It’s time for the annual charting of when I turn the heat on.
This year is a bit different because I didn’t actually turn the heat on. I was up north with Milo at a state park and came back to find the heat on.
So I’m told it was 52 in the house. Which seems reasonable. It’s been rainy and cold, and I noticed it was 62 in the house the other day.
Probably about average. This is the third time that Oct. 5th has been the day we’ve turned the heat on 17 years, so that’s something.
Here’s the historical (i.e., nerdy) data:
It’s time for the annual charting of when I turn the heat on.
This year is a little earlier than normal (third earliest on record), but it feels like fall has turned colder much faster this year. We had nice weather for a while, then it dropped pretty quick and stayed there.
We might hit 70 on Wednesday, but otherwise the forecast is more of the same (and cloudy).
I struggled through the weekend resisting the call to turn on the furnace, but sitting at my desk typing and having to keep blowing on my hands is kind of stupid.
Here’s the historical (i.e., nerdy) data:
Every year I track when I turn the heat on, like a good little nerd.
This year is pretty average. It was still relatively warm inside, but with cloudy days and low temps on the horizon, it wasn’t going to get any better.
Plus I kept sitting here shivering. The older I get, the sillier that seems.
Every year I note when I turn the heat on (yes, I’m a nerd).
This year was pretty average. We’ve got some highs in the low 70s coming up, so maybe we could have lasted longer, but today barely breaks 60 and I’m tired of being cold.
Plus, my daughter was complaining. I may be a lot of things, but I’m not a frugal furnace monster.
I caved and turned on the heat today. It’s cold and drizzly outside, 43 degrees right now and dropping, with no hope of sun. It’s been a really nice fall and we’ve had lots of sunny days that have kept it warm enough, but the dark and drizzly really does you in.
On the upside, this is the longest we’ve ever gone before turning on the heat. New record! So that’s something.
Finally caved in and turned on the heat this afternoon. After a couple days in the 70s and 80s, temps have sunk below 60 consistently. The cold, overcast days haven’t allowed anything to warm up in the afternoon, so it’s been a high of 60 in our living room.
That’s probably ridiculous.
The forecast has temps dipping into the 30s at night and never getting above the high 50s. So it’s time.
We had a very cool summer this year, rarely getting those hot and humid days when we hit 90. Now the fall seems to be following suit, going cold pretty quickly.
Here’s my annual breakdown:
We finally turned on the heat this morning. We’ve had a pretty erratic fall, going from high 70s and shorts weather to 50s fall weather and then back up to 80s and then down to the 40s. Seems like every weekend has been a different season (so far the pattern has been summer, fall, summer, winter). We went through one morning of it being only 59 degrees in the house, but when it happened again this morning it was time to cave. Plus Lexi, the impervious to the cold child, was complaining. And that’s when the whole ‘how long can we wait before turning on the heat’ game turns into guilt.
In terms of how long we waited, this year was pretty average. Though the internal temp was the lowest in seven years, so that’s something. I guess. (Assuming tracking when you turn on the heat is something.)
Here’s how this year stands up:
Thanks to a warm fall, we made it pretty far this year before having to turn on the heat. This morning I finally caved. I was hoping to make it through the weekend (it’s supposed to warm up), but no such luck.
We did endure the lowest inside temperature we have in five years, so that’s something.
Here’s how this year stacked up:
We finally turned on the heat. We came home from a weekend away to find the house at 63 degrees. After much complaining I finally caved and turned it on (nevermind that it was 62 the other day and going one more day would have set a record).
On the upside, 2010 is now tied with 2005 for the longest we’ve ever gone without turning on the heat. Of course in 2005 it was 55 degrees in the house, so we could have lasted longer. But back then there were no children and Abby was pregnant, providing her own built-in heater. I think we only made it this long this year because it’s been so unseasonably warm.
It’s now a comfortable 67 degrees in the house—perfect temperature for a Cosby sweater. Complainers can go put on another shirt or go clean something. That’ll warm you up!
And yes, I’ve now entered my grumpy old man years.
I continually find this information fascinating, so here’s the rundown of when we’ve turned on the heat for the last few years:
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