Optimum office temperature?

[Caoimhe]

I am sitting here sweating with zero air movement and 76.1 registering on my desk thermometer. I go out to check the office therostat and it is set on heat and 78. I turn it on cool and 74. Every FRICKING DAY! It takes about an hour for the place to cool off. Meanwhile, the idiot magpies in the front office start bitching, turning on space heaters under their desks and putting coats on.

I can't take off any more clothes! Why can't they wear a friggin long sleeved shirt? Or a sweater? Am I so unreasonable? I work in an office, I should NOT have to sweat while sitting on my ass in front of my computer.

Please weigh in on this, I am at my wits end with these morons.

[TK421]

1. My co-workers always joke that when they walk in my office, they

can see their breath since I keep the air slightly below 70. I would punch them in the gut if they really think you should sweat along with them

[Caoimhe]

8. I wish I had a seperate thermostat for my own office

As it is I am considered a portable air conditioner.

[anarch]

2. 104 degrees Fahrenheit

because they send us home then, you know, when the air conditioner breaks down or whatever.

[Caoimhe]

9. I would fall asleep after suffering heat exhaustion

probably never to wake up again. There is a reason I live up North. I wish these magpies would move to Arizona and leave the rest of us alone!

[anarch]

16. exactly...it's uninhabitable at that temperature, so we all get to go home

As a corollary, the ideal place for me to be in relation to the office is: somewhere else.

[Caoimhe]

33. but do you get paid?

where i work, i don't even get bereavement leave that is "outside" of my PLT. If I have PLT (personal leave time) I would rather it be used for vacations rather than going home early because the office was uninhabitable. I would hope you aren't being penalized for the lousy work environs.

[anarch]

37. well, the one time this actually happened, yes, but I worked from home

It's just that I'm not usually allowed to do that. Telecommuting is awesome...I think I was even more productive than usual. There are some days when I actually need to physically be in the office, but a whole lot of them where all the work I do is on my laptop anyway, so I could work from anywhere with an internet connection. Days like today...why am I forced to sit here in these uncomfortable clothes, in this crappy cubicle?

[Nikia]

31. I believe that I worked in temperatures close to that

In a plastics factory in summer with no air conditioning. We got all the free orange gatorade that we could drink though. Some people regularly poured cool water on themselves too.

[astonamous]

3. If I didn't give a damn about energy abuse, I would set it at...

60 degrees, but yesterday my room got to 85 and that was too much for me. I think a nice cool 72 would be perfect.

I think it stinks that I am going through menopause at the same time the planet earth is.

Trudy
www.pryorsplanet.com

[Caoimhe]

10. I get sleep at 76, above that and I'm just a miserable

sweaty mess. The sad thing is the magpies expect me to help them with computer problems. Well, I go to sit at their desks and the 120 degree blowing space heater under their desk reduces me to a dripping mess. Why can't people be more considerate? I've been cold.. It's not nearly as miserable as being too hot.

[astonamous]

19. I am not a small person...not huge, but not small and I always

tell people to put a sweater or jacket on because if I get too hot, I'm going to start taking my clothes off. That usually convinces them! B-)

Trudy
www.pryorsplanet.com

[NewWaveChick1981]

4. I think 74 is perfectly reasonable.

I don't like it hot at all, and the "coldies" can put on a sweater, whereas if it's 80 degrees, I can't take off too much clothing in an office setting. We keep our house on 72 in the summer and 68 in the winter, and that works just fine. However, office buildings are different, and keeping it on sort of a medium temperature is much better.

As for the idiots who jack up the HEAT in the summer, :grr: ! When I went to a conference in Savannah last month, I roomed with a woman from our company who put the HEAT on 85 when she got to the room before I did, and this was in mid-May. :wtf: We had to compromise about the room temperature, and the room was hotter than I like, but at least it was air conditioning and 75 degrees.

[Caoimhe]

11. I know where you are coming from

my dad has this heat thing, he keeps the house at about 82. I go over there and I am struggling to breathe. If I secretly open a window, he flies off the handle. They have a pellet stove and keep the damn thing going YEAR ROUND. Then there is my mom, the chain smoker, sitting there puffing smoke after smoke after smoke all day. Combine the heat and the second hand smoke, oh.. and the constant blather of Faux News.. and it is pretty unbearable.

We request to sleep out in the travel trailer because we can open up all the windows, pile on blankets and sleep without suffocating. I sleep so much better when I am cool.

[NewWaveChick1981]

13. My mother keeps her house on 80, but she's

got a thyroid problem and stays cold constantly. She's on medication for it, but her body temp doesn't want to budge. It's stifling in her house, which is why I visit frequently but rarely stay overnight. Thank goodness she's a lifelong nonsmoker, so I don't have that to contend with, but let me just say I feel your pain. :(

[Radio_Lady]

5. Oh, Caoimhe, I'm with you. Anything over 68 degrees and I'm fried.

My husband and I are incompatible on this issue, but he's learned to wear flannel because I complain vigorously when it's too hot in the house, theater, restaurant, or wherever.

THEY can always put on extra clothes. WE can only peel off to our skin and after that, I need to get into a bathing suit, wet my hair, use a fan, etc. I've also found a menthol spray to use on pulse points. It's called ARCTIC SPRAY -- and it does work. Also, you might consider a NECK COOLER -- I'll try to find links for these items. They always save my life in the summer. PM me if you want.

We're called LOW THERMALS, and it comes from a setting in our brains, not just menopause or anything like that. It's a constant battle with THE OTHERS.

In peace,

Radio_Lady

[Caoimhe]

12. I get the feeling that people

think that I only get hot because I am overweight. That makes me mad, because I have always been this way, no matter my weight. Stores are also a real pain. It can be pleasant and 65 degrees outside, but when you walk into a store, they can have it blasted to 85 and I wilt like a dog left in a closed up car on a hot day. It makes the whole experience so unenjoyable!

[Radio_Lady]

6. Check out these links for information and purchase:

http://www.ultrunr.com/neckcooler.html

http://www.sparklingearth.com/products.asp?category=100034

http://www.mscooling.org/coolinggarments.html

http://www.sportswraps.com/ (This is a new product and I don't know if it works or not, but it's interesting!)

Here's Arctic Spray, available in drugstores.

http://www.arcticspray.com/

[Caoimhe]

14. Thanks!

I have a couple of those neck coolers and I absolutely love them for hiking. I also found a cool mister at the Fair a few years ago.. you pump the canister and open the valve and a fine mist of water comes out of a hose. You can aim it wherever you like. It is nice because here in Central Oregon the heat is dry, so any little bit of water really does cool you off. Thanks for the links. That Arcticspray sounds interesting!

[politicat]

7. Ours is 76-80.... too hot.

But I sit in this odd atmospheric backwater where air does not circulate at all, so even when it's 60, I'm warm. Thus, I work at home as much as possible.

I work with a bunch of skinny sun worshippers (I'm "healthy" and not into the sun or heat or bronzing myself) who freeze while sitting on a space heater and wearing a parka (and flipflops.) They drive me crazy.

I feel your pain.

[Caoimhe]

15. Yes, the sun worshippers should be beaten with heated

frying pans! When I sneak out to switch the thermostat down, they glare at me like I am the antichrist.

Thank god, last summer me and my husband invested in a heat pump for our home. Now the house is a constant 70 degrees, winter or summer. Actually in winter we just turn it off, our house is well insulated, and the heat from us and the pets keeps us cozy. I can't believe we didn't get one sooner. It's another payment, but it's one we do NOT regret.

[tjwmason]

17. Temperature doesn't bother me at all.

But I've got an office-mate who is exactly like that - she has this little fan-heater which is running nearly constantly, whilst she sits there in the thinnest short-sleaved top you can imagine.

My bug-bear is stuffiness - I need to have fresh air. I sit by the window, and it's open all day every day - I'm in jacket whatever the temperature and don't bat an eyelid, but if the CO2 level starts to rise I'm half asleep quicker than anything.

[Blue-Jay]

18. Mine is currently 70.5 degrees.

I have a thermometer on my desk. It's usually around 68.5 to 71 in here. Works for me.

[Caoimhe]

27. OH that sounds PERFECT! I'm so jealous n/t

[Sgent]

20. My response goes something like...

any hotter than 74, and I sweat. I sweat a lot -- even using copious amounts of deoderant. If you don't mind the smell, it doesn't really bother me (I grew up in the south w/o air conditioning).

Never had an argument after that.

[Caoimhe]

28. I like that

but I have my own office, so they wouldn't care.

[Nikia]

21. I seem to vary but around 74 is probably good

I have been either hot or cold at that temperature though. I sometimes wonder whether the thermostat is really accurate where I work.

[ohiosmith]

22. Odds are the problem could be resolved by balancing the HVAC

system in your suite.

[Caoimhe]

26. Interestingly enough

we just got done with a complete building remodel, and all this should be working perfectly. Unfortunately, my office seems to get the hottest. I have a ceiling fan on high, a small clip fan on my wrap around desk, behind me, and at times even open the door (i have a side door to the outside) but when it is hot outside, even that doesn't help. We've futzed around with opening and closing various vents trying to acheive a balance, but nothing works. Still thinking about that portable air conditioner. Suckiest thing is that they planted the worst complainer right under the thermostat. Methinks it is her that is turning the damn thing on 78 and HEAT every morning hoping nobody will notice. I'm sweating within 10 minutes of arrival.

[leftofthedial]

23. 42 degrees

I'm a big fan of nipples

[liontamer]

24. 75 degrees

it's a good even compromise temperature. I personally prefer warmer temps, but I'm okay wearing a sweater, even in the middle of august.

I do however think it's ridiculous when the building is at 68 because some higher up likes it cold. I can wear a sweater but when i'm sitting still for 10 hrs at 68 I have to wear a sweater, a scarf, two pairs of pants and carry a blanket. It makes it hard for me to work. And quite frankly if you need to take something off to be comfortable I don't care. wear shorts and a tank top if that's what you have to do.

[Caoimhe]

25. Well my work doesn't allow tank tops and shorts

Otherwise I'd be all over that. I broke my foot last year and wore shorts the whole time I had a cast, it was WONDERFUL. But... alas, it's not allowed in our dress code as an everyday thing. Putting on extra clothing seems a lot easier than miserably sweating while doing nothing, doesn't it? I have even seen those foot warmers tucked under desks.. have you thought of that?

Polar fleece is wonderful for cold as well.

[liontamer]

30. i haven't tried a foot warmer

is that like a heating pack? my biggest problem is my torso, so I usually try to layer on top, but a hot water bottle in my lap with a blanket has been helpful. The problem is I think it's ridiculous that the building should get that cold. I'm not going camping in the mountains,

Largely it is a problem with the HVAC system because some floors (like mine) are significantly colder than others. But I still think there is a lot of room to take things off.

Have you tried skirts, loose fitting tunic tops, or delicate breathable materials in general? I think a lot of people overheat because they don't dress properly for warm weather. A light indian cotton weave could change your life.

[Caoimhe]

34. no.. the ones I saw were more..

a small tilted footstool with velvet and an underlying heating pad. Slip off your shoes and stick your toeses on the padded fabric. I haven't seen any for a while, I wonder if they still make them?

I usually wear short sleeved cotton blend tshirts and light jeans or khaki pants to work with slipon loafers or tennis shoes. In my line of work skirts are okay but I often have to hike around during the day in sagebrush and lava rocks.. so skirts are pretty much out for me. Plus we have extremely high winds in the places I have to do "field work" at. That's never fun finding out you need to make a mile hike in the boonies after you took the time to iron out a skirt and blouse and found some slip ons. I can spend weeks without going outside my office, but at any moment asked to go do some field work. See my dilemma?

That narrows my clothing options right there. At least the high winds prevent the clausterphobic feelings of a hot office.

I am still at my wits end.

[RevCheesehead]

29. 68 in winter, 72-74 in summer.

People need to realize that if they're cold, they can always add clothes. But try suggesting the opposite - "Do you really want to see me in my underwear?" and see what kind of response you get.

[Caoimhe]

32. I've tried but they never take me seriously

I just don't get it.

The thought of me sitting at my computer in a bra and undies disgusts ME.. it MUST disgust them!! Oh well.

[Piltdown13]

35. I actually did that once

It was the middle of winter, but the computer lab where I was taking my PhD quals had its thermostat set to about 83 degrees (great for the computers, huh?) and it had one of those little plexiglas boxes over it so you couldn't change the setting. After about half an hour of feeling like maybe I had a fever, I figured that hey, nobody will be in here all day except me so....I literally took the exam for my major field in my bra and undies. Fortunately, my advisor didn't walk in unexpectedly!

The next day, the department secretary brought a knife to slide into the little box, and we got the temperature down some...just shorts and tank that day!

:-)

[Gold Metal Flake]

36. I'm very reasonable as far as office temp is concerned.

68-72. Otherwise Facilities gets a repair order.

[dr.strangelove]

38. Anything above 72 or below 69 bothers me!

I have control over my own office, so I keep it 70 degrees. It gets warmer after 3:00 when the sun hits my windows, but otherwise it is nice. I would find 74 too hot.