How are people warm enough with their houses at 18 degrees?

[MrsBennetsPoorNerves]

My heating is set at 21, and I'm still cold!! But I keep reading on here that people have their heating set at 18.

I'm already wearing a jumper and fluffy socks. Sitting on the sofa with a blanket. I am OK with it at this temperature but feel that I should be trying to reduce it further.

Am I just a wuss?

I am nearly overheating, I haven't got the heating on - thermostat set at 15. Im just about to overheat, just kicked off my slippers as im getting to hot with a fur blanket and dressing gown on.

Nonsense. It's a question of what you're happy with, not 'heating bingo'. One person's comfortable is 23 degrees; another's is 16 degrees. My former husband was always putting the bloody heating on. But he felt the cold, and I don't.

Because walking around outside at 18 degrees is very pleasant. Sitting still at 18 degrees is nort warm ebough for most people.

It depends on the house. We had a small 1980s build that was fine at 18°c. Right now we are in a slightly larger 1950s semi with really good insulation and fine that the thermostat set to 17 is fine in winter. When we were in a poorly insulated, mostly open plan downstairs semi it was never warm enough. All the warm air just went straight outside and cold air would blow in through all the gaps. Leaking gutterings can make whole walls cold too. We could set the thermostat to 23 and it would still be cool.

The first few flats I lived in had storage heaters and I never figured out how to work them so basically didn't have heating at all for 2-3 years. Lived off of hot water bottles, warm drinks, under duvets and layers for days.

When we moved into our first house together, both DH and I were so used to being cold that it was a huge novelty having radiators and central heating so we had a week or so of the house set at 23 and we hated it. We're too used to being cold and making do that we were just sweating and uncomfortable.
For the past several years we have the house up to 18 degrees twice a day (couple hours in the morning and evening) and the rest is at 7. This year we're going to do the same thing but we won't be using the tumble dryer as much for clothes which is the biggest issue we've had so far.

It's really difficult to dry clothes in a cool house.

If I’m outside I tend to be moving around either walking, running or on my bike. In the house I’m sat still and therefore colder

Doesn’t it depend on where your thermostat is?
So 18oC is meaningless if in one house it’s in a warmer area and another a colder area. (I mean for the impact of the heating)

Unless everyone has a thermometer and can tell actual room temp.

I bought fleecy leggings last year (off Amazon) as was frozen working from home in the winter. They were great. Also brilliant under my jeans when walking the dog.

18 is a little warm for me 😳🤣 I sleep with a window open though no matter the weather!

I also grew up doing winter sports and ADHD always moving around DS never gets cold.

I only really put the heating on to dry some clothes quickly overnight whilst the rest is on the clothes horse/airer.

I'm not a fan of warm houses, but I'm used to it.

My only advise I can give OP is keep going in a few weeks it will be the new norm.

Ours is set to 17.5° and is coming on briefly most mornings and evenings. I am wearing slippers and extra jumpers aleady. I hate the cold, but DH doesn't feel it.

I used to be cold all the time, for my whole childhood, through my twenties and thirties. Now I am in the menopause, early fifties, and my core temperature has gone up, I'm vaguely warm all the time to the touch and boil if I wear nylon/artificial fleece type clothes. I still prefer a warmish house though, as otherwise my kids moan, I've bought them electric throws though for autumn.

To the person whose heating is set to 7, that's too cold for indoors if you have children, it may not switch on at all given indoor maintains heat, and so your pipes will freeze on the outside. I wouldn't accept living at down to 7 as an indoor heat, that's not ok.

I've never worked in an office that was warm in winter. Ours was 16 degrees between Xmas and NY. At least at home I can put on more layers and socks, make a hot water bottle, and add several throws. Not quite sure why you think we all need freezing back into offices. And yes, I've done the carbon calculation calculating between the decreased commute and heating my house.

I’m also really cold at 18 - even with jumpers and thick socks and slippers. my thermostat is set at 19.5, which is 2C lower than last year

Our house is okay at 18 during the day when we're moving around, but it's 19 in the evening, although we had it at 18.5 yesterday evening to try it out. With a hot water bottle and blanket it was okay. We used to have it at 20 and it takes a little getting used to lower, but you do acclimatise.

for the last 20 years our heating has been set to 18oC - plenty warm enough for us.

My thermostat is showing 18, and it is quite chilly. We are both sat fully clothed with hoodies on, and we have blankets. Our large staffy x is currently sat on my knees and he is pretty warm. I'm not freezing, but I am cold. I would've had the heating on this time last year, but I just can't. Firstly, I can't because this raise in gas/elec has shown me how frivolous I've been in the past - we are going through finite resources quickily. I read a saying on here to 'Warm the person, not the house' and I think it is wise. The second reason is because when I get too cold, I can and will put the heating on. There are people out there who don't have that option, and at the moment that is breaking my heart - thinking about children, the elderly, or anyone in between who is cold. When the heating does go on, I'll make sure the radiators in rooms that aren't being used are turned off.

Wish I could, my company closed my office for covid and never reopened. I hate working from home, hate paying to heat it all day every day, but no choice at the moment!

I used to think 18 was cold, heck even 21 was cold. I wore multiple layers, heated jackets, hot water bottles stashed at work and home. My OH nagged at me that it wasn't normal so finally went to the doctor....then I had my bloods checked and it turned out I had anemia. Now on a script of iron and 18 doesn't bother me at all anymore. It was a bit of a revelation no needing an extra jumper or a hot water bottle in the house anymore, I had just become so used to the idea of being cold. Maybe get a blood test OP?

There’s another thread re a campaign required to turn down degrees

The probable reality is people will just respond to cost and what they prefer as it’s hard to dictate what everyone should do

Going to order some thermals, I think.

We're lucky enough to be able to afford the heating despite the stupidly high bills, but I feel like I probably need to cut back, partly for environmental reasons and partly because of the likelihood of energy shortages this winter. I don't want to be "greedy" and use more than my fair share. I am just so flipping cold if the heating is lower than 21!

Ours is set at 15, we live in a super old house and it's got a serious draft, so any hotter is a waste hahah!
We live in dressing gowns and cosy up with blankets. Also our house is ran on oil which is super expensive.. The joooooys eh!

Ours is set to 18 and its only come on once in the evening so far and about 4x in the morning (its off during the day and overnight). It's fine for us, it didn't come on tonight, I've had a throw over my legs on the sofa, a cardi on and slippers but not super thick stuff. I was out all afternoon in a tee shirt at 17° though, I would have boiled in a coat today. I just run hot. It's miserable in summers like the one we've just had but comes into its own in the winter.

I'm already taking iron supplements for anaemia.

We don’t even have the heating on yet 😳
Layers, vest, T-shirt, jumper.
Duvet with fleece blanket on top at night.

I've set my heating to 10 but often have to turn it down as I can't stand being too hot.

If the air is damp it seems to feel colder to me. I like to put the dehumidifier on which does generate a little heat in itself, but it makes the room feel warmer beyond just that. But if you're a cold person then, I agree, it's miserable.