The Great Christmas Thermostat Truce: How to Prevent Family Fights Over the Heat
Ah yes… Christmas in Iowa. A magical time filled with twinkling lights, hot cocoa, and if we’re being honest, heated thermostat arguments.
Every family has that one person:
The uncle who secretly bumps it up to 74°F
The teenager insisting 64°F is “fine”
The grandma who swears she can “feel a draft from the hallway”
The spouse wearing a hoodie indoors insisting the furnace is “running too much”
If this sounds like your house… you’re not alone.
Let’s break down the top holiday thermostat troublemakers and how to keep the peace, without freezing or roasting anyone.
The Uncle Who Says “Just for a Minute”
Spoiler: It’s never just a minute.
One thermostat bump turns into a tropical rainforest in the living room.
Solution:
Use a thermostat lock feature or scheduled temperatures. (Yes, we’re serious. Uncle-proof your home.)
The Teens Who Dress for Summer Indoors
They’ll wear shorts, a hoodie, and Crocs in a blizzard… then complain the house is “weirdly cold.”
Solution:
Redirect the argument:
“Maybe try pants?”
Problem solved.
Grandma, Keeper of the Sacred 75 Degrees
No one is winning this battle. She feels cold when it’s 80 out.
Solution:
Warm blankets + a small space heater in her area = peace for everyone else.
Holiday Décor Blocking Vents
Nothing says “Christmas ambiance” like a giant tree blocking the main return vent.
Solution:
Before blaming each other for the cold, check:
Blocked vents
Couches pushed against registers
Stockings hanging over vents
Decorative rugs thrown over supply air
Yes… these things happen. A lot.
Guests Coming & Going = Temperature Chaos
Every door opening dumps cold air in.
Multiply that by 15 people, 3 kids, and the dog…your furnace is begging for mercy.
Solution:
Keep internal doors closed, use a storm door if you have one, and remind guests that the door can, in fact, shut all the way.
Still Fighting the Thermostat? Time to Call Obsidian.
If your home can’t stay comfortable, no matter who’s touching the thermostat, your furnace may need:
Maintenance
Airflow balancing
A tune-up
A full furnace replacement
Or help from a professional instead of Uncle Larry
Let Obsidian Heating & Cooling bring peace to your holiday home this season. We keep families comfortable from Ankeny to West Des Moines and every suburb in between.
👉 Schedule your winter furnace tune-up today And reclaim your holiday thermostat sanity.
