I’m really struggling lately with the temperature in our office. The HVAC system in the building is old and according to the building manager, difficult to regulate. I have an office with windows but they don’t open. Of course there are people here who think it is cold and use space heaters, meanwhile, I’m wearing a short sleeved shirt and I’m warm. I’m in my mid- 50’s so we can blame part of it on hot flashes, but not all of it and it’s not like I have a super-fast metabolism.
After last week I was desperate enough to look at portable air conditioning units and discovered that they need to be vented to the outside. I’d love to find a little air conditioning unit similar to the space heaters but they don’t seem to exist and in my mind, fans just circulate the hot air. I was looking at those mini-fridges thinking I could get one and leave the door open but that would be ridiculous and people would talk.
I see so many pretty sweaters in the stores but there’s no way I could wear anything like that to this office. I can’t be the only one with this problem, what do you do??
Get a fan, use it, even if it is just circulating hot air, it is circulating air! Wear sleeveless (professional looking tops and skirts), kick your shoes off under your desk, invest in some self contained reusable ice packs and place them on your neck when you are over heated, drink lots of ice water. Go to the MD, it is unusual that you are hot while 90 % of your office it cold enough to be using a space heater. And remember, if you are in a closed room office and those using the space heater are in an open multi-use cubicle area is is entirely possibly it IS freezing in their space and warm in yours. You can have the vent to your particular office closed.
Is it just your office? Any chance of an office switch? Some type of window coverings to avoid sun heat? Oscillating fan?
Can you bring a thermometer in your office to see what the actual temperature is? If it’s 72 maybe you just run really hot - and it’s going to be hard to build your case for anything additional. If it’s 82, well…that’s HOT and maybe a supervisor can advocate for you in some way.
In the meantime, put a snow scene on your desktop, play winter/Christmas music, keep ice handy to suck on…
At my H’s office corporate controls the temperature from headquarters. His office was so hot that he wore short sleeves and people at the back of the office wore their coats.
My son is the only male in his office. The office is a vey old historic structure that has been subdivided with walls and cubicles. The young women in the office wear sweaters and have portable heaters. He did measure the temperature and it was 78. He has a huge floor fan. I run hot, so I understand. There must be a way to compromise. The window coverings are a good idea as is one of those cooling scarfs: www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=cooling+scarfs
the temperatures in our office vary depending on where you sit. My new cubicle is very warm. I have a small fan for my desk and another on the floor aimed at my feet. I have a sweater or wrap for when I need to visit other areas.
Dyson has very cool-looking fans and are available at Costco and many other stores. Voranado is also a reliable brand of fans and quiet! I agree that two fans may be ideal—one for face/chest and the other for feet.
It’s either too hot or too cold in my office. Next to me on my desk right now are a small fan I aim at my face and a tine “personal” space heater.
One trick you might want to try it to pile ice cubes in a bowl and have the fan blow right over that onto you. I tried that one broiling spring when the powers that be did not turn on the AC nearly soon enough and it helps a little.
Thank you all very much for your suggestions. I did take your advice and currently have a small fan blowing on my feet which seems to be helping a little. Good thing because the ventilation just shut off an hour early - I think the building manager forgot to change it when the clocks changed. It’s amazing to me in this day and age that we have these issues. How this building is considered Class A office space is beyond me, although I do love the location. Thanks again.
