The Great WNY Thermostat Standoff Is Ridiculous (And I’m Breaking It)

The weather has started to get cooler here in Western New York. Have you turned your heat on yet? If not, what's holding you back?

We do this to ourselves every year

It's not like it's a surprise. Fall and winter come every single year. October hits, and often, like a switch, we go from 70- and 80-degree days to cold nights and frost warnings. There's a lake-effect chill in the air, warning us about what is coming. Yet, for some reason, one of your friends is bragging about how they refuse to turn the heat on until at least December.

The heat in WNY is just one thermostat away

Why do we do this to ourselves every year? We're almost stubborn about it. For some reason, we would rather watch TV in our living room wearing our winter coats, wool socks, and multiple layers than to just turn that thermostat up? This isn't a video game. We don't earn extra bragging points by treating our gas bill like a winning score.

All we have to do is adjust the thermostat and boom...we can have some comfort. But for some reason, we're concerned about what our buddy in the lunchroom is going to call us if we turn the heat up before the snow falls? Does anyone else think that's ridiculous?

I'm turning the heat up this year

You can do whatever makes you comfortable. If you prefer to save a couple of bucks by wearing every long sleeve shirt you have in your dresser, go for it. But if you want, feel free to join me. I'm not playing that game again this year. I'll tell you right now. When it gets cold, I'm turning the heat up. We shovel snow for five months of the year.  You don't have to convince me how tough you are. If we have to be tough, we will. But man...when comfort is just a button or a switch away, I'm going for it.