My heating was on for two hours yesterday…

[AchillesLastStand]

My heating was on for two hours yesterday, on in the morning for an hour and in the evening. We had one bath yesterday which the boiler heats the water for. We shared the same water. I logged onto Bulb to see the energy costs for yesterday, £4.50 for gas, £3.50 for electricity. It’s unsustainable if it goes up again in October. My 8 year old DS is under his bedcovers with his tablet because the heating has had to go off.

@MrMrsJones

When I was a kid, we only had heating in the lounge.

People have got too comfortable with hot houses

@MrMrsJones Too used to living comfortable in a world where richer people wouldn’t bat an eyelid at putting their heating on?

I mean heating on when most of the UK has had snow for a few days I wouldn’t say is a luxury.

I guess one of the things that may come of this is that people will start paying as much attention to energy ratings as period features. Im amazed how many people will pay for a new kitchen but not cavity wall or loft insulation. I have a lot of sympathy for those in poorly built, non insulated council housing with electric storage radiators though. At least the energy performance requirements for private rented are going up in a couple of years.

@MrMrsJones

When I was a kid, we only had heating in the lounge.

People have got too comfortable with hot houses

I never used my central heating this winter at all. Although I do have an oil radiator in the living room. I do know people that will sit in a t shirt and put the heating on rather than put somthing warn on.

@BoredZelda you have a word with yourself. Look at the carbon footprint of the average British citizen and compare it with the global average. We have plenty of room for improvement, no need to keep passing the buck.

Look at the carbon footprint of the average British citizen and compare it with the global average. We have plenty of room for improvement, no need to keep passing the buck.

Have a look at how that is calculated and why. And maybe consider the average carbon footprint under the control of those on lower incomes is much lower than the overall average would suggest. We can’t keep asking poorer people to do things to solve all the world’s problems. Especially when it will do absolutely nothing to solve the problem.

I do know people that will sit in a t shirt and put the heating on rather than put somthing warn on.

I know lots of people who don’t. There, I’ve balanced your anecdata.

@ToothGrinder

A private individual in the UK sitting in a home they're already spending at least a third of their wage on just to occupy wishing to heat that home on a day like today where the temperature is 6 degrees outside is being neither querulous nor entitled. And if it is beyond our collective power as a country to ensure that happens then we are failing.

You are right that not wanting to sit in a home in 8 degrees is something unreasonable. I still cant get my head round why this is though, why are so many British houses so bad. I have 5 degrees on my outside windowsill thermometer on a second floor. My coldest room is 16.5 and the heating hasnt been on since two days ago. I am in a city in mainland Europe and the house was built in 1910s.

Come now. We all know that the climate crisis is caused by a 17 year old boy in Nottingham called Jeffrey who wears t shirts instead of insulated all weather thermal waterproofs in his bedroom, like a pampered pussy snowflake, and also that it can be fixed by making his mum buy lightbulbs that cost a tenner but don't illuminate her living room.

That was to @BoredZelda

@MrMrsJones

When I was a kid, we only had heating in the lounge.

People have got too comfortable with hot houses

I agree

@BoredZelda

Look at the carbon footprint of the average British citizen and compare it with the global average. We have plenty of room for improvement, no need to keep passing the buck.

Have a look at how that is calculated and why. And maybe consider the average carbon footprint under the control of those on lower incomes is much lower than the overall average would suggest. We can’t keep asking poorer people to do things to solve all the world’s problems. Especially when it will do absolutely nothing to solve the problem.

I looked at my carbon footprint on a website that was very long and asked alot of questions about holidays, transport, devices etc.

it concluded my carbon footprint was 68% lower then western average and on a par with someone in rural india.

it offered no advice for me other then keep up the good work and try to reduce plastic use.

as a single mum on benefits I can not imagine I am a unique case, we hear time and time again about how a tiny percentage of the population are responsible for the lions share of emissions, that tiny percentage is the class all the MPs are in whom vote against raising benefits while using expenses to heat their horse stables.

I have a complicated history with cold houses. Grew up cold eating by candlelight in winter because we had run out of money.

Ended up in an abusive relationship as an adult. Had no key to the house and he wouldn't let me put the heating on if he wasn't home. It would be 8 degrees or less. Some days I could see my breath and wondered if I'd be found dead from hypothermia.

The idea of being cold again, having all sorts of flashbacks fills me with dread. I worked hard and there was a promise I would be comfortable. Not rich but comfortable.

Absolutely. It’s terrible for the truly vulnerable. But there is a LOT of wasteful behaviour that’s down to laziness, and appealing to people’s moral compass has not worked at all.

Heating houses to 20+ degrees all year round yet wearing shorts / T-shirts inside
Driving short journeys on a daily basis when walking / cycling is possible
Buying / throwing away cheap fast fashion
Eating meat / fish daily
Multiple Short haul flights

There are so many behaviour that have crept up the last 30+ Years which are cumulatively destroying and depleting the resources we have at an alarming rate. Society is incredibly selfish in so many ways. increasing the costs of these activities is literally the only thing that makes people reassess their behaviour.

I’m sorry but I am absolutely sick to death if the general public being blamed for lacking morals and being selfish!!! No!!! Our shoddy excuse of a government & PM have no bloody morals and are seemingly at the height of their selfishness with lock down parties and their wage increases (apparently they worked hard during the pandemic and so they deserve it…..yeah right!!! Bring your own booze night was just you working late was it!!) while the nation suffers on.

People complain about those who claim all the benefits, those not working, those not contributing and those who are apparently terrible for having kids they can’t afford and all the judgy pants posts and behaviour!! I tell you I’d much much rather pay these people and their kids (they apparently can’t afford to have) a decent standard of living than I would keep allowing the huge corporations to keep tax dodging, underpaying their staff, creating waste and pollution while they take their profits off elsewhere!!

There is absolutely no good moral example set to the people by those who should represent the people like the PM and the government, or those who represent our country and traditions like the monarchy….even that’s a disgrace these days. Then we have these huge influential corporations which are the shining beacon of all you can get away with if only you have enough bloody money!

Our country in 2022 is an utter disgrace that we should have people who work a good hard living who are now having to worry about putting the heating on when it’s cold, who will be choosing over feeding their kids or keeping the house warm….and this is just the bloody start of it!!!

Yeah but we can all just have less kids or better yet no kids and give up our cars (not that will be able to afford to put petrol in them) and give up our holidays abroad (not that we will be able to afford those either) stop eating meat and recycle more and it will supposedly make all the difference whilst these fat cats continue to sit in their warm houses or on their private beaches, with the company jet sat on the tarmac whilst we all worry about turning up the thermostat!!!

I honestly despair if we end up with another Tory government!!!! How can it be HUMANLY possible that they could continue to be in power after all this shit show! HOW!!!

MrMrsJones
When I was a kid, we only had heating in the lounge.

People have got too comfortable with hot houses

When I was a kid we didn’t have the NHS, we’ve got far too comfortable with this free healthcare malarkey.

@ToothGrinder

Yes. And in 10 years time he’ll still be living there instead of moving out as he spends all his money on smashed avocado and Starbucks.

@Madre123

Your landline phone charger, electric toothbrush charger, fridge freezer.....etc etc...you will be surprised...try to ensure all is off at the plug and nothing left on stand by.....x

Yep, DP and I have decided to use our battery packs to charge our phones at home, I think they have around 15 hours of charge in each, so we'll charge them at work and then use them to charge our phones when at home. Small things! lol

This, I'm finding quite strange. I've had the washer on this morning and had to have a long shower as I coloured my hair (so had to wash till the water ran clear) I've also had the heating on for an hour as it was 0 degrees this morning. (Newish gas combi boiler) I have a light that I have to have on all night due to issues about security.

It's almost 2.30pm and I've only used 45p gas and 72p electricity. That's slightly less than usual. I'm on British Gas variable tariff and my Direct Debit is staying the same.

Summat is going to catch up with me here, I feel!

@BoredZelda

The planet has limited resources and we’ve created a world where we take take take without replenishing. No one cares until it hits their pockets.

This is such a bullshit argument. Someone living in 3 bed semi, trying to keep it warm and dry for their family is expected to think about the resources they are “wasting” when towns and cities are full of buildings burning light and heat whilst barely being used. Industry pumping out co2 and heat into the atmosphere, using millions of gallons of water and tonnes of fossil fuels rather than investing in the green technologies that can be far more energy efficient and reducing emissions. But people think the solution to the energy crisis and saving the planet is for people to use hot water bottles and huddle in the living room round a single heater. Have a word with yourself.

I think post you reacted to had the same thing in mind that you have ;)

@katepilar I think it's poor building standards exacerbated by political apathy towards adequate heating. A lot of British housing stock is Victorian which wasn't built for warmth or comfort. In a climate like ours you need to both heat and ventilate to keep it in even semi tolerable nick. Unfortunately as you can see from this thread there is a fairly well ingrained attitude across a lot of British society that heating is an unnecessary luxury and unlike say communist countries (where heating was historically free) or even countries with a socialist leaning history (where heating is typically subsidised or at least the provision subject to heavy government scrutiny/intervention) in Britain we have let our houses which were not that great to begin with become cold and damp for decades and now we have some long term problems from that.

I absolutely agree we need change at the top but people insist on voting for these absolute buffoons 🤷‍♀️

@AfraidToRun

I have a complicated history with cold houses. Grew up cold eating by candlelight in winter because we had run out of money.

Ended up in an abusive relationship as an adult. Had no key to the house and he wouldn't let me put the heating on if he wasn't home. It would be 8 degrees or less. Some days I could see my breath and wondered if I'd be found dead from hypothermia.

The idea of being cold again, having all sorts of flashbacks fills me with dread. I worked hard and there was a promise I would be comfortable. Not rich but comfortable.

I grew up in a council house with crappy underfloor heating that didnt work so we didnt use it, we had a wall mounted radiator in the bathroom we put on for a bit before having a bath and we had fan heaters in the living room and bedrooms we used.

my first flat was in a converted house, it was advertised as a studio flat, with heating, water and council tax included in the rent and electric on a meter, the landlord was a tight git, there was 3 boilers in a locked cupboard that heated the entire building, he only turned it on when enough tenants bitched at him around late November/early December and turned it off around late January/early Feb.

I found it so unbearable I would go hang around the shopping centre in winter instead of being home.

that was the only place I have lived with central heating actually.

I currently live in a 1930s flat which I struggle to keep above 12c in the winter, and I dont even bother trying to heat the bathroom, kitchen or hall. its the bedroom I try to heat and the whole place has mold problems round the windows and front door, I use tea tree oil to keep it down

[quote ToothGrinder]@katepilar I think it's poor building standards exacerbated by political apathy towards adequate heating. A lot of British housing stock is Victorian which wasn't built for warmth or comfort. In a climate like ours you need to both heat and ventilate to keep it in even semi tolerable nick. Unfortunately as you can see from this thread there is a fairly well ingrained attitude across a lot of British society that heating is an unnecessary luxury and unlike say communist countries (where heating was historically free) or even countries with a socialist leaning history (where heating is typically subsidised or at least the provision subject to heavy government scrutiny/intervention) in Britain we have let our houses which were not that great to begin with become cold and damp for decades and now we have some long term problems from that.[/quote]
I think your being a bit disingenuous there, Victorian property was built to have a fire going in the fireplace at all times, that kept them warm and kept the damp away, those buildings are now being used in a way they were not intended to be used, i.e no fire crackling away at one side of the building with the heat emanating up the chimney wall.

@okayigetit bloody hell, don’t admit that on MN! There was a thread recently where some posted were adamant that charging your phone at work amounted to theft!

I don’t understand the smug comments about how cold it was in their day, why would anyone want to be cold when there are alternatives available? It’s a miserable existence.

Well, I am not aware of anyone sitting around in T shirts with houses heated to 24deg. I work from home and talk to a lot of people via Teams all day and none of them are ever in t shirts, nor am I.

The thing I'm confused by is that I am with Eon and they tell me all their electricity is from renewable sources - so wind, solar etc. So, why is that affected by the price cap at all? It's not the cost of wholesale gas that is causing any increase in the cost of solar power, is it?

I've been keeping a close eye on my readings (no smart meter) and in two weeks I have used £45 of gas (inc standing charge). It's been an odd two weeks because my thermostat broke and the heating was on full blast all day Monday until about 3pm when I realised and turned the boiler off at the mains. Then Tue I left it off until a guy came Wed and fitted a new therm (£192!).
Still a lot though, considering I only shower at home once or twice a week (shower at the gym) and while I di have the heating on it, it's about three hours a day at 18.5deg. Living room is currently 16dg with no heating on.

I've been in a long-running dispute with Eon where they changed my prediction for electricity from c2100pa to c16,500pa for no reason, then set my DD based on that, which put it up to £466pm. It's taken weeks but they have now agreed it's nonsense and put it down to £168pm, plus I have a month's payment holiday as I am now in loads of credit.

Anyway - moral of the story is, keep taking readings and do your own maths on predictions and costs (based on your unit prices and standing charges - plus for gas you have to use some conversion thing, it's not a straight multiply the units by the rate calculation). I'm now taking readings every two weeks.

[quote ToothGrinder]@katepilar the water table is a massive issue in Britain. A lot of our houses are either old and shonky or new and shonky which doesn't help either. I used to live on a street where loads of houses including mine looked like they had rising damp. When people started ripping up the floors because of damp they found actual standing water there. This is a property hotspot. In fact all of those "delightful period properties" are built on dirt, no real foundations, single bricks and the water is literally touching the floor. Of course they are damp. They are still selling for half a million for two bedrooms though which is fucking insane.[/quote]
are you in london?

because london is built on clay and that expands and contracts with the water.

we have had a lot of trouble especially in posh areas of people building basement extensions, they cause instability unfortunately normally to naighbouring properties, as they act like a dam, a brick box getting sunk into the clay changes the path of the water thru that clay, casing instability to foundations as it channels liquid and damp clay in unatural ways around said brick box, some areas like highgate have so many of the damn things they act like a wall preventing water escaping and causing entire streets to destabilise.