Baby It's Cold Outside - How Are You Keeping Warm?

[launderess]

Temps have been <20 F for past few days with slight wind chill, and it's snowing.

Boilers are working overtime so it's nice and toasty indoors (steam heat), but one feels sorry for those in newer buildings with electric heating of various sorts. They are being clobbered with insane electric bills.

So far have heard no complaints from those using heat pumps. Well they are warm anyway, but at what cost most won't know until bills start coming in.

 

[wayupnorth]

My boiler as been cycling on much more often during this spell of negative temps. I have already used almost half of my years oil. This as been a brutal winter so far for me. But the ski slopes and snowmobile lovers are very happy. I just wish all the cold and snow can go there and stay there. As far as those heat pumps, once it gets real cold, the Electric heat turns on and watch your bill go way up then.

 

[DADoES]

Current (11:30p Sat evening) outdoor is 26°F . Reached 30°F for a few hrs in the afternoon. Predicted low tonight is 22°F or 21°F.

The Trane heat pump (2-stage/speed, technically 3-stage incl the resistance auxiliary/backup) has been running continuously since sometime in the wee-morn hrs. Maintaining 70°F setpoint, cycling between high and low stage. There's an Equipment Status function on the thermostat that reports the details, I've been checking it occasionally. Although, I can tell the difference between high and low without checking, the blower runs slower on low. It said in one instance Sat morning that the Auxiliary was engaged. Defrost triggered several times earlier in the day when there was still some drizzle and misty-moisture, which of course also engages the auxiliary but Equipment Status may not report it in those instances. It's a dry cold now so defrosting should be minimal to none. I can check the kWh usage for the day after the smart meter system catches up on the hourly reporting.

 

[foraloysius]

I live in a well insulated apartment with gas central heating. The small combo boiler has no problem keeping it warm. It helps that my downstairs neighbour likes it toasty and warm. My apartment hardly cools off during the night. Only the bedroom is relatively cold because even during the coldest nights I like to sleep with the window open.

 

[phillymatt53]

Well, with 8+ inches of icy snow outside, and some blasts of frigid winds, it's not so nice out here in Philly.
And they predict it's going to be in the 'teens, low 20's for at least the next week.
So that snow ain't gonna melt for quite a while.
It's certainly a bummer, but hey, it's winter, right?

I'm stocked up with plenty of food, the house radiators are nice and toasty, and a good friend of mine came and shoveled a path down my walkway for me.
I highly doubt that I'll need to go out, and long for Springtime weather to get here.
Be safe and stay warm folks.

 

[petek]

12f / -11c here at the moment , 3am. I have the t-stat set at 70f because any higher the boiler will run continuously. It's not that the boiler is under capacity but that our house, from 1958, with high cathedral ceilings isn't as well insulated as newer houses. I'm just trying out positioning a fan so that it will circulate the warmer air from high up near the ceiling down and around. 70 degrees is more than warm enough for me, . I'm sitting around in golf shirt and jeans and he's in sweatshirts with a hoody and still complaining.

 

[askolover]

14F here currently. My 25 year old Goodman built amana gas package unit still pulling the weight. Power went off for a short time so lit the blueflame heater til it came back on.

 

[vacerator]

It was 37f. in Amsterdam Saturday morning. 55f. in southwest Fla.

 

[DADoES]

Overnight low went to 25°F, not as low as predicted. kWh usage (with August 20, 2025 for comparison):
20-Aug 59.85
21-Jan 28.96
22-Jan 22.53
23-Jan 31.22
24-Jan 53.75
25-Jan 132.19

 

[pstehle]

My boiler as been cycling on much more often during this spell of negative temps. I have already used almost half of my years oil. This as been a brutal winter so far for me. But the ski slopes and snowmobile lovers are very happy. I just wish all the cold and snow can go there and stay there. As far as those heat pumps, once it gets real cold, the Electric heat turns on and watch your bill go way up then.

Heat pumps have gotten far better in the past few years. I remember having one in the late 1970's in Arlington, it never shut off, just blew 80 degree air until the thermostat was satisfied... usually around mid-April. I have 3 mini-splits that put out actual hot air with no electric strips. They're still a lot more expensive to run that they'd have you believe, but with no gas available on the street, it's the best option. (and yes, we live in Phoenix, when it's 48 outside, we think it's "cold"...) I do NOT miss the stress of hearing an oil burner run knowing it costs about $2.50 an hour to keep going. Though it was comforting to listen to it come on in the winter in PA when I was a kid and didn't have to write the check to the oil company! A little more maintenance to keep it clean, but our old Weil-McLain was reliable as rain...

 

[appnut]

15F last night. Not supposed to get above freezing until tomorrow. The last 3 days usage was 20, 37, and 63 KWH. Will know yesterdays later this afternoon.

 

[foraloysius]

We haven’t had a winter with snow for quite a while. This was filmed two weeks ago in Utrecht.

 

[combo52]

I love it Louis Thanks for posting and to think that people used to think I was crazy to ride my bicycle in the snow when I was a kid.

Didn’t see a single person take a spill that’s impressive

John L

 

[appnut]

Just got yesterday's KWH reading, increased to 75 KWH for the 24 hours. Yesterday's high & low was 23F/15F. The day before was 33F/15F.

 

[circlew]

I hate the thought of my electric bill! I have three electric heaters going - one 4000W 240 V wall unit, one 3840W 240V portable, and one 1920W 120V. Due to me not finishing up my insulation like I had planned, it's only about 64 in here. The upstairs is unheated, so that doesn't help. It's going to be very cold for several days. I hope it warms up substantially next week.

 

[phillymatt53]

I hate the thought of my electric bill! I have three electric heaters going - one 4000W 240 V wall unit, one 3840W 240V portable, and one 1920W 120V. Due to me not finishing up my insulation like I had planned, it's only about 64 in here. The upstairs is unheated, so that doesn't help. It's going to be very cold for several days. I hope it warms up substantially next week.

You poor dear! - get back on that insulation project when spring comes, that's an order!
My whole house is set at 75 degrees and nice and toasty.

 

[thatwasherguy]

It’s freezing here in the Bluegrass too…

Supposedly, it’s 0*F outside right now, and feels like -10. The snow here isn’t any good, either. There’s three layers of snow separated by two layers of ice, making it downright dangerous on the stairs out back on the deck (I nearly fell more than once when the ice layers gave out on me). It’s like the world’s worst ice cream sandwich. As far as heat goes, we are fortunate enough to have several options at my house. First and foremost, we have two Tappan (Nordyne) 14 SEER single stage heat pumps with electric emergency heat from 2010. Upstairs is 2 tons, Downstairs is 2.5 tons. Here in KY, they’re usually pretty economical to operate, but I don’t think they’ll be too happy in this. If the power goes out, we also have a fully mechanical standing pilot ignition Pro-Com ventless propane fireplace in the basement that was put in by the previous owners of the house. It gets lit for testing right before we’re expecting any bad winter storms, and that’s about it unless the power goes out. Finally, we also have several electric space heaters. In fact, I’m actually using the most interesting of those right now for a little additional heat in my room (it’s always a little bit hot or cold in here, as the duct work was not balanced right). I bought this with the original box and manual on Goodwill’s Ebay store about a month ago, and absolutely love it. I’d wanted an appliance in Flame Orange for a while, and this fit the bill perfectly. Stay safe out there, y’all! This cold weather is no joke.

Thatwasherguy.