northerners

Stay safe up there. This storm looks nasty. On a side note do they sell different heaters up north? Cause mine hardly shuts off down here. I can only imagine -30 degrees. What do y'all do to keep your homes warm without breaking the bank. Stay warm yall

I've been working in PA for a few years now. What I can see is that the houses are insulated a lot better. We keep this 2000 square foot rental house cool in the summer with two window units, and heat with baseboards.

Seen -32 this morning on my way to work :****: I love the snow and cold but that's even a bit chilly for my taste.

I can see that the need for a better insulated house is a must. So heat pumps are more than likely out of the question up there?

We generally just do stupid stuff to keep warm lol

bad80cj said:

I can see that the need for a better insulated house is a must. So heat pumps are more than likely out of the question up there?

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I'm in south central Pa. I just switched from baseboards to a heat pump last summer, which has worked well untill this current cold snap. Luckily, I kept the baseboards and they've been supplimenting the heat pump. Good insulation is key. Even my garage is fully insulated. I guess since it's connected to the house on 1 side. But on a day like today, I can get the garage up to 70° with a small kero heater and hold it there.

-2 wind chill yikes. When you do go outside are you so bundled up that you can't really do anything?

Honestly, days like today I just stay inside. Unfortunately though in my line of work, the colder/snowier it is, the more likely it is that I have to go out. At that point you're looking at fleece lined pants, insulated overalls, a thermal shirt plus 2 sweatshirts and a thermal hoodie. Lots of baggie layers works for me to retain mobility. Tell ya what though, you don't realize just how many nose hairs you have until they freeze with every inhale.

We're in cincinnati... Not near as bad as the folks in pa of Michigan but we use wood heat... Ain't nothin else like it... Even right now single digit temps my house is 78-82 degrees... Kinda makes ya lazy lol I'm still ready for spring as I hate the cold

Humpy said:

We're in cincinnati... Not near as bad as the folks in pa of Michigan but we use wood heat... Ain't nothin else like it... Even right now single digit temps my house is 78-82 degrees... Kinda makes ya lazy lol I'm still ready for spring as I hate the cold

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82, seriously? I start sweating at 70 degrees and go to sleep at 76 (my in laws house temp). I keep it at 68 max in the winter and 72 or so in the summer. Don't know why I don't sweat at 72 in the summer. One of life's great mysteries I guess.

lowbudgetjunk said:

82, seriously? I start sweating at 70 degrees and go to sleep at 76 (my in laws house temp). I keep it at 68 max in the winter and 72 or so in the summer. Don't know why I don't sweat at 72 in the summer. One of life's great mysteries I guess.

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It is one of lifes great mysteries for sure

bad80cj said:

I can see that the need for a better insulated house is a must. So heat pumps are more than likely out of the question up there?

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oil and wood heat!

Not an HVAC guy but I do know that heat pumps can only warm the air to something like 30 degrees higher than whatever the outside temp is. So if it's 10 degrees outside, the heat pump with have you at 40 degrees. Just can't keep up.
The Northwest makes use oil heat. Better make sure the oil man comes around before it gets cold!

Growing up, my mom would turn the damn heaters off at night, had to have so many blankets on the bed that we'd nearly suffocate from the weight! Opposite in the summer. I remember getting in the porcelain bathtub buckid nekkid just to keep cool one summer night! Not joking...

so how much are the power bills up there?

LandSpeeder said:

I remember getting in the porcelain bathtub buckid nekkid just to keep cool one summer night! Not joking...

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I have too, but I was real drunk

My house is 3200 sq ft, exterior walls are triple brick (12+inches thick), interior walls are brick as well, all new windows and the attic has about 2' of insulation blow in it (need more). My gas bill runs about $200-$250 a month in the winter. I'm a heat nazi, I keep the heater at 64 degrees.

I work at the post office. We are out in this **** all winter long. I honestly hate the heat more than I hate the cold. I can put on as many layers as I want to keep warm, I'm only allowed to take so much off. Under armor and Nike make some amazing stuff to keep you warn now. Usually out in just a pair of thermals under my pants, my uniform pants, then my wind breaker pants. 2 long sleeve thermals, uniform shirt, then a fleece or hoody depending how cold out it is (when it gets to the minus temps usuallythe hoody under the fleece). I've never had to use a winter coat yet though.

This was fun driving in yesterday in the ole bimmer.

I have a lot of close friends and family in pa. One of my friends runs two pellet stoves in his house, **** will run you out even when it's below freezing. Step into his house bundled up and you'll break a sweat just trying to get the layers off before you cook. I'm headin up to meet some friends in Pittsburgh for some bar hopping in a couple wks, I'm just praying it's above 20 with no wind, pfft, wish me luck!

It's 35 degrees and wet here and my bones are aching severely. Like can't even walk up-right. I have a feeling I'm going to have to move further south sooner than later. Sadly... I live in Alabama! JEEBUS, is I'm gone hafta to move to Mexico?!

Something like a scarf/fleece neck warmer is essential to keep the cold off of your neck. You lose a lot of heat out of your neck and head. I ranch in South Dakota, so I am out in the cold weather every day. I usually have a few undershirts, hoodie, big carhart jacket. I wear some insulated "long johns", sometimes two pair underneath some work pants. I never wear cover alls because I don't like the limited movement that comes with them. As for heating the house, I have a wood stove and propane for backup. Giant wood stove that I built is what attempts to heat my uninsulated shop, as well as a VAL 6 diesel heater.

Some of the stuff you guys have listed you wear to keep warm is funny. It is all about the proper layers and keeping your skin from being too exposed. It was 2 here the other morning. You aren't standing outside just to lounge around but you aren't dressed to the point you can't move. Layers are a big thing because you will sweat still at those temps depending on exertion. I'm headed to the mountains snowmobiling this weekend. A lot of times I'll wear shorts under my ski pants just because they insulate too well. Growing up where there aren't many trees to block the wind you gain some thick skin for it though.

Something I heard from a sales rep that was at my work a couple weeks ago that's never thought about was the waterline depth requirements! The frost line is 6-7 feet deep so the waterlines have to be 7-9' deep!