Sunday, January 23, 2011

Heat

We bought our house over four years ago.  It's funny how our list of things to fix in the house doesn't really get shorter even as Ryan putters away.  On the contrary, it seems to grow longer the longer we are here. 

We have boring ol' baseboard heaters throughout the house, and non-programmable thermostats to go with them.  This means someone (ahem Ryan) needs to brave the cold hardwood floors to turn on the heater every morning.  The thermostats in our house aren't precise, and I've been known to crank the heat during the day when the warm-blooded man of the house is away.

That is going to come to an abrupt stop.

Last month's heating bill arrived on Friday.  It was a painful one.  In my defense, December was unusually cold this year.  I guess that gave Ryan the incentive to purchase a programmable thermostat and install it, 'cause Saturday morning Ryan went and bought this thing:
And he programmed it to a balmy 68 degrees.  My dear, sweet husband said that we really didn't know how warm it has been in here lately, so it could have been that we've been comfortable at 68 degrees all this time. 

He's so optimistic.

By the time this picture was taken, the temperature had already started the slow crawl up to 70.  Tomorrow morning, it'll get there.

3 comments:

Tasha said...

Ahhhk! I can relate. We keep our thermostat at about 68-69, but I wish it was at 75 some times. That would be ridiculously expensive though, especially with the -20 wind chill weather we are experiencing right now!

Bingham Family said...

I am always freezing! I have been forbiden to touch the thermostat at our house. Sometimes I mutter and sputter about it. Now I just try to vacuum or bake something to warm up... unfortuantly I usually end up eating the thing I just baked. (What they don't know about the heat -while they're at work- won't kill them... until we get the bill). Hee hee... good luck.

Bridget said...

How about with your first month's savings, you go get a couple great everyday sweaters. That'll make you feel better about 68*.