Anyone else worried about their heating bill with everyone home all day?

[Hotcuppatea]

In winter, we normally have our heating on for an hour in the morning and then it clicks on again at 3pm in time for the children getting in from school.

I WFH mostly and normally just wear warm clothes/ have a blanket on my knee and I'm OK. However, now the children are home from school, I have to have the heating on for them, especially as they are sitting at their desks for such a big part of the day.

I'm stressing about how big the winter fuel bill is going to be, but can't think of any alternative to having the heating on. How's everyone else coping? Anyone got any good ways for keeping the costs down?

[Itsmainingren]

Hi OP,
What temp do you have your thermostat on? Are your children wearing warm clothes etc? Could you up a layer and then lower your thermostat by a degree, that will help.

[CremeEggThief]

Only put it on every other hour. I did this on Friday, when I had to come back home after the snow made getting to work impossible and it went down to -6• by dark. By the time the house cools down, your heating will be coming on again.

[CremeEggThief]

On winter evenings in normal circumstances, mine comes on for an hour at 3.30/ 5.30/7.30/9.30.

[Hotcuppatea]

Thanks for the replies. The thermostat is currently set to 17.5c and it feels cold 🥶 I'm going to have to turn it up. I hadn't thought of the every other hour trick. Ill give that a try.

[BarbaraofSeville]

Why do you feel that you have to have the heating on more for the DC? Genuine question. They'll be fine with extra clothes on too unless they have illnesses that make them susceptible to the cold.

Maybe go out for 2/3 walks a day or get them moving in the house as this makes an enormous difference.

[Hotcuppatea]

They're at high school and have timetabled lessons on Teams. This means they're stuck at their desks for long periods of time. Little time for moving around unfortunately.

[CremeEggThief]

I have my thermostat at 20 or 21. I think 17.5 is too low for sitting around most of the day, personally.

[Lottie4]

I haven't even dared look at our meters recently. Heating would normally go off by 8am and hardly ever on before 4pm in the day. DD now home all the time and has always genuinely felt the cold and we've had to move DH into the coldest room in the house as it's less imposing on our general household. So far DH has refused to claim the winter allowance work are offering as he says there are plenty of others in a far worse off situation and we're saving money on petrol. Our electricity usage was definitely up in the summer though, with one computer, one laptop, one ipad and two phones constantly being used additionally (DH has to have four devices on the go!).

[TheQueef]

I use solid fuel I've used double this year (Dad staying for ld) and wood is scarce.
Wood is really expensive too but coal the same price so we've had to burn coal.

[LindaEllen]

Are your DC cold though? I'd turn the heating off and see if they actually mention being cold! I know my DSS just doesn't feel the cold whatsoever, and I didn't when I was younger either. Make sure they've got a nice thick jumper on and socks etc and see what happens.

Perhaps they might be cold and you'll have to put the heating on - but it's at least worth a try!

[Jimdandy]

17.5!!! Brrrrrrr! That’s my overnight/heating “off” temperature.

Mine is set to 21.5 for when we’re here and 18 when we’re not/overnight.

[formerbabe]

I'm always a bit baffled by those who keep their heating on all day. Unless you're living in a 16th century cottage in rural Scotland or have a newborn baby, it seems really unnecessary.

I'm not an environmental activist or anything but household boilers are a huge source of pollution...no one seems to realise this or care. People go on all the time about pollution caused by cars though.

[JMAngel1]

I'm just reassuring myself that any increase in gas bills will be offset by not having to pay for breakfast club/lunches/after school /weekend activities. Also just spending less overall - no coffee shops/meals out/cinema/shopping etc. Last lockdown I saved quite a lot. I know that doesn't help global warming though - I set my thermostat as low as possible then increase it around 6pm when the temp really seems to drop.

[Twistered]

I have my heating on most of the day now. I live in a normal semi and I would love to know how anyone can go all day at home without the heat on!

[fairydustandpixies]

I'm freezing in my house (a 200yr old cottage for context!). I can't afford to put the heating on for more than an hour a day and that's only set to 15 degrees when it is on. I'm wearing fingerless gloves at the moment and my hands are so cold it's hard to type!

[Twistered]

Agree with pp, the cost of the heat being on during the day offsets the commuting, lunches, and other activity costs

[IAmAMalenkyBitPoogly]

Depending on the cost of your fuel and the number of DC it might be worth the outlay of buying heated blankets for them - the throw type rather than flat under sheet bed blankets IYSWIM.

I have a cold house, expensive fuel and multiple teens and this is saving me a lot of money. My DC also LOVE them. They are always wrapped in them. Probably the best thing I've bought this year.

[IAmAMalenkyBitPoogly]

And the hot blankets are better than those fucking mermaid tail blankets that were all the rage a few years back (other teen parents may remember) as they don't break their necks when they stand up

[BlackCatShadow]

@formerbabe

I'm always a bit baffled by those who keep their heating on all day. Unless you're living in a 16th century cottage in rural Scotland or have a newborn baby, it seems really unnecessary.

I'm not an environmental activist or anything but household boilers are a huge source of pollution...no one seems to realise this or care. People go on all the time about pollution caused by cars though.

It can't be that baffling to understand why teens who are stuck at home all day doing schoolwork at their desks need to keep warm surely. It's pretty miserable trying to study when you are cold.

[ItsJustARide]

Draught proofing the house helps with bills, so "sausage" door excluders, curtain at front and back door, window/door seal strip off Amazon if you have any gaps around frames, letterbox brush etc.

Otherwise just extra clothes, water bottle, blankets if cold. I have my heating on all day but with the thermostat set to 15 during the day so it clicks in to keep the chill off but I'll turn up for an hour if it's too cold and I'll turn it up to around 19 in the evening. My bills are pretty reasonable.

[purpleproses]

Yes, I have put the heating on for the last few days but I have zero idea how i am going to manage if they put the direct debit up because we are in fuel poverty all year round.

[Hotcuppatea]

@IAmAMalenkyBitPoogly

Depending on the cost of your fuel and the number of DC it might be worth the outlay of buying heated blankets for them - the throw type rather than flat under sheet bed blankets IYSWIM.

I have a cold house, expensive fuel and multiple teens and this is saving me a lot of money. My DC also LOVE them. They are always wrapped in them. Probably the best thing I've bought this year.

Oooo! Off to Google now!

[purpleproses]

@Twistered

Agree with pp, the cost of the heat being on during the day offsets the commuting, lunches, and other activity costs

I am still commuting daily to work so that doesn't apply for me. The DCs are home and studying and I'm at work all day.

[TheQueef]

Seconding heated blanket. We have one on the sofa on the seat, if just watching tv it's brilliant.
If you get cold toes the cool/heat packs are easy to micro.

[purpleproses]

@Twistered

I have my heating on most of the day now. I live in a normal semi and I would love to know how anyone can go all day at home without the heat on!

Needs must. I only heat my home when the DCs are in as a way of keeping the bills down.