Heat? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Heat!

Yesterday, in the middle of dealing with all the snow, I realized that it was cold upstairs. I mean, REALLY cold. Colder than it maybe should have been. I looked at the thermostat for the upstairs, saw that the reading said 67, and I turned it up a bit. I went back downstairs and went about my business.

Later last night, when I went up to put the girls to bed, I realized that it was colder than before. I bundled the kids up, added extra blankets on their beds, and called my husband to report that there was a problem with the heat. He told me to trun it off, turn it back on, and he was certain it would be a-ok.

Except that as the night progressed, it grew colder.

At 2 a.m., my husband got up and put Emma and Riley into bed with us.He could hear Riley coughing and was concerned that she was coughing because she was cold.

Emma grinds her teeth. Riley snores. Both of them absolutely refuse to keep covers on.

It was a very unpleasant, and cold, remainder of the night for both of us.

When we got up this morning, the thermostat read 64. I called my girlfriend - at the very early hour of 6:45 - and begged for the number of her uncle, who does HVAC repair. And then we waited.

By the time he arrived, it was a balmy 57 degrees upstairs.28 outside. 74 downstairs, as we tried to move some warmer air upstairs.

One very reasonable fee and 30 minutes later, we are the proud owners of a new flame sensor - which is EXACTLY what I JUST today told Santa that I wanted for Christmas.

But, more importantly, as of this minute, the thermostat reads 68. I'm hopeful that tonight, we can avoid sleeping in groups and wearing sweatshirts.

Comments

[Nicki]

It only happens when it is freezing out, I tell you, and on the weekend. Or at least that was how it worked for us. Hope you are much warmer tonight and minus teeth-grinding, no blanket-covering, snoring children in your bed.

Cry for me, we have our heat set at 68 (the basement is much, much colder - makes exercising interesting) in an effort to save some money. It's fun to wear your winter coat in the house. :)

[Sabz]

We just bought a new furnace and heater since our 22 yo one died...just as the Chicago winter kicked in and the first snow fell. But oh so lovely warm air now keeps us cozy with 6*F outside. brrr...
Happy holidays C!

[Headless Mom]

Love the 'reasonable fee and 30 minutes" part!

[Katherine]

Isn't it amazing how things like that happen a) at Christmas and b) when you need whatever it is the MOST. And it is SO COLD HERE! So glad you got it fixed!!!

[A Simple Twist of Faith]

The same thing happen to us at Thanksgiving a few years ago, except the entire unit had to be replaced! I am glad to hear this was not the same for you!

[Maggie]

To save energy (and money) we turn the heat down to 58 overnight and only up to 68 when everyone is home. I work at home wrapped in a blanket with a space heater. Life in Minnesota.

[Grace]

No heat? Totally sucks. Glad to to hear that all is well now!

[Joelle]

i hear ya! our blower on our furnace died last month on a Sunday night and the highs were hovering around 30* outside. we didn't have the money to pay a repairman and luckily hubby is a trained electrician, so he hopped online and ordered the part first thing monday morning. by the time the part came in on wednesday afternoon, our main floor was 48*!! i was thanking God for our second furnace that warms the upstairs, as the kids and i spent many hours in our bedrooms those three days! (i think wednesday the only time i ventured downstairs was to get bread and pb&j for lunch and to stick dinner in the oven ... we picnicked on the floor upstairs) lol

[Lesli]

We had furnace issues two different times, in two different houses, right after Christmas as well as, both times, right after we brought our then new babies (one each time ;)) home. Luckily our fixes were quick, too, but while probably reasonable for what they were, definitely not cheap. And then there was child three, born during the hottest month of summer, during a record-breaking streak of the hottest days, and yep, our AC kicked it shortly after he came home. What's with that?

[Amie]

Glad the problem is fixed! However I feel like such a cheap compared to all the other commenters, I always keep our heat at 64.

[Jennifer]

Our furnace and air conditioning unit had to be replaced to the tune of thousands of $ in November. We'll be paying this one off for the next 3 years. Yikes. You are lucky it wasn't more serious! But heat is good, especially in the winter.

[Lesli]

Amie, feel good, I'm the cheap one, I keep our heat at anywhere between 55 and 63 degrees, depending on time of day and how low we can stand it (though I did keep it higher when the kids were babies.)

[bama cheryl]

You wouldn't be comfy here either -- daytime and nighttime temp set at 58 (I have a space heater in my office along with my two furry companions) and to 62 for waking up and during the evenings when we're here. You just learn to live in layers and love the seat heaters in the car.

[KG]

Oh the weather outsiiiide is friiiightful....
but having HEAT is sooo deliiiiightful-
as long as we've no place to go, except (shopping & carpooling)
let it snow! let it snow! let it snow!

Are those standard issue VaBeach "frozen" rain boots?
TOO CUTE!

[Brandy]

Yikes. We keep the heat at 68 at night and a semi-warm 71 during the day. However we have one thermostat for both floors and have to move the main vent in the attic. *sigh* Right now it's freezing downstairs and lovely upstairs.
Glad everything is fixed and warming up!

[Julie]

68 is cold? Seriously? I keep the house temp at 68 deg maximium and turn the heat off at night and generally wake up to a house at 60-62 degrees. What are you guys doing? Walking around in tank tops? (I'm teasing in jest of course. Never thought I was particularly hardy as far as temp goes since I'm an Oregonian-but maybe I am!)

[wookie]

I'm kind of horrified that your house is that warm. 65 is our max, 60 our norm and 55-58 overnight. Thank goodness for duvets and sweaters!

Yes, I am from Canada, but not a particularly cold part of Canada.

[Jenn W]

Oh my goodness, at 68 degrees, I would be roasting my not so tiny hiney off! We live in PA where it has been a cool 20 degrees each morning...yay. Give me some snow!

[chris]

glad you have heat again and glad you posted because it was fun to read all the comments! whenever we have a cold snap here in southern california (cold for us is, of course, not really cold for other people), i turn the thermostat up to 68 during the day and 66 at night. my son likes to get dressed next the vent. (then he goes to school in shorts and a polo.)