Anonymous
02/06/2026 18:23
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
Anonymous wrote:We keep our home at 63. When it warms up, we may bump it to 65, but it's 63 day/night for now. It keeps our bills down, pipes safe, and HVAC running well. Basement is 10 degrees colder. Sunny days will warm things up a few degrees in the daytime.
Friend lost heat and is awaiting a total system replacement early next week. I offered to let them stay with us (guest bedroom is in the basement), but disclosed our house temps, which are too cold for them. Is it crappy of me to not offer to raise our house temps? They're welcome to stay, but 63 is what we're sticking with, Mayyyybe 64.
I’ve never known anyone to keep the thermostat at 63. Plus offering her the basement? I would decline the offer too.
Anonymous
02/06/2026 13:35
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
Why even offer if you're not willing to raise the heat to reasonable temps? That's weird.
Anonymous
02/06/2026 13:10
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
Anonymous wrote:53 degrees in the guest room? What is this, Leningrad in 1942?
OP's next question will be why no one ever comes to dinner at their house.
Anonymous
02/06/2026 11:26
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
OP why didn't you automatically offer the guest your room in the 63 degree part and take the 53 degree bedroom?
Anonymous
02/06/2026 09:57
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
Anonymous wrote:Plot twist: The OP's guest is Inuit.
Well in that case the guest can just build an igloo outside.
Anonymous
02/06/2026 09:56
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
Anonymous wrote:But if the basement is 10 degrees colder, that's 53. My jurisdiction legally requires at least 55, so you're offering an uninhabitable living space.
Yep, it’s really not a kind invitation.
Anonymous
02/06/2026 09:49
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
Space heater in basement
Anonymous
02/06/2026 09:44
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
OP wanted validation but did not get it.
OP should not even offer this person their basement. It’s an awkward, odd offer. The guest will be extremely cold and even if OP jacked up the thermostat to 73, the basement would only get to 63.
OP, your attitude about hosting is bad but your basement is also infeasible.
OP should not even offer this person their basement. It’s an awkward, odd offer. The guest will be extremely cold and even if OP jacked up the thermostat to 73, the basement would only get to 63.
OP, your attitude about hosting is bad but your basement is also infeasible.
Anonymous
02/06/2026 09:33
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
Plot twist: The OP's guest is Inuit.
Anonymous
02/06/2026 09:27
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
53 degrees in the guest room? What is this, Leningrad in 1942?
Anonymous
02/06/2026 08:56
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
Anonymous wrote:63 is diabolical
And their “guest” space is 53…..
Anonymous
02/06/2026 08:47
Subject: Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
Anonymous wrote:Even your upstairs is too cold to be hospitable to just about anyone but yourself. Your ‘guest room’ is basically a refrigerator, so why would you even offer?? It would be like me offering friends a weekend at my lake house, only they have to sleep on the gravel driveway. Don’t be absurd.
If for some reason you end up with a guest down there, YES you raise the heat!! To 75 at least. 65 is what is legally required to be habitable. So you open your window to cool down your room, or you sleep in the root cellar.
My heat won't get to 75 when it's really cold. See the "heat pump" thread.
Anonymous
02/06/2026 08:24
Subject: Re:Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
Anonymous wrote:If money is tight, I would disclose this to your houseguest & explain this is part of the reason you elect to keep your heat below 64 degrees.
You can ask them to contribute to the heating bill if they would like the heat turned up during their stay.
If money is not really an issue - - you could still ask them to contribute something for the heat or just suck up the co$t so they will feel comfortable.
Honestly, what neighbor would accept this offer? It sounds much easier to say no thank you and go to a hotel. The neighbor isn’t asking OP to stay there, OP asked them. In these circumstances the easy answer is no thank you.
Anonymous
02/06/2026 08:21
Subject: Re:Would you raise your house temps for a houseguest (that lost heat)?
If money is tight, I would disclose this to your houseguest & explain this is part of the reason you elect to keep your heat below 64 degrees.
You can ask them to contribute to the heating bill if they would like the heat turned up during their stay.
If money is not really an issue - - you could still ask them to contribute something for the heat or just suck up the co$t so they will feel comfortable.
You can ask them to contribute to the heating bill if they would like the heat turned up during their stay.
If money is not really an issue - - you could still ask them to contribute something for the heat or just suck up the co$t so they will feel comfortable.