Comments on Crunchy Chicken: Freeze Yer Buns Challenge 2009

Goodness, I wish this was an option for me. Unfort...

2010-03-23T12:46:22.030-07:00

Goodness, I wish this was an option for me. Unfortunately, I live in a rather old apartment and it's been suggested that we keep our thermostats at about 70 in the winter to keep the pipes from freezing. I know it seems outlandishly high given your commitment of 50-60, but the pipes are along the walls and mighty quick to freeze. Having had the building furnace cut out when it was -40something (-50f) without wind chill, I just wouldn't want to risk having that happen in addition to heaps of damage.

But the second it starts to warm up the heat is getting turned way way down.

We live in Michigan, keep the thermostat at 57. Fr...

2010-02-18T07:56:12.463-08:00

We live in Michigan, keep the thermostat at 57. Friends refer to our house as the meat locker. We love it and are used to it after dialing down for the last few years. I have a couple pairs of thin polarfleece gloves I cut the tips off. I use these if my hands get cold, work great for computer work. Electric blanket on the bed, turn on for 5-10 minutes just to warm it, do not leave on. Lots of blankets and wool. Shearling slippers with socks are the best. We do turn up the thermostat slightly to the low 60's if friends come over. Most know to bundle up if coming to our house! We feel better in a cooler house. growing up My mom never turned the thermostat past 65, and down to 60 at night. We are now so accustomed to this temp it is hard to go to a house that is 70 degrees. And it just seems SO wasteful when we are there, hard not to speak up and ask WHY so hot in here? Fortunately my office is fairly cool. Most of my co-workers have small heaters under their desk though. 57 seems to be the magic number for us! I think it is better for your health, saves money, and is not wasteful.

FYI: I live in Rochester NY and it's been bel...

2010-02-16T02:55:00.749-08:00

FYI: I live in Rochester NY and it's been below 20 for many a day here. And even though I have my heat down so low.....my gas and electric bill for this month is $276. And I've got a 95% efficient heating system in my house. Now I'm going to train myself to see in the dark!!!

By choice I, also have my heat down real low. Dur...

2010-02-16T02:50:55.641-08:00

By choice I, also have my heat down real low. During the day it's at 62. And at night I keep it around 58. I've done this now for the last 3 yrs. It's to the point now where I don't even notice that it's this low when I get up in the morning. I've gotten used to it. I have a down comforter that I use for my bed and I have 2 dogs that sleep in bed wiht me and keep me warm. I have a fan over my bed and just about every night I get so hot under the covers that I have to turn on the fan.

I somehow came across this site while reading an a...

2010-02-15T17:52:36.354-08:00

I somehow came across this site while reading an article and it peaked my curiousity as I sit here in a tank top while my thermostat is at a constant 62. And yes, I have a second thermometer to verify that it truly is 62. It is amazing what the body can get used to if the mind is willing! :)

Anyone interested in being interviewed about this ...

2010-01-29T09:06:20.697-08:00

Anyone interested in being interviewed about this challenge and you live in the DC/Baltimore/Philly area? Let me know!

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"I'm a producer for France 2 TV's United States bureau in Washington, DC and I enjoyed reading about the Freeze Yer Buns challenge that you created in the New York Times.

We're planning on doing a TV story on environmentally-conscious like you who lower their thermostat to the max. in the Winter, but unfortunately, we won't be able to go to Washington state in the near future.

I was wondering if you have friends or "fellow-crunchies" in or around Washington, DC or Baltimore, Philly even whom you could recommend for an interview? Ideally, we're looking for participants to your challenge!"

We live in Oklahoma, and the temps can get close t...

2010-01-27T15:13:12.856-08:00

We live in Oklahoma, and the temps can get close to zero or be in the 60's in the winter. I only turn the heat on for about 10 minutes in the morning when my daughter is getting dressed (in a small bathroom that heats up really fast). The rest of the time, as long as my pipes won't freeze, we rely on scavenged wood I collect for a fireplace insert, and I'm even frugal about how much wood I'll use. We spend many evenings in front of the insert, dress in layers and have adjusted well to our house being anywhere from 45 to 50. Anything above 50 is a heatwave. I never heat the house with wood or furnace when we are not there. I really enjoy reading these posts!

I keep the thermostat at 60 night and day because ...

2010-01-24T11:21:46.537-08:00

I keep the thermostat at 60 night and day because I don't like it any warmer.

I would like to set it at 50 at night, but my Lennox gas furnace instructions say not to set it below 60. Something about it doesn't run often or long enough below 60 and can cause damage.

ANY COMMENTS????????

We're in NJ ... it's been lurking around t...

2010-01-23T16:22:41.814-08:00

We're in NJ ... it's been lurking around the high 20 to low 40s and I'm finding the comments of temps of 65 degrees quite comical ... No wood stove here folks ... we keep it at 58 during the day and 54 at night. Lovin' the low gas bills and hate the dry air that the heater brings. It gets a little chilly sometimes and my neighbors don't hang out long (lol) but hey ... I'll bet they'd love my bills! Oh - and no air in the summer either - cha ching!

Hey everyone. I work for The Weather Channel and ...

2010-01-22T04:22:51.339-08:00

Hey everyone. I work for The Weather Channel and love the 58 degree challenge. I want to follow the story on our weekend morning show until April (quick updates each weekend from different people involved in the challenge). If you're interested, email weekendview@weather.com.
Becky

Good morning, everyone! I work for The Weather Ch...

2010-01-22T04:21:38.047-08:00

Good morning, everyone! I work for The Weather Channel and LOVE the 58 degree challenge. I'd love to follow this stunt with a quick story on our network's weekend morning show until April. If you're interested in talking to me, email weekendview@weather.com.
Thanks, Weekend View Team

I just read about this in the Times. We're in...

2010-01-21T10:41:26.444-08:00

I just read about this in the Times. We're in Crested Butte, CO and very thrifty with our heat. This is our second winter in a row setting the thermostats at 50. We do have a wood stove and some good Southern exposure, so if it's sunny, it can get toasty. I also bake a lot of bread, so the oven helps warm everything up. Keep up the good work everyone!

This is the second year of keeping the heat set lo...

2010-01-10T18:53:38.500-08:00

This is the second year of keeping the heat set low. The building has baseboard radiators using a common natural gas fired boiler for all three units. My thermostat isn't accurate but with other thermometers I've found that the temperature floats between 53 and 55 F. Layers are a must plus I got these FAB boiled wool slippers that paired with ragwool socks keep my feet nice and toasty - as long as I keep moving. Inactivity leads to cold extremeties pretty quickly. I could lay in bed but my hands get cold if I read or knit. Hot water bottles in bed help!

Kerri in AK

us too! we average 55 all the time (right now its...

2010-01-07T06:24:24.166-08:00

us too! we average 55 all the time (right now its acually 60) and are only using a wood stove. refuse to turn natural gas back on and pay the 500 a month heating bill. averaging 100 a month in wood :) using space heaters in the bedrooms since it drops to 48ish overnight and doubling blankets. Working well for us in indiana :)

Wow, we've been participating all this winter ...

2010-01-02T11:38:40.506-08:00

Wow, we've been participating all this winter and didn't even know it! We started with 55F all the time except during bathtime, when we set it to 62F for a few hours while our hair dries. That was fine through November, furnace hardly came on at all. Once it really got cold in early December, we set the thermostat up to 60F from 5-10pm, let it drop to 50F from 10pm-6am, and set it for 55F from 6am-5pm. Key to making it for me is lots of layers, wool sweaters, long underwear, wool socks and silk sock liners. Also a fleece coat with a hood.

I have my thermostat set to 60 this year because I...

2010-01-01T19:00:38.651-08:00

I have my thermostat set to 60 this year because I have a sick kitty in the house....in years past it was at 55 or 58. The thermostat is behind some curtains on the wall so set at 60, it is usually 55 in the house. You just put on extra layers and a ski hat. I live in Wisconsin.....I usually don't turn the heat on first thing in the fall until it gets to 49 in the house. Do use a space heater when taking a shower...THAT is the hardest to endure--a cold bathroom when getting out of the shower.
It is just mind over matter--and the thrill of paying a lower heating bill!

I just stumbled on to this site while researching ...

2009-12-29T12:35:49.597-08:00

I just stumbled on to this site while researching healthy house temps. This is our first winter in our new house and an energy audit found we have NO insulation. We can't afford to insulate until next year so we are toughing it out. We have a brand new 96% efficiency boiler and brand new baseboards but it kills me to have all that nice heat leaking outside. We are currently set for 59 during the day and 57 at night...my poor birds need thermal underwear LOL...I'd like to go even lower but people think we're trying to kill the kids! The funny thing is that once you get used to this 64 feels too warm..I had to heat to 68 for holiday guests and I was dying.s

I have 2 little ones in the house, one being a bab...

2009-12-17T17:35:33.635-08:00

I have 2 little ones in the house, one being a baby, so I can't set it as low as I would like it. We go with 65 during the day and 59 at night.

Just below 60 at night and around 55 when we'r...

2009-12-16T13:19:00.602-08:00

Just below 60 at night and around 55 when we're at work. If we're home during the day, between 60 and 65.

I have also been doing this for many years. I was ...

2009-12-15T21:48:27.312-08:00

I have also been doing this for many years. I was raised in a big brick house in England where we only had one small heater in one room. All of the bedrooms were cold, so we had warm clothes, lots of blankets, and I loved my hot water bottle. So doing it now at 57years of age is easy for me. I don't need to save money i simply enjoy living like this.

Between 11pm-6am (sleeping) and 8am-4pm (out of th...

2009-12-15T18:50:00.431-08:00

Between 11pm-6am (sleeping) and 8am-4pm (out of the house at work... I keep it set at 50. It usually will stay warmer than that until its below freezing (like last night- but that is what a down comforter is for, right?) At awake, at home hours, I keep it set between 60-62 and supplement with a space heater if really needed. The basement living area will stay a little warmer and i spend most of the time there. Thermal socks and polar fleece pj's help me stay cozy then.

Just lowered the thermostat 2 degrees, and don'...

2009-12-15T11:36:38.974-08:00

Just lowered the thermostat 2 degrees, and don't notice a difference. Yay! We live in a drafty old house too, ca. 1850. Sometimes I'll use a space heater, but only when it's super-cold out.

So the thermostat is currently set to 62 day (when I'm home), 67 evening (when hubby's home), and 55 night (when we're under a very warm quilt).

Shooting for 62/60. The 62 during the day is for ...

2009-12-15T06:15:56.830-08:00

Shooting for 62/60. The 62 during the day is for me as I am recovering at home from foot surgery. After I return to work it will be 60/62/60.

We are going for 64 by day and 60 by night. Doesn...

2009-12-14T13:10:47.425-08:00

We are going for 64 by day and 60 by night. Doesn't sound too challenging compared to some of you, BUT - - - our very old (1837) drafty farmhouse has only one heating zone. So what is 64 in the room with the (one) thermostat is probably more like 58 in the far bedrooms of the house. We've looked into updating, but can't really manage it at the moment. So we just keep it on the low side and bundle up at night.

Kate (one hour north of NYC)

Hey guys, Are any of you Freezing Yer Buns in the...

2009-12-14T12:49:10.537-08:00

Hey guys,

Are any of you Freezing Yer Buns in the DC, VA, or MD area? I've got an international news correspondent doing a story on my challenge and he wants to talk to you...