The reason is simple.
Heat loss does not care about state lines.
Guardian Home Energy’s breakdown explains that when warm air escapes through the attic, it creates negative pressure that pulls cold air in at floor level. This is called the stack effect.
Your house becomes a convection loop.
Warm air rises and exits.
Cold air replaces it.
Your heater runs constantly.
The Cold Floor Problem
If your floors feel icy even at 72 degrees, it is likely because cold air is being pulled upward from below.
That air chills:
Hardwood floors
Tile
Carpet padding
Your feet feel it first.
Why You Feel Colder Than the Thermostat Says
You do not feel air temperature alone.
You feel the average temperature of surrounding surfaces. If walls and ceilings are cold, your body loses heat to them. That makes 72 feel like 65.
