But Wait, There's More!
No, not more free stuff (yet), although I am thinking of having a blog yard sale if I could just work out the logistics. There is so much stuff I want to clear out of our house but I know a lot of it is stuff other people could make use of. But I digress. The more in this case refers to more posting! It's the wonder of NBPM!
I am a reasonably scientific thinker, but every now and again there are concepts that I just CANNOT get my head around -- related rates, anyone? It still boggles my mind that different parts of the same object can be moving at different speeds. I mean at some level I get it but at another it's just wrong. Ooops, I digress again. Anyway, my current scientific confusion is about temperature.
We keep our house at 72 degrees in the summer (Sorry, Katie, I know you are dying at the thought!) and 70-72 in the winter (depends who is winning the thermostat argument). Don't flip out - we are lucky enough to have geothermal heating and cooling and our costs/energy use are primarily for the electricity needed for the pump and blower - pretty negligible compared to most other heating/cooling systems. It's only recently begun to get cold in our part of the country, and it isn't yet chilly enough that the heater is even kicking on. So the house is about 72-73 these days, which is what it's been all summer (or a degree warmer). But it FEELS much colder. Poor Cait, who has circulatory and temperature perception problems probably due to post-Lyme effects, huddles under blankets around the clock. Natalie and I have cold feet (literally). But we were fine a few weeks ago when it was exactly the same temperature in our house. I don't get it.
Can someone please explain this to me?
I am a reasonably scientific thinker, but every now and again there are concepts that I just CANNOT get my head around -- related rates, anyone? It still boggles my mind that different parts of the same object can be moving at different speeds. I mean at some level I get it but at another it's just wrong. Ooops, I digress again. Anyway, my current scientific confusion is about temperature.
We keep our house at 72 degrees in the summer (Sorry, Katie, I know you are dying at the thought!) and 70-72 in the winter (depends who is winning the thermostat argument). Don't flip out - we are lucky enough to have geothermal heating and cooling and our costs/energy use are primarily for the electricity needed for the pump and blower - pretty negligible compared to most other heating/cooling systems. It's only recently begun to get cold in our part of the country, and it isn't yet chilly enough that the heater is even kicking on. So the house is about 72-73 these days, which is what it's been all summer (or a degree warmer). But it FEELS much colder. Poor Cait, who has circulatory and temperature perception problems probably due to post-Lyme effects, huddles under blankets around the clock. Natalie and I have cold feet (literally). But we were fine a few weeks ago when it was exactly the same temperature in our house. I don't get it.
Can someone please explain this to me?
posted by Jen at
11:09 AM
5 Comments:
No, and it drives me crazy, too.
Although I admit, it's slightly different for me. If we had our thermostat set at 70 in the summer, it would be frigid (we're more 76 folks ourselves, but we have the least efficient form of A/C possible -- the massive electric compressor, albeit a fairly efficient model), but 70 in the winter is stifling.
HOW does that happen?! Please someone explain.
(I'm guessing that, in our case, it has something to do with relative humidities and comparative temps relative to the outdoors. But it's still sort of bizarre.)
By
Jody, at 12:54 PM
It's actually 68-70 in the winter and 72-74 in the summer. Believe me. I keep track of these things. :)
By
Cait, at 8:06 PM
In the winter I must have it at 74 to feel confortable without being chilly. Summer 72 is just right.
By
Kimmyann, at 9:01 PM
Wow - we should go visit you in the winter ;-) We keep it 58-62 in the winter (55 over night since we all have down comforters!). We are still trying to hold out until Thanksgiving to turn on the heat here!
My theory is the dry winter air FEELS cooler. Otherwise, all mental. Think warm thoughts :-)
By
party b, at 11:43 PM
It's most likely a humidity thing. Very similar to experiencing the same temperature in Maine and then in Florida. The number might be the same but the experience is different.
By
Anonymous, at 9:56 AM
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