If your windows or doors are not well insulated, cold air will seep into your home on cold days and meet the warmer air inside. This collision, Lather explains, “creates air movement,” causing climate change in your home, much like the meeting of large masses of hot and cold air in wide-open spaces causes extreme weather. In your home, the shock creates a draft that can make you feel colder, though your thermostat won’t necessarily reflect all that drama. (Windows also come into play on hot days, as they are where solar radiation enters your home, making you feel warmer.)
The materials used to build your home can also influence how hot or cold you feel, as different materials retain heat differently. Wood, for example, heats up faster than cement but retains heat for a shorter time. Your thermostat’s ability to keep up with these changes depends on how quickly the temperature fluctuates throughout the day and how much sunlight hits your home.