DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Nov 1, 10:05 am, dpb wrote:
....
In reading some of the questions that get sent to the Home Repair
section of our local newspaper, I think I recall something about
issues with condensation if the temperature is kept below some magic
number (50?).
You know..."I'm going to Florida for 3 months. What's the lowest I can
set my thermostat to?"
I don't recall that the answers started with a "3". I'm sure it was
much higher - and it wasn't related to the minimum allowed by the
thermostat. It was related to actual environmental factors.
Can anybody concur with what I think I remember?
Would depend on the structure and ambient conditions of the location
more than just the temperature as to what would/wouldn't be a problem.
Here (SW KS) there's no problem from a condensation standpoint in a
totally unheated shop area. In a humid area, not so much.

Don't believe there's a single right answer (in fact I'm sure there's
not) for all situations, but can see something like 50F being ok as a
generic answer that would cover most situations that a generic column of
the sort would respond with. That's not the same thing as what any
individual shop could use a safe minimum by any stretch.
....
The writers of the questions and the authors of the answers are a
little more specific regarding location - Western NY - where temps and
humidity can vary greatly due to lake effects.

IIRC 50 seemed to be the recommended number - perhaps a generic
number, albeit for a different reason than you suggest. In other
words, not generic so as to cover a national audience, but generic
enough to cover the wide swings of weather conditions near the lakes.
....

I contend it is the same reason.

I'd even wager they would give the same answer for any geographic area
outside the High Plains or Desert Southwest (and would be highly like to
there as well because they probably have no experience in any other
climate so would still use the CYA answer).

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