EcoRenovator - View Single Post - Notes from a furnace-free day

RobertSmalls · 12-01-10, 07:55 PM

I switched off my furnace yesterday morning, and left it off for 37 hours. I was primarily interested in seeing how cold it would get, and whether I could learn to be comfortable in a cold house. To my surprise, the temperature inside dropped very quickly, and settled at a fairly comfortable state.

This table tells the story:

All temperatures in °F. The thermostat and my desk are at opposite sides of my bedroom, and the living room is semi-conditioned most of the time.

I'm really amazed how easy it is to be comfortable in a 57°F environment. I put on three layers when I got home, but I ended up taking one layer off because it wasn't needed, then I went outside and changed my tires in a t-shirt. Came back inside and was plenty warm for the rest of the evening in two layers.

Sleeping in a 57°F room was so easy that I think I'll do it more often. In fact, I should order an electric matress pad. Why heat the whole house when you're only using the bed?

I'm very interested in knowing more about humidity and its effects on human health and comfort. I get dry skin in the winter, and if I can increase my comfort and lower my thermostat just by adding a humidifier to the room, I'll do it.

The only kind of humidifiers I've seen are either attached to a furnace and not remarkably effective, or the kind that plugs in to the wall and has manual operation only. You need to be careful to avoid condensation on and near the windows, so I was thinking about rigging up an electric hygrometer + comparator + power relay to control the humidifier. That project is a little over my head at the moment, so I might ask for help from our sensors and circuits gurus if I decide to go forward with it later.

I learned quite a bit and chewed on some interesting ideas today. I'd encourage everyone to try a furnace-free day some time this winter and see if you learn anything about staying comfortable in a house without relying so much on the furnace.

12-01-10, 07:55 PM	#1
RobertSmalls Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 344 Thanks: 3 Thanked 17 Times in 15 Posts	Notes from a furnace-free day I switched off my furnace yesterday morning, and left it off for 37 hours. I was primarily interested in seeing how cold it would get, and whether I could learn to be comfortable in a cold house. To my surprise, the temperature inside dropped very quickly, and settled at a fairly comfortable state. This table tells the story: All temperatures in °F. The thermostat and my desk are at opposite sides of my bedroom, and the living room is semi-conditioned most of the time. I'm really amazed how easy it is to be comfortable in a 57°F environment. I put on three layers when I got home, but I ended up taking one layer off because it wasn't needed, then I went outside and changed my tires in a t-shirt. Came back inside and was plenty warm for the rest of the evening in two layers. Sleeping in a 57°F room was so easy that I think I'll do it more often. In fact, I should order an electric matress pad. Why heat the whole house when you're only using the bed? I'm very interested in knowing more about humidity and its effects on human health and comfort. I get dry skin in the winter, and if I can increase my comfort and lower my thermostat just by adding a humidifier to the room, I'll do it. The only kind of humidifiers I've seen are either attached to a furnace and not remarkably effective, or the kind that plugs in to the wall and has manual operation only. You need to be careful to avoid condensation on and near the windows, so I was thinking about rigging up an electric hygrometer + comparator + power relay to control the humidifier. That project is a little over my head at the moment, so I might ask for help from our sensors and circuits gurus if I decide to go forward with it later. I learned quite a bit and chewed on some interesting ideas today. I'd encourage everyone to try a furnace-free day some time this winter and see if you learn anything about staying comfortable in a house without relying so much on the furnace.