Pedro Picasso suggests electric blanket

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7099511

Oh my.

Lots of PoP at this bonfire.

To start off, the mountain man primitive who, like all men, nightly pitches his tent one day's march nearer the mausoleum:

ThomWV  (1000+ posts)      Fri Nov-27-09 04:28 PM
Original message
 
What makes more sense, heat the house or electric blanket?

The house is pretty well insulated but heating oil is expensive. It gets mighty cold during those long winter nights; subzero temperatures and windy nights are not uncommon here at all.

So, which makes more sense, drop the thermostat even farther (below 57) and use an electric blanket or raise up the heat in the house to say 65 or so?

Catshrink  (1000+ posts)      Fri Nov-27-09 04:31 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. Keep the house at 57 and get yourself a couple of wiener dogs. They are burrowers by nature so they snuggle down inside the blankets. We have just a light quilt and the two dogs and we're very cozy. It's a natural solution.

The baby-talking defrocked warped primitive:

Warpy  (1000+ posts)        Fri Nov-27-09 04:34 PM
Response to Original message

2. It depends on how much you pay for electricity but generally, you'll do better with the b*****e. Just make sure your feet are well wrapped and realize it's got its limitations, like you're tethered by the cord to the outlet and those runs to the bathroom will be pretty damned cold. However, that with layers of sweaters works well for sitting at the puter or reading or just flaking out in front of the TV.

Even deregulated and privatized electricity going into that blanket is a hell of a lot cheaper than heating oil.

Being tied down gets old fast, though. I did it for a few years.

Pedro Picasso:

Atman  (1000+ posts)        Fri Nov-27-09 04:34 PM
Response to Original message
 
3. I think the blanket would be cheaper -- but --

Do you have a digital set-back thermostat? We set our heat way down at night and it kicks in an hour before we wake up, so it isn't bone--chilling cold getting out of bed. But with the electric blanket, you could set the thermostat to 45 and be very comfy. However, I know people who are too freaked out by them to use them. We've seen a neighbor's house almost burn to the ground because of a faulty electric blanket. Then there's the issue of electro-magnetic fields. I dunno if these are serious issues, statistically, but they're there.

In general though, I would guess it would save you money to use an electric blanket at night.

tularetom  (1000+ posts)        Fri Nov-27-09 04:41 PM
Response to Original message
 
8. I think lowering the thermostat and using the blanket is cheaper but it ain't any fun when you have to get up and pee at 4 am.

slackmaster  (1000+ posts)      Fri Nov-27-09 05:43 PM
Response to Original message
 
23. Get a bunch of cats instead

The colder it gets at night, the more of them will sleep on you.

ThomWV  (1000+ posts)      Fri Nov-27-09 06:29 PM
Response to Reply #23
 
28. Already got a bunch of cat-hatin' dogs, so that probably wouldn't work out well.

eShirl  (1000+ posts)      Fri Nov-27-09 05:55 PM
Response to Original message
 
24. multiple normal blankets, sheesh

And wear a night cap to bed.

newfangled razza frazzin lectric blankets, whippersnappers these days grumble grumble...

ThomWV  (1000+ posts)      Fri Nov-27-09 06:33 PM
Response to Reply #24
 
31. 70 year old country home - insulated well by me by drafty as hell by the builder

When I say set the thermostat in the mid 50's what I'm saying is just high enough so the pipes don't burst - which has happened more than once too.

[Tucker]

eShirl  (1000+ posts)      Fri Nov-27-09 05:55 PM
Response to Original message
 
24. multiple normal blankets, sheesh

And wear a night cap to bed.

newfangled razza frazzin lectric blankets, whippersnappers these days grumble grumble...

Worst possible advice given. All that weight will make you wake up exhausted. Every time you toss and turn, it's a battle with your bed covering.

[Carl]

I understand that one can get cold anywhere,it is what you get used to.
People in Florida are cold when it is 67 outside.

Just a question of anyone with local knowledge of WV.
How often would you see sub zero as described temperatures?
He says not uncommon but thinking that isn`t so.

Good grief it sounds like he is describing here in upstate NY.

[GOBUCKS]

I understand that one can get cold anywhere,it is what you get used to.
People in Florida are cold when it is 67 outside.

Just a question of anyone with local knowledge of WV.
How often would you see sub zero as described temperatures?
He says not uncommon but thinking that isn`t so.

Good grief it sounds like he is describing here in upstate NY.

The eastern part of WV is mountainous, with really frigid winters.
I saw this thread, but couldn't bear to bring it over. Not only does one old bat mention sleeping under a bl****e, Someone even mentions how you can be c**fy in bed. Sickening.