The Difference Between Being Warm and Being Heated
Most people who live in modern houses with thermostats might not even think about the concept of “warmth.” Difference between warm and heated.
Living Between 14 and 22 Degrees – A Different Kind of Warmth
Warmth simply exists — a stable number on a digital panel, 22 or 23 degrees inside, sealed windows, no draft, no breath from the room.
But out here in the fäbod forests of Dalarna, heat is not a constant state. It is a moment you create, tend to, and live alongside.
When Warmth Becomes a Dialogue, Not a Setting
The other day I spoke with my friend Pia, who lives in a fäbod up in Lisskog. She prefers 22 degrees indoors, and she’s been living like this for seven and a half years.
She lights the fire fully, fills the room with that thick radiant heat that sits heavy in the air.
I, on the other hand, sit at 14 degrees. For many people, that sounds like something close to suffering. But to me, it feels honest. Real. The air is cold but alive. You can feel it moving.
Own Picture:
In a modern sealed house, people often say “It’s draughty, close that window!” But that so-called draught is just air doing what it’s supposed to do — moving. Breathing.
The house inhales and exhales. When everything is closed, silent, still, maybe comfort has become something too close to numbness.
Wood Heat vs Thermostat Heat – Two Different Worlds
Thermostat Heat – The Illusion of Constant Comfort
When heat comes from a button, it loses its story. There is no effort, no rhythm. The house becomes an aquarium — sealed, quiet, climate-controlled. Warmth becomes a background condition, not an event. You don’t notice it anymore.
Wood Heat – Effort, Reward, Presence
When heat comes from wood, something shifts. It’s cold in the morning. You light the fire. The room changes slowly. You feel it. You witness it. Warmth has a pulse.
You’re part of it. It’s not about holding a perfect indoor temperature — it’s about meeting the day.
Between 14°C and 22°C Lies a Philosophy
14°C teaches you to layer your clothes, to keep moving, to stay present. 22°C teaches you to sink into comfort. Neither is wrong — but only one keeps you a little more awake to reality.
For many, 14°C would feel like a problem. To me, it feels like contact with the world. You feel the shape of the cabin. The breath in the air. The crackle of the stove. You don’t just live in the room — you live with it.
Internal Links
Here’s where we can naturally link to future or existing English articles:
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Life in a Swedish Fäbod – Living With Cold, Wood and Silence
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Winter preperation cabin i Sweden – Breathing Space and Slow Heat
Own Picture:
Personal Reflections (EEAT Layer)
Reflection 1:
There’s a strange peace in accepting that it’s cold sometimes. That the body can adapt. That discomfort isn’t always an enemy — sometimes, it’s just a reminder that you’re alive.
Reflection 2:
When I visit houses with sealed air and constant heat, I feel like I lose sense of time. Out here, when the fire fades and the room cools, I know the day is moving. Warmth isn’t just temperature — it’s something you participate in.
FAQ – Being Warm and Being Heated
Q: Isn’t 14°C too cold to live in?
Most people think so, but when you live with wood heat your body adapts. You dress for the temperature instead of forcing the temperature to suit your clothes.
Q: Why choose wood heating over central heating?
It creates rhythm. You feel connected to your home. Heating isn’t a number on a screen — it becomes an action, a ritual.
Q: Is it healthier to live in a cooler environment?
Many people report feeling clearer, more awake, and more connected to their surroundings when they don’t live in constant high indoor heat.
Summary – Warmth vs. Being Heated
Warmth is not just degrees. Warmth is story, movement, breath. To be heated is passive. To warm yourself is a conversation with fire, wood, and the cold air that keeps you sharp.
Out here in Dalarna, somewhere between 14 and 22 degrees, life breathes.
Petter Hansson är frilansskribent och digital nomad med hjärtat i Dalarna. Han har under många år rest, vandrat och deltagit i evenemang runt om i landskapet och delar här med sig av både egna upplevelser och faktagranskade tips. På Dalarna.nu vill han lyfta fram det bästa av regionens natur, kultur och historia – från små byar och dolda pärlor till stora festivaler och klassiska resmål.
