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Original poster

Heating house

26 replies

arethereanyleftatall · 02/12/2023 18:05

It's costing me £20 a day to keep my house even vaguely warm at the moment. (Plus other daily energy). If this keeps up, that'll be a £600 per month energy bill.

How are people affording this?

OP posts:
StephanieLampshade · 02/12/2023 18:19

I've not got my heating on...warm clothes and hot water bottle.

Original poster
arethereanyleftatall · 02/12/2023 18:22

StephanieLampshade · 02/12/2023 18:19

I've not got my heating on...warm clothes and hot water bottle.

Do you know what temp your house is? I think we would be chilled to the bone in this house with just clothes and a hot water bottle.

OP posts:
IcedupTulip · 02/12/2023 18:25

What temp is your house to cost £20 a day?

Interested in this thread?

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Cost of living
RaininSummer · 02/12/2023 18:27

I am not even trying to keep it warm all day as that will be crippling. Heating goes on about 4.30 to 5 for 2 to 3 hours for evening comfort.

Bobbybobbins · 02/12/2023 18:29

This weekend is going to be so expensive- I don't see how we can't have the heating on. Hopefully when the weather warms up a bit next week and we are out at work it will be better.

Fooshufflewickjbannanapants · 02/12/2023 18:32

Not trying as it's too expensive, sat in my base layers, fluffy pyjamas, Oodie, thermal socks, turtle dove gloves, it's currently 13.3 degrees.

Overthehillbutnotveryfar · 02/12/2023 18:35

Are you heating every room all the time ?
Do you have thermostatic controls on all the radiators ?
Warm curtains ?
Draftproofing ?
Have to assume also that you are dressed for winter ! I’m living in thermals .

countdowntonap · 02/12/2023 18:40

Our house temp is 14 when we’re at work, 16 overnight when in bed, and 17.5 when we’re home and up and about. Just over £1000 in credit but aware a long cold blast over winter could be quite costly.

User136921 · 02/12/2023 18:41

Have you got TRVs on your radiators, just heat the rooms you are mainly in, our lounge/diner is 20 because we are in there but the rest of the house apart from bathroom is about 14 or 15 as the radiators are off at the moment

Ilikewinter · 02/12/2023 18:43

£20 a day - are you living in a barn ??. This cold snap is only due to last a few days, we saved extra during the summer to allow for this so for now the heating is on and we'll drop it back down again next week.

rahrsh · 02/12/2023 18:44

£50 has lasted me since the 20th November still haven't topped up and I have a 3 bed house 5 people have heating on regularly and kids take a bath every 2 days. It's my electric that runs more as I have a dryer

Sunshineandflipflops · 02/12/2023 18:50

We’re using an average of £10-£12 a day on energy at the moment in a 3 bed detached house. Heating is on for an hour or so in the morning when we get up and then most of the evening.

I wfh and manage to keep (just) warm enough with layers, hot drinks and a plug in heated chair cover on my office chair.

My dp works in the garden office so he has an oil filled radiator on in there.

casuarinatree · 02/12/2023 18:56

If we had ours on all day, it would probably cost us about that much.

We have ours on for 2-3 hours in the morning, then in this really cold weather a blast between 12-1:30 ish, then on from 4 until 10. That's about £11-12 a day, and we live in a draughty, single glazed Victorian terrace.

What has made the biggest difference is keeping all the upstairs room doors closed during the day as the thermostat is in the hall, so when the heating does come on it doesn't work harder than it needs to.

Desecratedcoconut · 02/12/2023 18:56

£20? We are topping out at £8 while the maximum temperature outside has stayed below 1c and we are keeping the house warm all day.

4 bed detached, thermostat set to 20.5c/ 21c all day long.

Original poster
arethereanyleftatall · 02/12/2023 19:02

IcedupTulip · 02/12/2023 18:25

What temp is your house to cost £20 a day?

Kitchen (10m bi folds and lovely so I know it's tiny violin time) is 10 degrees if no heating. If I heat the underfloor heating for about 6 hours it'll creep up to 14 degrees.
Rest of house is 13 degrees if I do nothing, but I have it on for a few hours weekdays and most of day time weekend at 20 degrees.

OP posts:
Original poster
arethereanyleftatall · 02/12/2023 19:05

Ilikewinter · 02/12/2023 18:43

£20 a day - are you living in a barn ??. This cold snap is only due to last a few days, we saved extra during the summer to allow for this so for now the heating is on and we'll drop it back down again next week.

Almost yes. It's my luxury and only asset. Fine when I was married, not so much now! Like others have said though, grit teeth and don't look at smart meter for a few days!

OP posts:
Desecratedcoconut · 02/12/2023 19:14

Make it face the wall. 😁

Happycuntmas · 02/12/2023 19:19

My house temp is 13. I have not had my heating on at all. This months gas bill was 34.00. At the moment I have pj's on.with a thin top under them. A dressing gown and a light blanket for my legs and feel quite cosy.. Once the cold really sets in I will use an electric throw.

Original poster
arethereanyleftatall · 02/12/2023 19:21

Desecratedcoconut · 02/12/2023 19:14

Make it face the wall. 😁

I'm turning it off to save electricity

OP posts:
KievLoverTwo · 02/12/2023 19:22

About £9.50 a day atm, half of downstairs on between 18 and 21, upstairs comes on when it falls below 20 (due to wfh). Big detached house.

Can afford it as London salary but don’t live there, and no kids.

OP, is it an actual barn conversion? They’re not very energy efficient due to vast amounts of glass, but is your UFH zoned? Our ground floor has four zones, and it makes a massive difference. It builds up so much in the flags that rooms get to 23 after several days and we have to turn it down. It’s also why we only need two zones on. All four would be literally unbearable.

Ground floor is 1200 sq ft and that also includes heating the hot water tank twice a day (sadly, no combi boiler).

Original poster
arethereanyleftatall · 02/12/2023 19:25

Damn it - no zones - I missed that, it didn't matter when I was with my ex. Note to everyone - don't build a house assuming you'll always have the salary you have...
Not a barn but very large kitchen (probs 15m by 10m) mostly glass.

OP posts:
Original poster
arethereanyleftatall · 02/12/2023 19:27

Anyway, what I'm really pleased about from this thread is that this daily cost is unique to my house (or similar). Good. I was worried how some people who are struggling would be able to be warm.

OP posts:
Counciltelly · 02/12/2023 19:31

Turning your underfloor on and off is part of the problem. Best is to have it on high 2 x a day for a bit and low the rest of the time. My thermostat doesn’t do this so I just switch it on in October and off in March.

PacificAdventurer · 02/12/2023 19:32

I bought some of those velvet lined leggings from primark today at £7 a pair. I always feel the cold and tonight I'm not at all. I have a hot water bottle at my feet, thermal socks, leggings and a thick jumper on and I'm comfortable! Going back into town tomorrow to get another couple of pairs of these leggings - amazing!

Autumn1990 · 02/12/2023 19:33

I suspect my heating is costing £10 ish a day atm. Well insulated but a barn conversion.
The heating is on constantly as it’s an ashp and to a reasonable temperature because it’s so cold and everyone is ill.
Im quite mean with the heating during milder spells and we rely heavily on the log burner.