Anyone else really trying not to put the heating on?

[user9156]

I was trying to avoid it for a little long until at least November but it's just so cold. 8 degrees here in the North. I have my thermostat set at 18 and it's kicked in a few times over the weekend. I have a young child as well so I don't want to scrimp on the heating but I'm so worried about how much the gas bill over winter.

Is it actually cheaper to have it set at a temperature or should I just program it to come on at certain times during the day?

Our thermostat is set to 16c during the day and night. It's set to 18c for a few hours when we get up and again during the evening. It's clicked on a few times recently but it doesn't take long for the house to heat up to 18c so in reality it's not on much. I sometimes still feel a little cold when the house is 18c so I go and get a scarf/warm socks or another jumper.

We do have a wood burning stove which we put on during the day over the October holidays and at weekends (I've got primary age kids).

7°c here, no we haven't put the heating on yet. I'm wearing a jacket.

Not sure about whether it's better for you to set the thermostat or just put it on at certain times?

Not really put it on yet but am in London and even when it has been stormy the weather is pretty mild still, Friday night people were sitting outside drinking in light jackets. I am currently sitting here with no heating on wearing jeans and a light sweatshirt and no socks.

I had it an for an hour last night as everything felt damp after a few days of rain and I did a run through last week just to check all was ok.

I have no idea about the "always on is on when you need it" debate. I just tend to set the thermostat at 18 degrees and put the heating on when we need it. We rarely have it on in the morning, even on cold mornings as we are quickly up and about then leave the house.

Ours has been on every morning for the last week or so. It's cold and I'm not having a shower in a house that's 15 degrees I'm afraid!

It was three degrees here the other morning and I had to scrape my car.

I saw a headline from MSE the other day saying it's a myth having the heating on low constantly is cheaper. We schedule ours to come on at certain times of the day - before I get out of bed in the morning cuz I hate getting up into a cold room and a couple hours in the evening. Haven't needed it yet but it's getting close

Mines controlled by the thermostat. Currently set to come on at 16, but if I am cold I switch it up to 18. And yes that’s after putting in extra clothes, hot water bottles first

Still really mild in Cornwall so we haven’t put ours on at all.

I put mine on when I'm cold. I really feel tge cold. I do wear extra clothes, haveca blanket and hot water bottle for sofa/bed though.

I definitely have it on less/lower than I used to pre COL crisis/price hike.

Also I don't have a drier so rely on radiators to get laundry dried.

We put it on briefly last week to check it's running ok but have been holding off. It's very wet at the moment so I will put it on if needed to prevent mould and mildew which could cost more to remedy.

I always put ours on for a bit in the morning , no one likes getting out of the shower into a cold room .

Thermostat set at 16 morning and evening. It has come on a few times in the morning but so far, so good. I'm at home all week so I might succumb but I'm trying hard not too! I have a full length oddie type thing that keeps me warm!

I have my thermostat at 18 and it’s kicked in a few mornings, we used to have it set at 19. Apparently under 18 is bad for you and can increase blood pressure and other stuff outlined by various agencies and is recommended by the NHS.

Mines on at 21. If its a bit chilly I put it up to 22. Heating is one thing I will not skimp on. It was 2 degrees here this morning!

Ive put it on twice when it got cold last week but generally it’s still mild here. Also to check it all still works!

Now the sun has come out I don’t think I will need it on today. I have even put washing out to dry.

I wouldn’t use a wood burning stove around kids. They do produce harmful particulants into the home, even well vented. Read an interview with a professor of respiratory medicine and science and he was clear he’d not have one.

We've not got colder than 17.8 yet in the day, so no. Even if I turned the heating on the thermostat is set to 17.5.

Really hoping to hang on until November.

Except we did this last winter and for us it was cheaper than having it on and off at various times.

I've only had to put on once recently as it was really cold one evening and had to go dig out the heated throw. I can't seem to figure out my thermostat timer and as I WFH just left at minimum 17c and let it click on and boost temp when need in evening.
It does seem to spend longer on while bringing cold house back up to temp than left on low but I've no choice really even if costs more doing that as I've Raynaud's and getting cold leads to numbness then extremely painful hands/toes. I make use of extra layers of clothing, blankets and the heated throw was godsend last year especially when boiler broke down.