This is definitely not very scientific but in my mind, I know it’s true: 41º degrees in Texas is much colder than 41º other places!
Don’t ask me why that’s true but I think I can prove my theory. Last night it was going to be in the upper 30’s so I used the electric heater only in the greenhouse. The propane heater really, really goes through the propane so I was hoping the electric heater would be ok. I didn’t even look at the thermometer til it got daylight because I was not going out there in the dark. A little after 7, my thermometers told me it was 41º outside and 50º inside the greenhouse. Good! All was fine.
About 7:30 I went out to let the chickens out and went to piddle around in the greenhouse and it seemed chilly in there. When I got back to the house, it was still 41º outside but it was now 48º in the greenhouse. I went out and turned the propane heater on. So, you see . . even the greenhouse can’t stay warm and it’s only 41º outside but it seems so much colder.
Yesterday it probably got up close to 70º. We had brilliant sunshine and no wind. I was out most of the day in flip flops and a short sleeved T-shirt. Vince came home, got on the old mower and went out to cut the path through the woods. I don’t like driving the RTV when the weeds are tall enough that they could catch fire from the RTV so we try to keep a path cut but it needed cutting. Yesterday was so pretty. Our friends were over and we were talking about how nice it had been. That was the kind of day in January that helps me get through the miserably hot days of August and September.
And speaking of temperature, I wish I could understand why, in the summer time, the thermostat is set on 69º and I’m still hot most of the time, but in the winter, when it’s set on 69º, I’m freezing! Central air. Central heat. Independent thermometer. 69º should feel like 69º all the time. The humidity stays about the same. It makes no sense to me. But, I suppose there are lots of things that make no sense to me, and the rest of the world understands completely.
Mary-Kay says
I’ve always wondered about the difference between winter and summer temperatures. One of the mysteries of the world.
Eileen says
I agree with everything you said!!! I’ve wondered about the thermometer thing too!! We sit at a soccer game temp say 46 and it is miserable!! Freezing!! Our northern friends and family think we are sissies. But our cold is different!!
Lee says
In summer I keep the thermostat (A/C) at 78 and at times it can feel ice cold. In winter, that same temp would be way too hot, and expensive to maintain, so we live with 69 in the winter, and it’s usually ok, but on the cool side. Even with that, our gas heating bill in winter jumps from $25 to nearly $200 per month and that doesn’t include the electricity needed to run the fan that distributes that heat.
Sherrill says
I don’t know why but my house is the same way. I think when it gets cold, it takes a lot to heat it up and keep it heated. Right now my heat is 70 during the day and 65 at night. But it stays feeling chilly to me. In the summer, it’s 78 during the day and 74 at night which is perfect to me. Weird!
Rebecca in SoCal says
Just a theory: the furnace or AC stops when it reaches the target temperature. Therefore, when heating, 68 is as warm as it gets, and it is cooler in between. Conversely, when cooling, 68 is as cool as it gets, and is warmer otherwise.