In part 2, I said that "nudism would be casual experience instead of a planned vacation or second residence." This statement can be broken down into three markets.
The "nakation" (planned vacation) industry is a $400 million and growing global industry according to AANR. There are a lot of opportunities for nude cruises and vacations at big resorts all around the world. These take time from work and cost money, especially since travel is becoming increasingly expensive. It's fair to assume that the majority of people taking "nakations" are retired, or middle-aged with the money and the time off from work to be able to do it.
Many stay at resorts and campgrounds either full-time or as a second residence. Full-timers are almost always retired, or are lucky to work close enough to keep the commute reasonable. The second residence crowd typically have a camper and stay at the resort on weekends. It's fair to assume that these people have the money to buy a camper and pay for the site, which likely means they are middle-aged and have a career. (Purchasing and developing their primary residence takes money and time first.)
The above two markets are currently the most profitable, and both are geared toward the middle-aged or older since they happen to be the primary customer.
Young naturists, and cash-strapped naturists, take a more casual approach to nude recreation. They are the ones visiting the local free beaches whenever they have the time. They are the ones bravely freehiking and skinny dipping on public lands. They are the ones going to local hotel takeover parties. They are the ones attending bowling parties, house parties, WNBR, and any other event that happens to be going on. Perhaps "casual" isn't the right word since it takes a lot of work to organize these events, and sometimes a lot of work to participate in them. But compared to buying a camper, membership, or vacation, and dedicating weeks or more at a time to being nude, these cheaper day-long or weekend-long activities are casual.
Both the Florida Young Naturists and the Young Naturists and Nudists America have seen a boom in numbers since forming. FYN's Spring Bash went from 75 in 2009 to 200 in 2011 per N 31.2. YNA claims to be "the fastest growing nudist organization and online naturist community based out of the NY / NJ / PA area". The Chicago Fun Club has seen growing numbers of participants -- they've grown to more than 200 members in the 3 or so years they've been active. These groups have popped into existence with a primary goal of having fun at whatever venues they can set up. It seems that people of all ages are eager to participate in local events.
I haven't gone to an unsuccessful nudist event yet. The hotel parties are always packed. House parties always attract a crowd. Public events like the WNBR have been growing. Even the bowling group, almost in the middle of nowhere, has a good turnout each Winter month. It seems that naturists are always looking for something local to do.
Just how much demand is in the market? There were numerous people at the bowling party that didn't bowl. I'm sure the WNBR gets it's share of people who don't normally ride bikes. I haven't been to a nude skate party yet, but I'm sure some people attending can't skate. (N 29.1 shows a group photo from a skating event, and a few people aren't wearing skates.) Many people who visit nude beaches never go in the water, and some even avoid the sun. It seems that people just want to be naked in social settings, even if they aren't interested in what's going on. Markets are about supply and demand, and I believe there is more demand than supply for naturist events.
The Chicago Fun Club tested the limits of demand this year. The club is one of only a few in the Chicago area, and the nearest resorts are across state lines several hours away. One of the club's events worked out to be an ideal experiment. When Naked Girls Reading was still new, I said: "Naturists would find this event to be one of the most boring things we could possibly sit through." Then, later on, the Chicago Fun Club organized a nude viewing of this event.
How did it go? Corresponding with one of the members, it was "well attended and much enjoyed". I'd never go watch naked girls read. But, with the opportunity to be in a social naturist setting with friends, I'd be tempted.
Even with nothing going on, people are still drawn to places. Many like to stop in at the bars, just to see who's there and what's going on. Many like to stroll through the mall even though they aren't shopping for anything specific. People will be drawn to the urban nudist venue just to see what's new, who's around, and to kill some time while being social. They might even bring their curious friends along.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Future Resort Redux (p4) - Location
Population map, from Wikipedia:
Modified map showing the number of nudist resorts in each state, based on the AANR club listings:
Analyzing the data in the above graphics, it's reasonable to conclude that the following states have a large population and a shortage of nudist resorts (compared to similar states):
New York
Illinois
Arkansas
Louisiana
Kentucky
Arizona
Tennissee
Virginia
North Carolina
New Jersey
Massachusetts
However, since this series is about urban resorts, one must also consider the population density maps.
Population density map from Wikipedia:
Many of the states which contain no nudist resorts have a low population. But, the majority of the population is within cities. States which have no resorts and have a high urban population density include:
South Dakota
Iowa
Nebraska
Utah
Nevada
New Mexico
Arkansas
Louisiana
Kentucky
Deleware
Rhode Island
New Hampshire
Maine
Alaska
If I were to create an urban nudist oasis, I'd put it in one of the states above.
Many of the states happen to be in northern latitudes as well. Nudist resorts, for the most part, close down during the winter months. Most only have outdoor facilities. Bigger ones have a few indoor facilities, but it's often not worth venturing down slippery backroads just to swim in the nude. An advantage of an indoor urban resort is that it can remain open year-round and provide the same facilities.
Modified map showing the number of nudist resorts in each state, based on the AANR club listings:
Analyzing the data in the above graphics, it's reasonable to conclude that the following states have a large population and a shortage of nudist resorts (compared to similar states):
New York
Illinois
Arkansas
Louisiana
Kentucky
Arizona
Tennissee
Virginia
North Carolina
New Jersey
Massachusetts
However, since this series is about urban resorts, one must also consider the population density maps.
Population density map from Wikipedia:
Many of the states which contain no nudist resorts have a low population. But, the majority of the population is within cities. States which have no resorts and have a high urban population density include:
South Dakota
Iowa
Nebraska
Utah
Nevada
New Mexico
Arkansas
Louisiana
Kentucky
Deleware
Rhode Island
New Hampshire
Maine
Alaska
If I were to create an urban nudist oasis, I'd put it in one of the states above.
Many of the states happen to be in northern latitudes as well. Nudist resorts, for the most part, close down during the winter months. Most only have outdoor facilities. Bigger ones have a few indoor facilities, but it's often not worth venturing down slippery backroads just to swim in the nude. An advantage of an indoor urban resort is that it can remain open year-round and provide the same facilities.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Future Resort Redux (p3) - Layout
The venue layout is partly determined by the existing layout, partly determined by how much money and work can be invested, and partly determined by what people in the area want. All I can offer on this topic is advice.
First of all, make sure the venue will meet my original list of basic requirements. Seclusion, Accessibility, and Space should all be considered prior to purchasing the venue. Seclusion can be improved with things like window coverings after the purchase, but ideally the building shouldn't be all windows.
The inclusion of Sunshine needs to be considered. Make sure there is a nice flat roof or an area outside that can be made private. A lot of people get hooked on naturism when they feel the sunshine and breeze on their naked bodies for the first time. Many city-dwellers have a difficult time finding a place where they can try this or participate regularly. Although an outdoor space may be difficult to provide, it is a basic feature of all traditional venues. Avoid developing a venue in any building which has no possibility of Sunshine.
A similar indoor space should be provided as well. When the weather turns cold, sunshine through the windows provides a nice alternative. Consider an area of skylights or replacing part of a southern wall with windows. As an example, here is a place in Wisconsin which tries to simulate a day at the beach even in the middle of winter. They even have signs posted about sunburning while indoors.
Successful nudist venues, other types of resorts, casinos, and just about any other place that wants people to stick around, consistently provide customers two basic features: A room to stay in, and food. If these can both be provided in your venue, it'll support a wide range of stays. If these are high in luxury and price, you'll only attract vacationers who are probably older. You'll be competing in a world-wide market too. (I wouldn't go this route.) If the rates are low, it'll support weekend getaways for all ages and support anyone who is traveling on a budget. Others may want it to be a temporary residence while they work in town. Adjust the room rates to be competitive for each market. For food, a variety is always best and make sure it's available whenever people may want a meal. If the hotel rooms have kitchens, or a shared kitchen is available, a mini grocery store would be helpful. If meals cannot be provided, collect menus from local restaurants who would be willing to deliver.
Give people things to do during their stay. Collect recreation equipment, fitness equipment, and anything else that people might enjoy spending time on. If you know anyone who has lots of free time, give them the task of finding good deals on Craigslist for all this stuff. Make sure to keep people busy with games and events as well. Get people involved and they'll develop a strong relationship with the business.
It's also helpful to find a Niche. As an example, there used to be a eBay Store in town which would sell your stuff on the global auction site, but it closed. Perhaps a nudist venue could offer this service as a side-project. Test the waters in different areas and see if anything becomes profitable. What are you, or your core members, good at? A stand-alone business might not stay afloat (like the eBay store), but coupling a few businesses together might. Nudists have skills beyond socializing and sunbathing. Put those skills to good use.
There is quite a lot of variability in how a venue can be laid out and what services it can offer. Don't be afraid to remove things that aren't profitable, and play up things that are. Success depends on how quickly you can find the best balance for the venue.
First of all, make sure the venue will meet my original list of basic requirements. Seclusion, Accessibility, and Space should all be considered prior to purchasing the venue. Seclusion can be improved with things like window coverings after the purchase, but ideally the building shouldn't be all windows.
The inclusion of Sunshine needs to be considered. Make sure there is a nice flat roof or an area outside that can be made private. A lot of people get hooked on naturism when they feel the sunshine and breeze on their naked bodies for the first time. Many city-dwellers have a difficult time finding a place where they can try this or participate regularly. Although an outdoor space may be difficult to provide, it is a basic feature of all traditional venues. Avoid developing a venue in any building which has no possibility of Sunshine.
A similar indoor space should be provided as well. When the weather turns cold, sunshine through the windows provides a nice alternative. Consider an area of skylights or replacing part of a southern wall with windows. As an example, here is a place in Wisconsin which tries to simulate a day at the beach even in the middle of winter. They even have signs posted about sunburning while indoors.
Successful nudist venues, other types of resorts, casinos, and just about any other place that wants people to stick around, consistently provide customers two basic features: A room to stay in, and food. If these can both be provided in your venue, it'll support a wide range of stays. If these are high in luxury and price, you'll only attract vacationers who are probably older. You'll be competing in a world-wide market too. (I wouldn't go this route.) If the rates are low, it'll support weekend getaways for all ages and support anyone who is traveling on a budget. Others may want it to be a temporary residence while they work in town. Adjust the room rates to be competitive for each market. For food, a variety is always best and make sure it's available whenever people may want a meal. If the hotel rooms have kitchens, or a shared kitchen is available, a mini grocery store would be helpful. If meals cannot be provided, collect menus from local restaurants who would be willing to deliver.
Give people things to do during their stay. Collect recreation equipment, fitness equipment, and anything else that people might enjoy spending time on. If you know anyone who has lots of free time, give them the task of finding good deals on Craigslist for all this stuff. Make sure to keep people busy with games and events as well. Get people involved and they'll develop a strong relationship with the business.
It's also helpful to find a Niche. As an example, there used to be a eBay Store in town which would sell your stuff on the global auction site, but it closed. Perhaps a nudist venue could offer this service as a side-project. Test the waters in different areas and see if anything becomes profitable. What are you, or your core members, good at? A stand-alone business might not stay afloat (like the eBay store), but coupling a few businesses together might. Nudists have skills beyond socializing and sunbathing. Put those skills to good use.
There is quite a lot of variability in how a venue can be laid out and what services it can offer. Don't be afraid to remove things that aren't profitable, and play up things that are. Success depends on how quickly you can find the best balance for the venue.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Future Resort Redux (p2) - Space
Commercial buildings can meet the five requirements in a different balance than rural land.
Seclusion is satisfied by walls, controlled use of windows, and access control through doors. Many commercial buildings have some level of security designed into them. Whether or not the building is publicly accessible, access is generally limited to specific entry points and a lobby controls access beyond that. Fire exits are locked from the outside. There are no other easy ways into a building. For rural land, a hike through the woods can probably get you in. It isn't practical to put a fence all the way around a large campground or resort. Therefore, a commercial building in a city is better secluded than rural land.
Sunshine and Space are the most limiting factors with a commercial building. The building has a fixed size, and it has a roof which blocks all or nearly all of the sunlight. However, both can be increased by a fenced in area outside or by fencing in the roof (if it's flat). Consider a green roof for a naturalistic roof development.
Accessibility is a strong feature of a commercial building. The location can be inside or on the outskirts of a city. Not only is it a short drive for everyone in the city, but there is likely cab service to the local airport too. Everyone in the county (or beyond) visits the city to do shopping, go to appointments, visit friends, and whatever else. They could stop by the venue for a couple of hours if they have time to kill. Nudism would be casual experience instead of a planned vacation or second residence. I'll talk more about this in part 5.
There is no doubt that buildings are more Comfortable than the outdoors. We go through a lot of effort to build them, maintain them, keep them the perfect temperature, control humidity, keep the air fresh, keep the weather and bugs out, provide lighting, maintain security and privacy, provide clean running water, retain food for long periods of time, provide ways to prepare that food, and have a safe and comfortable place to get a good night's sleep. Traditional nudist venues have some level of difficulty providing all these things and are often at the mercy of the outdoors.
Recently, I've been imagining what I'd do to convert various commercial buildings into nudist venues. Depending on the building, it might be easier than you think.
A friend of mine used to live in an old schoolhouse. It was a big square three story building within the city that was developed into apartments. Each classroom became an apartment. They kept the small gym as a recreation area, and added a pool within it. Access to the building was controlled through a single door. It's not hard to imagine this as a nudist venue with the pool and rec. area, and with roomy rentable hotel-style rooms.
Buying an old hotel can provide the same setup but with less work. Rooms are available to rent and there is often a nice pool and recreation area. Access control is already in place.
There are a lot of closed factories, stores, churches, and office buildings around. Many have ceilings high enough to not disturb a volleyball game, and many have offices that can be rental suites. Some will be more work than others to convert. Every building is different. Each has it's own layout, it's own maintenance costs, and it's own price tag.
In the next parts I'll discuss layouts and locations for an urban nudist venue. After that, I'll explain why this alternative approach to nudism might just catch on.
Seclusion is satisfied by walls, controlled use of windows, and access control through doors. Many commercial buildings have some level of security designed into them. Whether or not the building is publicly accessible, access is generally limited to specific entry points and a lobby controls access beyond that. Fire exits are locked from the outside. There are no other easy ways into a building. For rural land, a hike through the woods can probably get you in. It isn't practical to put a fence all the way around a large campground or resort. Therefore, a commercial building in a city is better secluded than rural land.
Sunshine and Space are the most limiting factors with a commercial building. The building has a fixed size, and it has a roof which blocks all or nearly all of the sunlight. However, both can be increased by a fenced in area outside or by fencing in the roof (if it's flat). Consider a green roof for a naturalistic roof development.
Accessibility is a strong feature of a commercial building. The location can be inside or on the outskirts of a city. Not only is it a short drive for everyone in the city, but there is likely cab service to the local airport too. Everyone in the county (or beyond) visits the city to do shopping, go to appointments, visit friends, and whatever else. They could stop by the venue for a couple of hours if they have time to kill. Nudism would be casual experience instead of a planned vacation or second residence. I'll talk more about this in part 5.
There is no doubt that buildings are more Comfortable than the outdoors. We go through a lot of effort to build them, maintain them, keep them the perfect temperature, control humidity, keep the air fresh, keep the weather and bugs out, provide lighting, maintain security and privacy, provide clean running water, retain food for long periods of time, provide ways to prepare that food, and have a safe and comfortable place to get a good night's sleep. Traditional nudist venues have some level of difficulty providing all these things and are often at the mercy of the outdoors.
Recently, I've been imagining what I'd do to convert various commercial buildings into nudist venues. Depending on the building, it might be easier than you think.
A friend of mine used to live in an old schoolhouse. It was a big square three story building within the city that was developed into apartments. Each classroom became an apartment. They kept the small gym as a recreation area, and added a pool within it. Access to the building was controlled through a single door. It's not hard to imagine this as a nudist venue with the pool and rec. area, and with roomy rentable hotel-style rooms.
Buying an old hotel can provide the same setup but with less work. Rooms are available to rent and there is often a nice pool and recreation area. Access control is already in place.
There are a lot of closed factories, stores, churches, and office buildings around. Many have ceilings high enough to not disturb a volleyball game, and many have offices that can be rental suites. Some will be more work than others to convert. Every building is different. Each has it's own layout, it's own maintenance costs, and it's own price tag.
In the next parts I'll discuss layouts and locations for an urban nudist venue. After that, I'll explain why this alternative approach to nudism might just catch on.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Future Resort Redux (p1) - Intro
"If I had a clean slate and some seed money, here's how I would build my future venue." That's how I started my popular "Future Resort" series four years ago. After some more experience since then, I'd like to offer an alternative approach.
Going over my list of requirements from before:
1. Seclusion -- So nobody can peek in, and to avoid trouble with the laws.
2. Sunshine -- Just because it makes us happy.
3. Space -- We need room to run around.
4. Accessibility -- It should be easy to get to.
5. Comfortable -- Few bugs, clean air, good weather, etc.
Last time, I never really contemplated how each of those should be weighted. Is Accessibility more important than Space? Is Sunshine more important than Comfortable? If they are, then how much so? The market will eventually fine-tune the ratios based on the demand. If a venue has a bug problem, they may start spraying them regularly. If a venue isn't easily accessible, people will prefer going to one that is.
I previously made some assumptions about how, in general, things should be weighted. My starting point was lots of acres of cheap rural land. This made Seclusion, Sunshine, and Space more abundant than Accessible and Comfortable. Although I very much enjoy venues like this, there is a flip-side that may also be appealing.
Perhaps I didn't elaborate on the importance of Accessibility last time. I was thinking of it more as a measure after the venue is built instead of a driver for where it should be. It was a lower priority item.
Perhaps I didn't elaborate on Comfortable quite enough last time either. In order to stay at a venue, my basic requirements are a place to sleep, available food and water, and internet. Why is internet on this list? It's not required in order to survive, but many younger Americans depend on it to check in with work or school, socialize, and rely on it as an information resource. Although smartphones can do a lot, many people don't have them yet and internet typically isn't free from the cellular network. Perhaps that will change in the next 10 years, and my requirement for internet will be obsolete.
In part 2 of the series, I accidentally limited my scope with the first word: "land". While I was oogling rural land with lots of undeveloped acres, and dreaming of a nudist tour boat, I was too quick to dismiss another viable option. I'll start part 2 of this redux in this direction.
Buying up land and developing a resort isn't a bad thing. There are a lot of resorts that have taken this path. The successful ones will keep growing, and the less successful ones will keep dying out. Getting into the market will be increasingly difficult. The big resorts are a little like big-box stores, which make it difficult to open a competing successful small business. Let them dominate their market -- it's time for us to start something new.
I'll be putting my money where my mouth is this time around. If you're thinking of opening a venue which satisfies much of the criteria in this series, I'm willing to help out. I'm interested in a business partnership. (Don't leave comments about opportunities here -- instead please post to the General Feedback page.)
Going over my list of requirements from before:
1. Seclusion -- So nobody can peek in, and to avoid trouble with the laws.
2. Sunshine -- Just because it makes us happy.
3. Space -- We need room to run around.
4. Accessibility -- It should be easy to get to.
5. Comfortable -- Few bugs, clean air, good weather, etc.
Last time, I never really contemplated how each of those should be weighted. Is Accessibility more important than Space? Is Sunshine more important than Comfortable? If they are, then how much so? The market will eventually fine-tune the ratios based on the demand. If a venue has a bug problem, they may start spraying them regularly. If a venue isn't easily accessible, people will prefer going to one that is.
I previously made some assumptions about how, in general, things should be weighted. My starting point was lots of acres of cheap rural land. This made Seclusion, Sunshine, and Space more abundant than Accessible and Comfortable. Although I very much enjoy venues like this, there is a flip-side that may also be appealing.
Perhaps I didn't elaborate on the importance of Accessibility last time. I was thinking of it more as a measure after the venue is built instead of a driver for where it should be. It was a lower priority item.
Perhaps I didn't elaborate on Comfortable quite enough last time either. In order to stay at a venue, my basic requirements are a place to sleep, available food and water, and internet. Why is internet on this list? It's not required in order to survive, but many younger Americans depend on it to check in with work or school, socialize, and rely on it as an information resource. Although smartphones can do a lot, many people don't have them yet and internet typically isn't free from the cellular network. Perhaps that will change in the next 10 years, and my requirement for internet will be obsolete.
In part 2 of the series, I accidentally limited my scope with the first word: "land". While I was oogling rural land with lots of undeveloped acres, and dreaming of a nudist tour boat, I was too quick to dismiss another viable option. I'll start part 2 of this redux in this direction.
Buying up land and developing a resort isn't a bad thing. There are a lot of resorts that have taken this path. The successful ones will keep growing, and the less successful ones will keep dying out. Getting into the market will be increasingly difficult. The big resorts are a little like big-box stores, which make it difficult to open a competing successful small business. Let them dominate their market -- it's time for us to start something new.
I'll be putting my money where my mouth is this time around. If you're thinking of opening a venue which satisfies much of the criteria in this series, I'm willing to help out. I'm interested in a business partnership. (Don't leave comments about opportunities here -- instead please post to the General Feedback page.)
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Fundraiser Recap
I tried out two fundraising ideas this year.
First was advertisements, which I detailed in this post. In the first 3 months, it raised a whoppin' $3! Then the AdSense team decided to shut off the ads in August (apparently) due to lack of original content. After adding some more content in recent months, I tried to get ads turned back on. They refused, so no more ads!
Second, as a winter project I built an arcade machine. (I'll have another post on this later.) Then, I took it to VVRC's annual Car Show for the extended weekend. I found that many like to admire it, but few like to play it. (I only asked for donations too -- some played but didn't donate.) It raised $23.25. I chipped in another $20 and sent a check to NAC. Bob wrote a reply saying it was a clever idea and thanked me for the donation.
The arcade is mostly for personal use (in the rec. room), but I built it for fundraising. At another fundraising event it raised about $125 over two weeks. However, that money was for a non-naturist cause.
Coming Soon:
My "Future Resort" series is back! After being "in progress" for more than 2 years, I present my bold new expectations for the future. All 7 parts are scheduled through January.
I also plan to write more about non-nudist projects, like the arcade and some of the other things I've been working on. Maybe I'll bring some non-nudists to the blog.
Hopefully everyone is having a Happy Holiday!
First was advertisements, which I detailed in this post. In the first 3 months, it raised a whoppin' $3! Then the AdSense team decided to shut off the ads in August (apparently) due to lack of original content. After adding some more content in recent months, I tried to get ads turned back on. They refused, so no more ads!
Second, as a winter project I built an arcade machine. (I'll have another post on this later.) Then, I took it to VVRC's annual Car Show for the extended weekend. I found that many like to admire it, but few like to play it. (I only asked for donations too -- some played but didn't donate.) It raised $23.25. I chipped in another $20 and sent a check to NAC. Bob wrote a reply saying it was a clever idea and thanked me for the donation.
The arcade is mostly for personal use (in the rec. room), but I built it for fundraising. At another fundraising event it raised about $125 over two weeks. However, that money was for a non-naturist cause.
Coming Soon:
My "Future Resort" series is back! After being "in progress" for more than 2 years, I present my bold new expectations for the future. All 7 parts are scheduled through January.
I also plan to write more about non-nudist projects, like the arcade and some of the other things I've been working on. Maybe I'll bring some non-nudists to the blog.
Hopefully everyone is having a Happy Holiday!
Friday, December 7, 2012
Turn Up The Heat!
Within a few months after moving in to the house, I started on a quest for home efficiency. There are a lot of gizmos available to audit the efficiency of your home. Some companies and contractors specialize in that. The home inspector said our windows and insulation are all fine -- it's only a 12 year old house -- so I knew the efficiency improvements would mostly come from behavioral changes.
Last winter, I plugged a $5 webcam into a computer. I was quite excited about it, too. You may be thinking -- so what?
The webcam is pointed at a couple LEDs near our furnace. The computer runs a program to determine what LEDs are lit up every 10 seconds. The LEDs are as follows:
This also lets me test a few common myths.
#1: Setting your thermostat 1 degree colder can lower your heating bill by 1-2%.
One night last winter presented the perfect opportunity to test this. From 11pm to 5am the wind was low, the sun wasn't out, we were sleeping, and the temperature steadily dropped from 32 degrees to -2 degrees. The average furnace runtime steadily increased during this time as well.
In the end, I calculated that (for our house) there is a 2.36% increase in heating cost for every degree. Note that since it's based on a degree delta from our thermostat setting to the outside temperature, a degree change outside is equivalent to a degree change inside. Lastly, the resulting 2.36% makes sense. We have a bigger-sized ridge-top country home, so I'd expect the percentage to be higher than a typical city home.
So when the bill normally reaches $300 mid-winter, and my partner wants it 10 degrees warmer so she can run around naked, I ask "Is the extra $80 that month worth it?"
#2: Turning down your thermostat during the day will save you money.
In my experience, this statement is true. But I rarely do it because it isn't worth it.
During the day, the sun has a huge effect on your house. Even when the sun isn't shining, there is still heat radiating in. Your windows amplify this effect by acting like a greenhouse, despite most windows having a heat-repelling glaze to minimize summer cooling costs (I wish they didn't). All-in-all, your furnace works way less during the daytime! If the high temp outside is within 20 degrees of our thermostat temp, our furnace normally doesn't run while the sun is shining.
Changing the temperature has no effect. The time the furnace is off while the house temp drops will be balanced out by the time it runs to bring the temp back up. The savings you get is by reducing the delta. (Inside temp minus the outside temp.) Reducing the delta for 8 daytime hours will save money, but not much. Literally pennies per week. Buying a programmable thermostat to do this will never pay for itself.
On the flip side, employing the same tactic at night WILL save you more than chump change. Your furnace works the hardest at night, when the temps are colder and there is no sunlight to help out. Throw a few extra blankets on the bed and make a quick dash to clothing when you get up.
My ideal thermostat would keep the temp at 60 through the night, bump it up to 65 for the morning rush, let it sit at 60 all day, then crank it to 75 some evenings so we can run around naked (but only if it's a reasonable temperature outside -- we can stay clothed on the colder days).
#3: Open the curtains during the day to let heat in, and close them at night to keep it in.
I tried this and it didn't have any measurable effect. Windows are fairly insulated, and once heat gets through them it will stay in. (Unless you buy a shiny heat reflector to use as your curtains, like what is used for auto windshields.) At night, the cool breeze goes right around or through the curtains. (Unless you use blankets as curtains and tape them to the window frame.)
If you often have the curtains closed, and the sunlight hits them, it may be worth having two sets. Have a light color for the summer, and a dark color during the winter.
Another great option that others have tested is the use of bubble wrap. It's easy and cheap to put in, pays for itself within half of a heating season, lets light in, and also obscures the view. Perfect for naturists!
#4: Turning up the thermostat more will make it warm up faster. (Especially on a cold winter day.)
For most furnaces, they are either on or off. When they are on, they warm up the house at the same rate no matter what the thermostat is set to. I've witnessed this first-hand. I can measure it if someone really wants me to.
I say "most furnaces" because I know of one exception. My parents have a geothermal system which has a "low" setting for warming up the house a degree or two, and a "high" setting when the thermostat is further off.
Lastly, cranking up the thermostat on the coldest winter days is the quickest way to raise your bill. But if you insist on doing this, there better be a party involved. Bodies are wonderful heaters. Having a mid-winter nudist party might be cheaper than you think -- as long as you have plenty of warm guests.
Last winter, I plugged a $5 webcam into a computer. I was quite excited about it, too. You may be thinking -- so what?
The webcam is pointed at a couple LEDs near our furnace. The computer runs a program to determine what LEDs are lit up every 10 seconds. The LEDs are as follows:
- Power -- ignored, but could be used to determine if there is a power outage since the computer is on battery backup.
- Electric heat -- Used as primary (unless load balanced or gas fails), computer records this. This runs on a cheaper electric rate, so it's cheaper than gas.
- Gas heat -- Rarely used, but the computer records this too.
- A/C -- ignored for now, don't use it much anyway since we're naturists.
- Load Balancing in effect -- ignored, but could be used to detect if gas is failing.
This also lets me test a few common myths.
#1: Setting your thermostat 1 degree colder can lower your heating bill by 1-2%.
One night last winter presented the perfect opportunity to test this. From 11pm to 5am the wind was low, the sun wasn't out, we were sleeping, and the temperature steadily dropped from 32 degrees to -2 degrees. The average furnace runtime steadily increased during this time as well.
In the end, I calculated that (for our house) there is a 2.36% increase in heating cost for every degree. Note that since it's based on a degree delta from our thermostat setting to the outside temperature, a degree change outside is equivalent to a degree change inside. Lastly, the resulting 2.36% makes sense. We have a bigger-sized ridge-top country home, so I'd expect the percentage to be higher than a typical city home.
So when the bill normally reaches $300 mid-winter, and my partner wants it 10 degrees warmer so she can run around naked, I ask "Is the extra $80 that month worth it?"
#2: Turning down your thermostat during the day will save you money.
In my experience, this statement is true. But I rarely do it because it isn't worth it.
During the day, the sun has a huge effect on your house. Even when the sun isn't shining, there is still heat radiating in. Your windows amplify this effect by acting like a greenhouse, despite most windows having a heat-repelling glaze to minimize summer cooling costs (I wish they didn't). All-in-all, your furnace works way less during the daytime! If the high temp outside is within 20 degrees of our thermostat temp, our furnace normally doesn't run while the sun is shining.
Changing the temperature has no effect. The time the furnace is off while the house temp drops will be balanced out by the time it runs to bring the temp back up. The savings you get is by reducing the delta. (Inside temp minus the outside temp.) Reducing the delta for 8 daytime hours will save money, but not much. Literally pennies per week. Buying a programmable thermostat to do this will never pay for itself.
On the flip side, employing the same tactic at night WILL save you more than chump change. Your furnace works the hardest at night, when the temps are colder and there is no sunlight to help out. Throw a few extra blankets on the bed and make a quick dash to clothing when you get up.
My ideal thermostat would keep the temp at 60 through the night, bump it up to 65 for the morning rush, let it sit at 60 all day, then crank it to 75 some evenings so we can run around naked (but only if it's a reasonable temperature outside -- we can stay clothed on the colder days).
#3: Open the curtains during the day to let heat in, and close them at night to keep it in.
I tried this and it didn't have any measurable effect. Windows are fairly insulated, and once heat gets through them it will stay in. (Unless you buy a shiny heat reflector to use as your curtains, like what is used for auto windshields.) At night, the cool breeze goes right around or through the curtains. (Unless you use blankets as curtains and tape them to the window frame.)
If you often have the curtains closed, and the sunlight hits them, it may be worth having two sets. Have a light color for the summer, and a dark color during the winter.
Another great option that others have tested is the use of bubble wrap. It's easy and cheap to put in, pays for itself within half of a heating season, lets light in, and also obscures the view. Perfect for naturists!
#4: Turning up the thermostat more will make it warm up faster. (Especially on a cold winter day.)
For most furnaces, they are either on or off. When they are on, they warm up the house at the same rate no matter what the thermostat is set to. I've witnessed this first-hand. I can measure it if someone really wants me to.
I say "most furnaces" because I know of one exception. My parents have a geothermal system which has a "low" setting for warming up the house a degree or two, and a "high" setting when the thermostat is further off.
Lastly, cranking up the thermostat on the coldest winter days is the quickest way to raise your bill. But if you insist on doing this, there better be a party involved. Bodies are wonderful heaters. Having a mid-winter nudist party might be cheaper than you think -- as long as you have plenty of warm guests.
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