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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aircon wars.... How can I resolve this?

81 replies

cjt110 · 07/09/2016 11:42

I work in an open office. Generally just me and another colleague with salespeople who drop in/out. I always ask whether it's ok to open a window, or turn the heating on etc. The colleague would ask if it was ok to close the window etc if they got cool.

I am really quite hot and clammy. Partly due to the weather and also due to a health condition I am battling.

I will put air con on to make the room cool. Colleague will wait til I have gone to the loo to turn it off, or just get up and turn it off lately.

I explained yesterday I was really quite hot and I could turn it down if they liked, instead of off. They said, no they wanted it off.

I am sat here, clammy and hot. Have just been to the loo and come back and he's turned it off. I have a floaty cotton top on and leggings. I cannot be any more undressed if I try.

Whilst I know it's not their fault, I think it rude to just switch it off without asking when previously, he has asked. It's now become a bit of a war. Everytime I notice it's not on, it goes back on. Other colleagues who know nothing of this have commented on being up here "Cor, it's a bit warm up here" So it's not just me.

So, WhoIBU and how can I resolve this?

OP posts:
DraughtyWindow · 07/09/2016 11:50

Tell him to put a jumper on.

Evilstepmum01 · 07/09/2016 11:52

Buy a fan for your desk. A great big one that obscures your view of this numptybollocks.

Original poster
cjt110 · 07/09/2016 11:54

The aircon isnt fridge like by the way. It's set on high and 21 degrees right now.

I have changed it to low but Im now sweating again :(

OP posts:
Planty18 · 07/09/2016 11:55

Oh god this has brought back memories, but there were 47 people in my office. Second suggesting he put on a jumper if he's cold, just say you're really hot. Is it because he is cold though or actually just hates aircon as it makes the air really dry and sometimes makes people feel unwell. Either way a desk fan is a good idea or an honest conversation about it!

1LittleOne1 · 07/09/2016 11:58

Get a desk fan

cherryplumbanana · 07/09/2016 12:01

Do put a fan and relocate your desk next to the window, so you can sit in the draft without bothering anyone. Aircon makes many people really ill, and it's horrible. Putting on a jumper does not help. If you are in the UK, it's really not that hot, and unfair on other people.

Ryooki · 07/09/2016 12:02

Ah this is a very familiar complaint to me! I am a HVAC engineer, which means I design heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. If I had a pound for every client who'd ever had 2 members of staff with conflicting views on what temperature is too hot or too cold I'd be rich and wouldn't have to work anymore! 😂

21c is a perfectly comfortable temperature for an office. The temperature should be between 21 and 23 ideally. If a member of staff is cold then they should wear appropriate clothing to rectify their discomfort. This is even noted in building regulations for commercial premises.

OP, you are doing nothing wrong. Take it higher and go to your supervisor if he keeps turning it up and being unreasonable.

Original poster
cjt110 · 07/09/2016 12:06

cherryplumbanana Its not just to do with the weather. I have an ongoing illness which is causing me to be too hot too.

Good suggestion about relocating. I wonder if we could swap desks. It would make it much easier and less of an issue.

OP posts:
HunterHearstHelmsley · 07/09/2016 12:07

We have the same in our office... We've adjusted the air con so it won't go below 22 degrees. Seems to have solved a lot of issues.

THirdEeye · 07/09/2016 12:07

I hate being cold.

I do however think that you are both being a bit unreasonable.

He could sometimes where a jumper.....you could also buy a fan and sit near to a window.

Oysterbabe · 07/09/2016 12:09

Agree get a fan. Our office aircon is always whacked up to 11 and we freeze our bollocks off. I have a large collection of jumpers, scarves, gloves to put on when I get to my desk. It's utterly miserable.

MLGs · 07/09/2016 12:09

This is a hard one as you have a health condition making you hotter.

Essentially the replies you get will largely depend on whether the individual poster is a hot or a cold person. This will colour people's views as to who is being u.

However, I agree he is being U to just alter it without entering into any discussion with you - the two of you ought to agree.

Generally speaking, and if you didn't have a health condition, I would agree with cherry that aircon is horrible and can make people feel ill. It isn't ever that hot in the UK and a fan and/ or open window should be enough. It isn't really fair to make someone sit in an air conditioned room in the current weather.

There ought to be some grown up resolution to this- alternating the temperature or finding something that suits you both - or a fan (which seems the most sensible).

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 07/09/2016 12:14

Most airconditioning works in the same way. You set the temperature you want and the system heats or cools until it gets to that temperature and then turns off. Putting it up to 27 degrees doesn't make it get to 21 degrees from 18 any quicker. It just means that when it gets to 21 it doesn't turn off. The same is true in reverse. What temperature are you setting it to and what is your colleague wearing?

If you have it set to 20/21 degrees and he's in his shirt sleeves he's unreasonable. If you are putting it to 17 degrees you are.

If you are hot any way that's not his fault and the room should be at an ambient temperature for the average person and your health condition treated as such.

Do you have a freezer at work that you can stock with lollies or gel packs?

OldFarticus · 07/09/2016 12:15

I have this at the moment. Colleague complaining that she is freezing when I am huge and pregnant and sweating. Will she wear a jumper? Will she f*ck.

YANBU.

Original poster
cjt110 · 07/09/2016 12:18

Oysterbabe 11?! fuck me! Thats positively arctic!

The air con is automatically reset to 23 overnight so it can feel stuff sometimes when we arrive. I wonder if I should try it at 22 and see if it is a happy medium.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut It is set to 21 and he's in a shirt with a huge coat on his chair. Sadly we only have a farty little thing of a freezer which is useless at the best of times.

OP posts:
Original poster
cjt110 · 07/09/2016 12:19

Have now bumped it back up to 23 and see what he does.

Its not whether it's on or off that's bothering me, it's the childish turning it off when Im not around when previously we would ask one another do you mind if....

OP posts:
cherryplumbanana · 07/09/2016 12:19

It really isn't as simple as being cold and hot. It might be due to faulty air con, but I've seen many people with nasty chest cough and being really unwell. The only thing to blame was the air con.

Original poster
cjt110 · 07/09/2016 12:22

cherryplumbanana Agree with you there as I myself have had a cough which I could only put down to the air con.

Our windows are those stupid safety type ones where they rock backwards with about an inch gap so really, you get no benefit from opening them anyway.

OP posts:
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 07/09/2016 12:23

I have sympathy with both of you. I hate the aircon in the office. I feel the cold so always keep a cardigan to hand. However the thing I really hate about it is the way my eyes dry out when it's on. I wear contact lenses and feel as though they are glued to my eyeballs!

HunterHearstHelmsley · 07/09/2016 12:25

I've been rubbing my eyes so much lately.. I hate the put a jumper on brigade.. I'm wearing two jumpers and a coat... and how would that warm my legs up!?

Original poster
cjt110 · 07/09/2016 12:25

I need to figure out how to get these stupid arse windows open dont i?

Not only do they rock/tilt back but IIRC, when you do manage to open them door style, the blind fitting stops it from opening! GRR!

OP posts:
madhurjazz · 07/09/2016 12:32

Yabu I hate aircon as it affects my asthma , gives me a dry throat and a headache.

I can't just put a jumper on to resolve issues with it.

acquiescence · 07/09/2016 12:37

YABU. Air con is horrible. We are not in Los Angeles. Get a fan and open the window. For anyone who wears contact lenses in your office having the air con on will significantly affect their ability to work as it causes v dry eyes and associated headaches.

MyKingdomForBrie · 07/09/2016 12:41

Why aren't you just saying 'oh good point, I'll get a fan'

They're not expensive, you'd be comfortable and avoid this annoying situation with colleague. Doesn't really matter who is right or wrong you just need a workable solution.

madhurjazz · 07/09/2016 12:43

Exactly, we are not in a hot country and don't need it. Retro fitting it in buildings thatvwerent designed for it never works well.

I'd only ever work in a building with aircon if its modern and centrally controlled.

This thread is giving me panic attacks back to when I worked in an office and despite liking the job I had to quit over the ac making me unwell. I'd burst into tears over it. ;(