So, I live with my mom and I have a pet sun conure ( a medium sized parrot) who lives in my bedroom as well as six parakeets who live in a sun room (small room that you enter from the kitchen).
These guys are tropical species and can't handle it getting into the mid 60's or lower without it adversely effecting them. My bedroom has two very large windows and our insulation isn't the best, so my room gets hotter faster in the summer and colder faster in the winter.
The sun room is more warm on average unless you're right against the window (which the parakeets are not). Personally if finances were no issue 72 would be ideal for me for all year, for my mom she's more comfortable at 74 or a little higher in the winter. 70 is usually what we set it at in winter unless its especially cold that day.
Below 68 all of us (birds included) start getting quite uncomfortable without the use of a space heater. I own a Dyson Hot + Cool that was gifted to me years ago, and two smaller ceramic heaters. Our central heating is gas and the unit is about 20 years old. We cannot afford to replace it as it would be 5k + in one go. It still works, but HVAC people give us a hard time when they inspect it-basically demanding we replace it altogether because its more than 10 years old.
On nights below freezing it will stop working if it's been running too long, unless you give it a "break" for about 30 minutes which isn't great at 1am. I have also been told that natural gas will be sky rocketing in cost this winter and I am worried about keeping my birds safe- they can't wear sweaters and gloves!
So, is it better for me to use my Dyson Heater (that has a temperature setting and will shut off once it reaches that temperature) and smaller regular ceramic heater off and on while the central thermostat is lower (like 67) this year?Or am I supposed to just run the central unit still for the most part? I don't have the means to really get a bunch of blackout curtains or other insulation measures like this right now and really need to make do with what I already have.
And no, the bedrooms are not large enough to cram everyone in one room at night.
October 16, 2021 at 10:39PM
