When two people marry, they bring with them different ideas, and conflicts are sure to follow. When you marry someone who grew up in a large family with a bordering-on-insanity frugal father, weird ideas seem to transfer genetically. I'm trying to be nice here.Conflict #1: Window Treatments
Husband thinks that by taking out the screens on the windows in the fall, that more sunlight will enter the house in the winter, thereby keeping heating costs down. This idea drives me insane. Not only is it a nuisance to remove the screens and put them back up every year, but there always comes the day in March when I want to actually open the windows, but I fear bugs and birds will fly into my house. And seriously, how much sun can window screens block??
Conflict #2: Thermostat Control
Husband thinks that if the house is going to be empty for three hours or more, the thermostat should be turned down to 55 degrees. Upon entering frozen house, I need to wear a coat for the next two hours, until the temps rise back to livable conditions. I would almost go for this idea, except that I tend to believe that it costs more money for the furnace to run continuously for two hours to return to normal temps than the amount you'd save by having it ridiculously low while you are running errands.
Conflict #3: Hot Air in the Bathroom
This one is a doozy. Husband thinks that a window MUST be open to run the bathroom exhaust fan (note: he also thinks this about the stove exhaust fan). His theory is that the exhaust fan in the bathroom will pull all the precious heated air out of your house, thereby running up your gas bill. We don't even have a window in our master bathroom, so our bedroom window serves this purpose all spring/summer/fall. However, in the winter, his idea of circulating the air in the bathroom involves a floor fan right outside the bathroom, taking aim at you when you emerge from your warm shower into the cold, cruel world. If you've never experienced cold air blowing on you after a hot shower, let me just say, it is not refreshing. My main argument against this idea is that nowhere on the box of our new exhaust fan (which, by the way, is so loud you'd swear that a 747 is idling in your bathroom) does it say to 'open window' while running exhaust fan.
Lest you think that I actually abide by these rules, let me assure you that #2 and #3 fly right out the window when Husband is not at home. What he doesn't know won't hurt him.
Oh, so you're one of those 'sneaky-disobedient' wives, eh, Cocotte?
ReplyDeleteThe open-window-for-the-vent-fan thing is just nuts; don't know what he's thinking on that one.
I've lived in 'older' houses my whole adult life. Our previous house had screens and storm windows that you swapped every spring and fall. Of course, the storm windows went a long way toward keeping our heating bills down in the winter, and we developed a plan for keeping the south-facing windows uncovered as much as possible during the winter months. Newer houses, with newer windows, probably have double- or triple-glazed windows that don't need storm windows. But yeah - screens don't block out enough sunlight to worry about. . . (And after a few years, I figured out to only put the screens on the windows that we might ever actually open. . .
And I think you're right about the furnace; not sure what the 'break-even point' is for how long an interval it's cost-efficient to turn the heat down for, but I'm not sure that three hours is long enough. We have a set-back thermostat that turns the heat up a half-hour before we get out of bed. . .
Wow, he sounds like my mom. All her 'rules' drive me crazy. When the cats away the mice will play....
ReplyDeleteWrong about the window and exhaust fan - that's just silly. Removing window screens only makes sense if you replace them with storm windows. But opening blinds or curtains to let in sun does help.
ReplyDeleteI'd definitely turn the heat down at least some if I were leaving the house for that long. The Home Energy Savings Answer Desk says: The rate of heat transfer from your house to the outside, or vice versa, is dependent partly on the temperature difference between your house and outside. More heat is transferred when the difference is greater, so it takes more energy to keep your house at 72°F when it is 40°F outside than to heat your house back up to 72°F after you return.
You guys need to have a programmable thermostat installed. That was you can set it to lower itself when you leave and be back up to speed when you get back. Ditto for night to morning.
Item 1: The effort is not worth the increase in solar heating.
ReplyDeleteItem 2: 55 seems a bit aggressive. We set ours to 60 when we are out and 68 when we are home.
Item 3: There is some logic to it, particularly the kitchen vent. Not sure that the bathroom needs an open window.
Craig - We live in an older home too, but we've been here for about 20 yrs, so have a new furnace, new windows, etc. And yeah, I'm sneaky alright.
ReplyDeleteJody - He's really not much of a rule maker, but he does have his weird ideas.
Agent - We got a new furnace and programmable thermostat two or three years ago. While it's fine to use at night, my schedule is such that there is not set time I'm home or away during the day.
Russ - The logic of a husband usually escapes me!
What?! Remove the screens? I've never heard of such a thing! Heck, the screens in my windows (which are relatively new) are part of the windows. I couldn't take them out if I tried, short of actually cutting them out.
ReplyDeleteAs for the other two options, yeah for your defiant behavior! Fifty-five is too dang cold!
Hahahaha, oh, I soooo empathise with you! I am an extravegant wasteful strumpet of grievace measure as far as my poor hubby is concerned. Did you note I said "poor"? (Hehe, the more he nags, the worse I get - 'tis only but fair!)
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, when my hubby works away - one week out of every two - we have a new set of rules, folks. My mutt sleeps on the sofa every night, not locked in the kitchen in his basket. I leave all the telly's on "stand-by", keep the lights burning all over the house, and re-set the central heating to kick in hours earlier than it's allowed when his Lord and Master is home.
Glad to know I am not alone!
gotta tell ya, I'm with you. I think you waste way more energy to "start heating all over again"
ReplyDeleteI think it's admirable that you make an effort to accommodate your hubby. Not sure I would be so gracious. :)
ReplyDeleteFunny how we all have weird ideas about stuff -- some more than others, perhaps... but we all got them!
FADKOG - I knew you'd appreciate my defiant behavior!
ReplyDeleteShrinky - I love how you have a new set of rules when Hubby is away. You should post about them.
Bernthis - Thank you for your support.
Yeah, seriously, ignorance and the failure to research said ignorance is one of the greatest argument-causers in most marriages.
ReplyDeleteLet's just say we don't argue (much) about it anymore 'round here. But I won't say why .... honestly, don't even ask.
LMAO!!!
ReplyDeleteYour hubby got these ideas from his father?, that's where they came from? ... cuz I have never heard of ANY of those before! LOLOL!!! too funny.