjoy moving to Westchester.

[hiss srq]

My bedroom is thje hottest room in the house. (heh heh) No seriously without the pun it is. The fact that the sun faces into my windows all day long does not help it so my windows are at least cracked. Today the girlfriend decided to bust them wide open though at 8 AM and it was FREEZING when I went in there.

[cancidas]

you're not alone phil. my bedroom wnidows stay open for most of the winter, though only about an inch or so. my radiator is usually turned off too.

[Nonstop2AUH]

Just think of it this way, every time you crank up the heat you're helping Etihad buy another shiny new Airbus :)

[pgengler]

I like it warm, so I usually keep my windows firmly closed throughout winter and its associated fall/spring bits. If it gets too hot, I turn on my fan to get the air moving and a breeze going, to make it feel cooler, at least.

Right now, though, my girlfriend and I are trying a little experiment, to see how well-heated our place ends up even when we leave the heat off. So, we haven't had the heat running at all, and yesterday it was up to 80 degrees in parts of the place.