Years ago I went to the Western portion of the country, and they can’t be more different than where I’m from, which is the southeast.
Here in the south east, we have hot and humid weather almost all year long.
Because I am in the northern part of the state, we do sometimes have a real winter. This year is one of the years that we really do have a noticeable winter. Generally speaking, I do not like to use the heater. Forced air heating tends to dry out my sinuses and skin and make life generally uncomfortable for me, so if I can get away with not turning my heater on, I leave it off. When I use the heater, it reminds me of my trip out west where the air is so dry all the time. I think whoever makes hand lotion probably makes a fortune in that part of the country. Anyway, I would rather be a little chilly than have the heater going and drying out my skin. This year though, I have had no choice. It is so cold outside that I really must use my heating system. The furnace is generally more expensive to use than the AC. I’m not exactly sure why that is, to tell the truth but I do think it is true. I do say that it is best to set your thermostat as low as you can stand it so that the heating doesn’t come on as frequently. That’s what I do anyway. Right now my thermostat is set on 66 so that I don’t have to feel the heater coming on quite so frequently.