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Original poster

How are you actually finding reduced heating this winter?

25 replies

GetThereInTheEnd · 27/12/2022 13:39

I'll start by saying that I am very lucky to be able to have the heating on 17 whenever I'm at home, which I realise is fortunate compared to some people who can't afford to have it on at all. But I have always really felt the cold, and always had the heating on 22 during the day and 18 at night (at night, I know!)

This year it's been left on 17 and I'm not really cold at all. I think I used to just whack it up high on the first cold day and then got used to being toasty. I'd never go back to having such a stuffy house now. I do know I'd feel differently if my house was much colder though.

How have others been finding it?

OP posts:

Dodecaheidyin · 27/12/2022 13:40

Cold!

icanwearwhatiwant · 27/12/2022 13:43

Not too bad at all, I've realised that I don't need it on as high as I had it last year and I don't need it on as often.
Then again, I'm lucky too...if I really need it I can afford it, having to turn it off come what may must be an utterly miserable experience.

Cornettoninja · 27/12/2022 13:44

I’ve been reluctant to let the temp drop below 18 because DP has had pneumonia twice this year (2022 has sucked massive balls) and we’re both working from home so I expect our bills still to be high but not anywhere near they were previously in actual usage terms. I used to just leave the thermostat at 21 and let it do it’s thing.

It’s not been too bad. I’ve been trying to acclimatise a bit more outside which the recent cold snap helped with.

I do feel guilty for the cat though because we have no direct heat source she can soak up.

Starlightstarbright1 · 27/12/2022 13:45

I have econimy 7 heaters. I kept the bedroom one if till med December when heating broke at work.

I can't stand never been warm.

Daydreamer22 · 27/12/2022 13:49

We’ve only ever really heated for a few hours up to 19 a day. Off at night. Now only heating up to 17.5 ish.

Have blankets etc when still and it’s fine. Yeah it’s not really toasty warm but it’s not freezing, we wear a jumper and slippers, clothes dry on the maiden and no damp etc.

cobblers123 · 27/12/2022 13:52

Usually on 18 but it's 19.5 at the moment as I was quite cold earlier. I don't have the heating on timer, just turn the thermostat up as and when I need to.

Didn't have it on at all on Christmas Day, I lit a fire at 5pm and just kept the lounge warm.

Mol1628 · 27/12/2022 13:53

I tried to keep it off at night and we got bad condensation issues especially during that cold snap.

Gone back to what we’ve done in previous years. 15 at night and when not home. And 18-19 when we are in evenings and weekends and suddenly no more damp problems. We will just stick with that and pay the bills somehow otherwise the damage to the house will be far greater a cost

Notplayingball · 27/12/2022 13:54

Boiler broke on 22nd December so been without any heating in the home for several days now. Any heat would be great. Feel envious of others who are lovely and toasty at home! Engineer hopefully fixing tomorrow.

Fuwari · 27/12/2022 13:56

I have an oodie. While they’re not cheap, I do think it was worth it. I wear a t shirt underneath as I have spells where I have to take it off as I get too hot. Plus leggings, thick socks or furry slippers. My heating is never off though. Minimum 16 all the time so never gets freezing cold. But I would have had it up to 20 in the day otherwise which, judging by current prices, would cost more than the oodie!

grapehyacinthisactuallyblue · 27/12/2022 13:58

It's not really cold this year, tbh. Few days of really cold days and warm again. So, I don't find it we are living with hardship at all. I feel lucky to be living in UK with not so harsh weather. Other countries seems to be having it a lot worse, seeing unusually heavy snow falls and floods etc.

Icedlatteplease · 27/12/2022 13:59

The house has generally sat between 14 and 16 degrees. Any hotter DD gets a migraine. But we as a family really don't do well in warm temperatures.i wear proper layers, DD has to be reminded to wear a jumper, she just doesn't feel cold.

Atm i could afford to have it on more as I'm still on a fixed rate, but the cost doubles at end of jan. We have reduced wasteful electricity use (i used tp use the tumble dryer in summer😳😳😳 and i go through the house turning lights off).

Fluffy40 · 27/12/2022 14:00

Have it on for less hours than last year, but feel cold esp when it’s rainy and damp.

gamerchick · 27/12/2022 14:03

Fine. I'm finding visiting people who have the heating blasting unbearable though.

StillMedusa · 27/12/2022 14:18

I've adjusted surprisingly well for someone who used to have it 22. We never have it on overnight , but it kicks in below 10. We are fixed rate for a while so are keeping it at 18 for now. It is chillier so I live under my heated throw in the evening.
The dog is happy tho..she's double coated and loves being cooler! The men haven't noticed at all.. they are short all year guys!

DinosApple · 27/12/2022 14:25

Ours broke beginning/mid December and we need a new boiler - probably installed in January.

The cold snap was horrific. Not going to lie, 5/6 degrees in the bedroom was not fun.

Now it's warmer outside it seems to be around 10 degrees which is ok. We use the wood burner in the evenings to warm the living room - it doesn't heat the whole house sadly.

Our gas/electric bill is about the same as last month though (was hoping to save something!).
We've had to have the immersion on every few days and tumble dry everything. Plus more boiling the kettle for warm drinks.

The proper downside is condensation which is running down the walls in some rooms downstairs.

giggly · 27/12/2022 14:29

grapehyacinthisactuallyblue · 27/12/2022 13:58

You do realise that the weather varies greatly depending on whereabouts you are in the UK!
Its freezing up here in Scotland.

giggly · 27/12/2022 14:32

Overnight sits at 16 and 19 during the day. I did try and switch off overnight but temp
was 13.5 in the morning and it took until lunchtime to get back up to 19 , that was wasted energy for the boiler. I’m sure I’ll be paying the supplier for years but just cannot cope being cold.

OldTinHat · 27/12/2022 14:33

I didn't have the heating on at all last winter because of financial circumstances and had to cut back on everything.

This year, I'm enjoying turning it on for an hour every couple of days thanks to the energy rebate. It's still miserable, I'm still cold but not as cold as last year!

planefullofotters · 27/12/2022 14:33

The problem with these threads is some people have energy efficient houses that stay warm and some don’t so it’s not straightforward to compare.

MyAnacondaMight · 27/12/2022 14:33

If I’m using a room, I like to heat it to at least 16 - then with a heated throw or blanket it’s just fine. Below 16 starts to feel a bit cold…

TheHauntedPencilCase · 27/12/2022 14:37

We are keeping between 14 and 16 and it's fine but this is normal for us tbh and is still costing a fortune. We have a wood burner so can heat 1 room more if we have guests which makes a difference. I won't let it go below 14 as we get terrible condensation and the house still feels damp after having no heating at all in late autumn due to repairs.

Calmdown14 · 27/12/2022 14:40

You do adjust and is doing so has to be better for the environment.

We've always had quite a cold house largely because we don't have gas and don't really have any heating upstairs. When I go places with central heating I feel ill.

Other than that week it has been quite mild (and I am north Scotland). We are lucky to have a wood burner in the front room but we haven't had it on every day.

I was confused how people on here were freezing in October. I wonder how people will be by next year. Be interesting to see.

Sidking · 27/12/2022 17:50

We have ours on 17-18 throughout the day (our house is chilly I think, previously it was set to 20 and I'd bump it up to 21 if I was feeling cold!), Down to 14 at night but it doesn't get that low atm. It's fine, made me realise that we don't need it set as high as we have before. I got some blankets for the sofa a couple of months ago when we had no heating oil and they made a big difference (just basic blankets not electric)

I got some fluffy PJ's, heat holder socks and a not-oodie for Christmas so now I'm super toastie! 😂

NewBootsAndRanty · 27/12/2022 18:05

I've gone in the opposite direction - my gas usage is 3x that of last year.
Last winter I had my heating on pretty low/not enough, but a heated throw etc and coughed my way through most of it.

This year I got diagnosed with COPD; I've been sticking to the recommendation of 18° for my bedroom and 21° for my living room.

I'm getting my head round this being necessary for the rest of my life..

TheChosenTwo · 27/12/2022 19:04

Our house is really well insulated and the rooms all seem to sit around 19 without the heating on although it was 16 during the cold snap in rooms we don’t heat (spare room and my office as they aren’t used, I tend to work elsewhere in the house unless I have online meetings!). Each room has underfloor heating and its own thermostat and we have it set to around 21/22. I hate being cold at home and we can afford to heat the house.
We have the bathroom window and our bedroom window open all year round though, and have our bedroom at 19 as we don’t like it being too warm in there.

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