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AIBU?

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Original poster

Thermostat at 18 degrees

290 replies

SmileEachDay · 19/02/2025 19:21

My sister is telling me I’m a freak - but any hotter is awful, surely?

YABU - team sister
YANBU - me and the correct answer

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 19/02/2025 20:02

CremeEggThief · 19/02/2025 19:51

21°C in an old end of terrace house in the North East just about keeps me going.

I'd imagine 18°C is fine in the South and in more energy efficient properties.

Confused

Why would different temperatures feel different in a more energy efficient house? Surely you just need less energy to maintain the 21.5 temp in the more energy efficient house.

I promise you I am much further South than London and it is still cold at 18 degrees. IME the only thing that can make a temperature feel different is humidity, or the temporary effect of having come from a very contrasting environment e.g. I always feel really hot when I come in from outside, but now sitting here in the evening I am chilly without my duvet/blanket with sleeves.

crosskeysgreen · 19/02/2025 19:59

I prefer 19.5 but that's because my house 129 years old and drafty

Wheelbarrowracer · 19/02/2025 19:57

Usually 19. Comes onfor an hour in the morning then at 6ish, goes off at 930. In our old house, that was toasty. In this one, it's not warm.
House has been around 14-15 downstairs today. I have had my heated footwarmer on, a blanket and 5 layers. And went for a walk. Was still actually shivering by 530.

Currently on the sofa with 3 layers+ oodie + blanket. I was not made for a cold climate.

UndermyShoeJoe · 19/02/2025 19:54

Ours is 19c and we boost when required.

Hohofortherobbers · 19/02/2025 19:54

Mine's at 18 but I leave the thermostat in the coolest part of the house, so it's probably warmer elsewhere

WhineAndWine1 · 19/02/2025 19:52

17.5 at night during the winter and around 20 from tea time until bed.

CremeEggThief · 19/02/2025 19:51

21°C in an old end of terrace house in the North East just about keeps me going.

I'd imagine 18°C is fine in the South and in more energy efficient properties.

Springisroundthecorner88484848 · 19/02/2025 19:48

We’re in a new build, ours sits at a comfortable 16 upstairs in the day , night time heating doesn’t come on until it gets under 13.
downstairs we keep at 15 degrees, it’s not cold by any stretch at all.
anything over 17/18 is way tooo hot

Original poster
SmileEachDay · 19/02/2025 19:45

I also don’t have the heating on most of the time. 18 degrees is just for when it feels cold.

i do have a heated blanket and an impressive range of woolly socks.

OP posts:
Meggie2008 · 19/02/2025 19:44

Ours is at 18 as well. My mum thinks it's freezing but i was in her house the other day and hers was at 20 and I was sweltering

VimesandhisCardboardBoots · 19/02/2025 19:44

Depends entirely on the house and where the thermostat is located. Our new build feels stifling if it's any higher than 17, but our old house needed to be 21 to feel pleasant.

BertieBotts · 19/02/2025 19:43

Even with it set at 21C I need 2 pairs of trousers, a jumper, a vest and blankets in the evening Grin

I hate the cold but can't deal with hot (over 25/28) either. I would love to have a personal temperature bubble at all times which would magically bring me to the perfect temperature and never let me feel any wind movement at all.

ThatUniqueKoala · 19/02/2025 19:41

Neither of you ABU. Ours is set to 15°c at night, 18°c during the day and if we get cold we bump it up to 21.5°c.

Ironically if the outside temperature was 21°c I'd be complaining that I can't cope and I'm melting but in a drafty house mid February, it's nice.

Everyone has a slightly different heat/cold tolerance. I know a few people who at 18°c would be miserable and opening windows, others won't have it below 24°c.

AnyFucker · 19/02/2025 19:40

18 here too in the day/evening with the thermostat left on 15 overnight which only kicks in on the very coldest nights

BertieBotts · 19/02/2025 19:40

18C is miserably cold if you're sitting around. It's OK if you're sleeping or moving about doing physical labour.

New windows and doors won't magically make the house warmer than 18C - they might decrease the amount of heating energy required to keep it at 18C but yeah, if your heating is set to 18, or especially 16C, most people would feel cold.

If you have any damp issues at all, 18C is the minimum they recommend keeping your rooms at to avoid mould.

I would have mine set to 23-25 ideally but that is a bit too warm for DH so we have it at 21/22 usually.

ScaredOfDinosaurs · 19/02/2025 19:39

16 here, jumpers exist and I've already paid for them 😁

AlisonWhatIsTheMatter · 19/02/2025 19:39

Ours is set at 18 but we can move our thermostat around, therefore usually keep it in the living room, which is always the warmest room of the house. Yes, it’s then cooler upstairs but not freezing, and we’re then not too warm when we go to bed.

Lmnop22 · 19/02/2025 19:38

SmileEachDay · 19/02/2025 19:38

Ohhh…
I have no heating at all on at night 😂😂

Show quote history

Oh no, I run cold and that would be awful!

Wish I could though, would save me a fortune 😬

Original poster
SmileEachDay · 19/02/2025 19:38

Vettrianofan · 19/02/2025 19:37

23 is perfect 😊

😱

How do you breathe.

😂

OP posts:
Original poster
SmileEachDay · 19/02/2025 19:38

Lmnop22 · 19/02/2025 19:31

Mine has to be 20 to feel comfortable and not have to have layers or a blanket during the day. 18 at night is perfect though!

Ohhh…
I have no heating at all on at night 😂😂

OP posts:
sunbum · 19/02/2025 19:37

mine hovers between 20 and 23 ..

CatsLikeBoxes · 19/02/2025 19:37

My house is freezing because it's single glazed, draughty and I can't afford to put the heating on much. But I think it depends on your activity levels - if you're always on the go doing housework then you'll be comfortable at a lower temp. If you are sitting down a lot it usually needs to be higher to feel comfortable even with more layers on. If money was no object I think 20-21 is perfect for lounging around.

Vettrianofan · 19/02/2025 19:37

23 is perfect 😊

LlamaDharma · 19/02/2025 19:36

Mine is at 19. This place is better insulated. My old house I had it at 23 in winter. It depends on the house and the person.

coffeeabdteav · 19/02/2025 19:35

Mines at 15 in the hall otherwise too expensive. Upstairs is over 20 downstairs is ao cold. Still £7 a day .