Cold House Journal

IF YOU:

– Live in an area where the average minimum winter temperature is no colder than -20F/-29C (=USDA Hardiness Zone 4*),
– Have a moderately-insulated home which has at least a little winter sun exposure or shares at least one wall with another dwelling,
– Do not have babies, senior citizens, or persons with significant medical issues living with you,
– Are willing to wear a hat and down vest (or similar) around the house,
– Use lights, a cooking stove, a refrigerator, and other very basic modern appliances,
– Have undertaken minor measures to reclaim heat from some household activities, when possible,
– Are willing to tolerate a few minutes a day of feeling chilly (e.g., when undressing),
– Have a home which is appropriately sized for its number of occupants, AND
– Have allowed yourself(s) to become reasonably well adapted to cold weather,

THEN,

You should be able to comfortably get through winter without central heat, and with only limited and sporadic use of portable localized heaters (or small woodstoves) during especially cold periods.

Corollary:

IF YOU are cold in your house, despite some limited use of portable localized heaters, then you either

– Live in North Dakota, Alaska, Canada, or some similar place that is truly much colder than here,
– Have an exceptionally poorly insulated and/or completely shaded house,
– Are a baby, senior citizen, or have a significant medical issue,
– Have forgotten to put on your hat and down vest, or similar vestments,
– Have exceptional aversion to cooking, electric lights, etc.,
– Have not undertaken even minor measures to reclaim some heat from household activities,
– Are completely unwilling to tolerate a few minutes a day of feeling chilly,

OR, most likely,

– Have either a house that is far too big for its number of occupants, or have not allowed yourself(s) to become reasonably adapted to cold weather.

[* Hardiness Zone reference map:

Tags: Theories

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