Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011) • Hacker News Board

Re: Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011)

#141

Post by Symbiote » Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 6:01 PM UTC

hordeallergy wrote: post #23

xcambar wrote: post #3

After 5 winters of Berlin, I have decided to treat myself proper heat tech clothing. The difference in comfort is such that I barely feel any kind of fatigue or depression that the cold temperatures used to put on me. It has changed my perception of winter and I couldn't have spent my money any better. This is a costly investment though, be warned. For the curious, the keyword that started it all: "layered clothing"…

Totally disagree with the layers philosophy. Way too much fuss. In mid-winter London I wear a t-shirt and a jacket. Perfectly warm. Just get a good jacket. Easy on, off, no ceremony.

Berlin is a good 5°C colder than London in the winter.

In London I had one jacket, mostly to protect against rain, but it was also an extra layer.

In Copenhagen, which has similar winter temperatures to Berlin, I had to buy a thicker jacket for the winter. I've worn the new jacket on trips to London and felt hot.

Re: Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011)

#142

Post by gwd » Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 6:03 PM UTC

germinalphrase wrote: post #140

gwd wrote: post #53

> Because vasoconstriction only occurs when the core body temperature falls, it won't happen if you're dressed warmly enough. While insulating your neck and feet will greatly improve your thermal comfort, there is no need to wear gloves or caps indoors. In fact, it doesn't matter very much which parts of your body you choose to insulate - the important thing is to limit total heat loss so that the body core temperatu…

I’m sure you’re already aware - but be mindful of what’s under your feet. A folded blanket can do wonders to insulate your feet from the floor.

In this case, the heating's coming up from the floor, so that would be counterproductive. :-D

Re: Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011)

#143

Post by praptak » Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 6:04 PM UTC

dancek wrote: post #111

praptak wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It can be costly but it doesn't have to. You pay extra for comfort, looks, low weight and obviously the branding. Warmth itself is cheap if you accept clothes that are a bit heavier and maybe not ultra-breathable. Adding a pair of cotton long johns and a cotton long sleeve turtleneck underneath whatever you are wearing can easily keep you warm, it's just not super comfortable and not super fashionable.

Cotton underwear doesn't work that well if your activity varies. Wear enough cotton to be warm while sitting for hours, and you're certain to be sweaty after five minutes of physical activity. And moist cotton underwear makes you cold. I tend to wear wool long johns from December to March. Decades of experience with cotton, too. Wool is much, much better.

That's obviously true. If you wear cotton, you need to be prepared to add or remove layers of clothes as needed.

Re: Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011)

#144

Post by Germanika » Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 6:06 PM UTC

xcambar wrote: post #87

lm28469 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Berlin neither, all you need is a tshirt and a down sweater/light jacket like this: https://www.rei.com/product/871413/patagonia-down-sweater-me... (or 4 time cheaper at other brands). I know because that's what I use regularly for long walks and even bike trips

2 things: * this Patagonia down jacket is a killer jacket, it's a-ma-zing. Of course it gets the job done. * bike rides require less clothing than walking, because your body heat keeps you warm. Plus, if you're not a heavy sweater, you're blessed (as am I).

Agreed that the jacket is great. Point is, as a Canadian I consider it a layering piece, not a winter jacket. :)

Re: Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011)

#145

Post by lazyant » Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 6:07 PM UTC

peteretep wrote: post #11

From the comments: > Sorry, I am not buying it. Not because you haven't done good work on the article: you have. Also not because N.American homes are overheated, and the residents under-dressed: they are. I do not buy it because the Japanese live the way you suggest in the winter, and it is miserable I have a mother in Scotland and I have a mother-in-law in Canada. Worst it ever gets near my mother seems to be -5C,…

This is my experience as well (going to mild places in Europe and many houses without central heating being at almost the same ~ 10C - 15C temperature as outside on the streets.)

Re: Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011)

#146

Post by saberdancer » Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 6:08 PM UTC

ajuc wrote: post #20

nabla9 wrote: post #5

Study that measured cold resistance among Finnish population found out that city dwellers in the south (Helsinki) had better cold resistance than people living in the north (Lappi). People in the cities wear thin city clothes even during winters, and freeze their ass off, while people living in much colder rural regions dress sensibly and stay warm.

I found the same when I worked in UK. I'm from Poland and in the winter everybody wear winter clothes even if it's 5C. Homes are well insulated and heated. People in UK by default wear much colder clothes so they are more used to cold. The end effect was that me and my friend were going everywhere in coats while everybody else was in their shirts :) What's funny is that people that moved to Poland from Siberia had si…

This was one thing that stood out to me when I visited Ireland and the UK. I'm from continental Europe and I was way overdressed (jacket, ...) than majority of people I would see. I explained it away that it was a rare week where the sun was shining so people went out of their way to wear less clothing but it looked so strange to me.

Re: Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011)

#147

Post by Kluny » Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 6:08 PM UTC

wolverine876 wrote: post #137

Kluny wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Maybe go a step further and wear long underwear and maybe even a hat; why not? Some reasons why not: you may live with other people who have different basal temperatures from yours, aren't comfortable at 16 degrees or whatever you settle on, and didn't consent to participating in your wacky experiment; other people may come over to visit your house without realizing in advance that they need to wear long underwear;…

> Some reasons why not: > you may live with other people who have different basal temperatures from yours, aren't comfortable at 16 degrees or whatever you settle on, and didn't consent to participating in your wacky experiment; > other people may come over to visit your house without realizing in advance that they need to wear long underwear; C'mon. We can't figure out the solutions to these problems, in a moment? :…

No thank you. I grew up in a house with a dad who fully bought into the "wear a sweater" philosophy. He'd make us go around all winter wearing two sweaters, a hat, and shoes indoors, and I still froze. My nose ran constantly and my hands got so cold I couldn't use my computer.

Now I'm an adult and I've learned that the extra cost to heat my condo to 23 degrees all winter is basically the same as my Netflix subscription, I recognize that philosophy for the idiocy that it is. If it's too expensive to heat your house correctly, then you have a problem with your insulation and you need to fix it.

My parents finally insulated their attic and bought a heat pump this year, and for the first time in a decade I can visit them in the winter and be comfortable the whole time.

Re: Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011)

#148

Post by bluedino » Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 6:09 PM UTC

gwd wrote: post #53

> Because vasoconstriction only occurs when the core body temperature falls, it won't happen if you're dressed warmly enough. While insulating your neck and feet will greatly improve your thermal comfort, there is no need to wear gloves or caps indoors. In fact, it doesn't matter very much which parts of your body you choose to insulate - the important thing is to limit total heat loss so that the body core temperatu…

A small blanket is great when working at home. Would get weird looks in the office, though.

Re: Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011)

#149

Post by bluedino » Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 6:10 PM UTC

turtlebits wrote: post #56

gwd wrote: post #53

> Because vasoconstriction only occurs when the core body temperature falls, it won't happen if you're dressed warmly enough. While insulating your neck and feet will greatly improve your thermal comfort, there is no need to wear gloves or caps indoors. In fact, it doesn't matter very much which parts of your body you choose to insulate - the important thing is to limit total heat loss so that the body core temperatu…

It's because you're sitting all day. Get a small foot heater.

Wool socks

Re: Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011)

#150

Post by pavel_lishin » Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 6:10 PM UTC

wittyreference wrote: post #60

ashtonkem wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We had a problem with this in older Chicago apartments, usually 2 flats and quads. These buildings usually had radiator heat fired by a common boiler in the basement and city mandated turn-on dates and minimum daily/nightly temperatures. In theory each radiator has a regulator valve that allows you to moderate the amount of steam flowing through it. In reality these valves are all painted over/corroded/never worked i…

> It was not uncommon to see apartments with open windows in January to help regulate the heat produced by the radiator. Known as the Brooklyn Thermostat.

This blew my mind more than anything else when we moved to New York.