Cutting down on using heating

@Lincslady53

The hypocrisy of some hectoring celebrities can be breathtaking. They have massive carbon footprints, but no, the melting of the icecaps is all down to the little guy who takes his family to Mallorca once a year.

I pulled up a wealthy friend who made out he was concerned for climate change. When I repeatedly asked how many plane trips he took last year all I got after much wriggling was "only one long haul". Oh, so the other 10 flights don't count?

When these people say "What are we going to do to reduce energy use?" what they really mean is, "What are you going to do?"

We do what we can to recycle, reduce power use, use the bus instead of driving, reduce food waste and reduce longer distance car journeys. Then we put the telly on. Celebs and politicians telling us how to live, not to fly whilst going by private jet, Princess Anne visited our town last month, coming in by helicopter, billionaires going into space for fun. It doesn't stop us trying to reduce our carbon footprint, but it does puss us off. Oh, and I will be keeping our house warm over winter.

Breathing in cold damp air is very bad for you never mind kids or elderly and vulnerable .

We've cut our energy use due to cost and also environmental factors, but not to the extent we're absolutely freezing, have a damp house or can see our breath. For us, we've found the right balance and know we're doing out bit (even though it's tiny in comparison to everything else).

I'm the same, I can't stand it when the air is cold. I live in a 1930s end terraced maisonette with no insulation and it's always cold in winter. It doesn't help that I have to sit next to the outside wall when I'm working but there's nowhere else for me to go.

I think that's a labour policy and possibly lib dems? I agree, I think insulation is the only real way forward.

After last year's energy price hike, I imagine most are now using the minimum amount of energy that they are comfortable with. I'm a low user of energy (I wfh but wrap up) but I also have a pretty energy efficient boiler and my house doesn't get damp luckily.

I was just thinking that if everyone used slightly less heat than in previous years this will ultimately be good for everyone.

I agree OP. That's why I'm embracing the record temperatures around the world recently. Not having to put the CH on is great!

But seriously, log burners are a boon. I fed it with nothing but bits of pallet wood yesterday and the sitting room got up to a toasty 24⁰c.

My dad has lung issues cold air affects his lungs causing him to cough more. There will be many many people in the same situation where the cold air is the problem that layers don’t solve.

I’d love to be more energy efficient but thanks to everything going up in cost and crap wages it will take us ages to save for new windows, solar panels, wall insulation ( although not always suitable in older properties)

We have an energy efficient new boiler with smart thermostat, carpets upstairs and in lounge and curtains to help keep heat in. Radiators work fine.

We use minimal heating and only to 18/19 for a handful of hours a day.I find it quite drying at high heat constantly. But I would not use it less! The house would be damp and mouldy. We recycle, drive little, and other small things for the environment but in the reality of it all it’s not us causing it all is it. Businesses with lights on all the time even when closed, advertising boards use electric screens… I could go on.

Gas combi boiler, semi detached house. Fairly well insulated I think with good double glazing. Only need the heat around 17 or 18 to get a good heat and it holds its heat fairly well, occasionally boost it to 19 if terribly cold out. As others have the standing charge is absolutely criminal 66p on electric and nearly 40p on gas how can they justify it

David Cameron cut a lot of renewable energy measures when he became Prime Minister, calling it Green Crap. How short-sighted was that.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/mar/19/david-cameron-green-crap-energy-prices

We make do with heat and hot water in the winter months only. We are on heating oil so it's a big 'all in one go' expense rather than a monthly bill and can only really afford to put 500L of oil in a year which we do in October (just took delivery today)

From about march the oil runs out and the boiler is turned off at the wall. We have an electric shower so all use that, and boil a kettle if we need a sink of hot water (but we have a dishwasher so don't often need that)

End of September/beginning of October, and just after we run out it can be chilly but not unbearable. The house got down to 16c before the heating finally came on for the first time since early this year

We run the thermostat at 18/19c throughout winter and continue to limit baths (in favour of showers, we're still clean) to ensure the oil lasts us the coldest months

I wish you could buy it in 100L at a time, that would be so much more achievable!

The process of recycling solar panels has really progressed. It's more a matter of the economic viability of doing so now but apparently this will be less of an issue as the value of the reclaimed products increase - years rather than decades.

Yes

Has anyone found a way to recycle these solar panels?

Rather than be all or nothing I try to compromise
heating to take the chill off ,avoid mould
more layers
Rather than keep house at 21/23 degrees

we’ve all spent the last 10 years in shorts and tee shirts when there’s snow on the ground outside very nice but in reality unnecessary and wasteful

We will hold it off another week or two and try to be economical but no way we're getting to the mould-appearing levels. We've done extra insulation and added a Hive system which seem to have meant our increase last year wasn't as horrific as some.

YABU.

Sitting in a cold, damp house is really unhealthy and causes huge amounts of long-term problems in humans and homes.

And I am struggling to come up with a vulnerability that prevents you from wearing warmer clothes or using a blanket and hot water bottle in the normal fashion

Cold air places a stressor on the respiratory, circulatory and immune systems.

Someone with COPD, etc, isn't going to be able to outrun the detrimental effects of living in a cold home with another jumper and fingerless gloves.

Severely autistic Ds2 will only wear 1 layer of clothes, indoors, even when he's shivering. He couldn't tell us if he was uncomfortably cold, if he wasn't shivering. We keep the house at a comfortable temperature for him.

@CalistoNoSolo the standing charge is a shared cost of having gas/electricity available to you. Why should that expense Be added to the unit cost?

I spent money (instead of holidays/clothes etc.) this year on underfloor and cavity wall insulation. The difference is unbelievable. Best money I've ever spent. Existing S facing patio doors give great solar gain on sunny but cold days too. I really only need the heat on for about three hours a day and often for less than that. A heated blanket on the sofa and a good electric blanket fir bed completes the picture.
I am retired and at home during the day, but it's rarely cold enough to need the heat on after breakfast and before around 3-4 pm. Again an hour boost at a time is plenty

I have a decent dehumidifier in the box room where I dry clothes when it's not suitable outside. No tumble drier here either.

No. My thermostat was set to 14 last winter. I will not use less.

We’re on quite a low income, pensions, mid/late 70s. We budget by overpaying our fuel costs in the months where usage is low. The CH went on for the first time last week. We see heating as a priority in winter, but we also wrap up well indoors.

@mumda the first hour or two is the most expensive so try adding on an hour to a period of time rather than an hour at another random time.