Comments on: Stop Adjusting the Thermostat: Why I Don’t Turn Down The Heat at Night

By: JIMBO

JIMBO — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:04:35 +0000

The physics is straightforward. The rate of heat conducted across a boundary is proportional to the difference of temperature. That means that when the thermostat is set high when you aren’t there, or covered with blankets you lose more heat per hour than if you had the interior temperature set lower. That is a fact, not an opinion.

By: Biffo

Biffo — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:11:16 +0000

I have my room ’stat set to 19, and if chilly I put another layer of clothes on. I turned the ’stat down on my hot water – if you think about it, most people add cold water to a bath etc to bring the temperature down, so why heat up water so it’s piping hot, just to cool it down again? There could be an issue with Legionnaire’s disease, but as long as the water temp. is at 55 to kill any Legionnaires disease bacteria [though this is mainly a large scale water system problem, rather than domestic], you’re okay.

By: Broke in America

Broke in America — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:59:42 +0000

I keep my programmable thermostat at 72 Fahrenheit when the humans are gone, 74 when the humans are awake, and 72 overnight. However, it is hard to leave one’s bed so early in the morning, so I raise the temperature to 76 shortly before the alarms start waking everybody up. This has helped me cut down on heating costs.

By: Adjusting the thermostat too much in winter? Think again! | SmarterCents

Adjusting the thermostat too much in winter? Think again! | SmarterCents — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 21:47:46 +0000

[...] http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/12/15/103563_dont-adjust-thermostat.html [...]

By: ThiNg

ThiNg — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:25:46 +0000

I was going to look for examples of other ignorant posts on the internet to help prove a point to the ‘author’. I figured I’d show some links to people who think the world is still flat, and people who think the president is an alien, and the earth is the center of the universe etc. Sadly, there is no shortage of misinformation on the internet. Now I am depressed.

I hope people who read the article take the time to read the comments and then take the time to figure out the laws of physics. Better yet, I hope the author takes the advice of previous posts and updates this article.

There’s nothing wrong with admitting you made a mistake. I used to think that ‘revving’ (spell?) my car engine made the heater warm up faster. I learned. I’m smarter for it…

By: disneysteve

disneysteve — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:43:24 +0000

“Why do you think businesses have locks on their thermostats?”
There are a couple of main reasons for this and they have nothing to do with the topic of this thread.

1. Business owner doesn’t want every random employee adjusting the temp up and down throughout the day just because he or she happens to be hot or cold. Owner wants to set one temp that is comfortable for most people and leave it at that.

2. Business has a programmable thermostat and owner doesn’t want people messing with it and overriding the programming.

3. People screw up. They raise the heat because they’re cold and forget to turn it back down so the heat ends up blasting all night, resulting in a huge bill. Or they turn it down because they’re warm and forget to turn it back up so the next morning you arrive and it is freezing in the office.

By: Stephen Waits

Stephen Waits — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:04:11 +0000

OMFG.. joe & bubba’s hvac says something, so it must be so!

Look, the links have been posted.. you clearly haven’t read them, or your ego won’t let you admit you were wrong.

Meanwhile, you’re hurting people who may read this post. You’ll cost them money.

SAVING ADVICE.. not living up to the name.

Arguing with ignorant people is a waste of time. I tried to help, for the sake of others who may read the post, and sadly join the ranks of the uninformed. I’m done here, this is my last post on the subject.

Best of luck to you M. Beddingfield.

By: M. Beddingfield

M. Beddingfield — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:57:14 +0000

http://www.greatinspector.com/faq-hvac-thermostat-set.html

By: Stephen Waits

Stephen Waits — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:44:38 +0000

First of all, these aren’t opinions. We’re talking in facts here. It’s simple science.

Second, we’re disagreeing with you because you are flat out wrong. You’re now acting like you said “you shouldn’t keep adjusting the thermostat every time you felt cold or hot”. But you didn’t …

.. in actuality, you said “Many people turn down the thermostat when they leave for work or are away from home for a day. No one will be there to get cold, so why leave the heater running? It doesn’t make sense to heat an empty house. That’s where I say they’re wrong. It does make sense to heat an empty house because it’s easier for your heater to maintain a certain temperature than to spend an hour or more trying to bring the heat up to a comfortable level.”

Which is a complete falsehood. You lied.. not intentionally, just ignorantly. You decided you think you know how something works, without doing ANY research, and then you posted it.

You’re spreading BAD information, that will COST PEOPLE MORE MONEY instead of helping them SAVE.

The name of the blog is SAVING ADVICE.

So, M. Beddingfield, it’s time you step up to the plate and, either update or delete this post. It’s hurtful, bad, ignorant advice.

By: M. Beddingfield

M. Beddingfield — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:29:58 +0000

Yes Stephen Waits, I have taken the time to read the comments. I realize that this is a controversial subject, but everyone is entitled to an opinion. Even professionals who work with heat systems will have different opinions as to what works best. I simply wrote what works for me. Perhaps I have a different system than others?

I noticed that all who replied seemed to dwell on what they disagreed with. The point was made in the article that you shouldn’t keep adjusting the thermostat every time you felt cold or hot. Why do you think businesses have locks on their thermostats?

Just because you disagree with something doesn’t mean you should put the person down and call them ignorant. This post opened up a discussion and that’s a good thing.