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Original poster

Heating overnight

180 replies

Frotheecoffee · 15/01/2024 01:31

Live in a flat and it's extremely cold overnight. Currently the hall is 14 degrees. Extremely cold throughout. DC is in my bed tonight. The thermostat on 15, and it will go all night I suspect. WIBU to leave it on all night or would that be terribly wasteful?

OP posts:
Xmastime2023 · 15/01/2024 09:56

EnterFunnyNameHere · 15/01/2024 09:53

I think the thing to remember is no two houses are alike. My house is decently insulated so rarely gets below 16 degrees overnight in the lounge where the thermostat is.

I could say "I keep my house at 16 degrees overnight" (profligate, waste of energy, just buy a better duvet) or I could say "I set my thermostat to 5degrees overnight" (good stiff upper lip, shows moral fibre). But in both cases, the actual house is still about 16degrees. So it's a bit misleading to say how low your thermostat is set if your house retains heat and so never gets that cold in the first place.

Equally, a drafty house with old windows could have the temp set to 25degrees but never make it past 17. A better constructed house could have it set for 18degrees, reach temp quickly and stay there. So it's not a moral failing for someone to need their heating on more often!

It's not really about what temperature your thermostat is set to - it's what temperature your house actually is!

Edited

True I have my thermostat at 0 every night but my house is always nice and warm from having it at 21 all day 😂

Devilsmommy · 15/01/2024 10:04

HaddawayAndShite · 15/01/2024 09:32

I do not know why you're rolling your eyes, PP is correct. 18-20 degrees is the optimum sleeping temperature for babies. You're risking overheating your child but carry on. It'll only be the child that suffers.

Show quote history

I'm rolling my eyes as I've already explained even if it's freezing cold my little one will not have a blanket. And if his bedroom is less than 22 it's freezing in there at night because of the walls his room being bare brick on 2 sides. So as I've said, that's he only way to make him comfy and warm

henzteeth · 15/01/2024 10:07

@Frotheecoffee I haven't read the full thread, but electric blankets are the obvious answer. They are cheap to run and heat the person, not the whole house..

I have an electric heat pad, which is enough to keep my feet warm (and switches itself off after 2 hours), a duvet, and a patchwork quilt.

Ginmonkeyagain · 15/01/2024 10:08

@Devilsmommy I mean you could try not putting you baby to sleep in a room that is bare brick on two sides.

Deafening · 15/01/2024 10:13

My heating is never on overnight and until this year we slept under a 4.5 tog duvet all year. DH has made me swap to a 13.5 tog so now I mostly sleep with no covers on at all as it’s just too flipping hot 😂
It was 14° downstairs this morning. Haven’t put the heating on as I’m sitting in the sun.

DappledThings · 15/01/2024 10:16

I'm not sure what tog our duvet is. It's quite thin. I have a lovely blanket I crocheted to go on top in the winter but I can't get the room cool enough to enjoy it. Thermostat is set to 10 overnight, usually gets down to about 13 if I ever wake up in the night and think to check it.

Still roasting in bed.

Ginmonkeyagain · 15/01/2024 10:18

Ha! some people just run hot. Our thermostat is set to 17 degrees at the moment. I am currently wearing jeans, two pairs of socks, a vest, long sleeved thermal top and a cashmere and wool hoodie and am comfortably warm. Mr Monkey is happily sitting watching TV in football shorts and a t shirt. i think of we had the heating on overnight he's explode.

borntobequiet · 15/01/2024 10:20

Mufflepuff · 15/01/2024 09:42

For those with really cold houses, do you not get problems with damp and mould? Do you dry clothes inside or have a tumble dryer?

I don’t, because one reason why it’s cold is that it’s very old and draughty, so well ventilated. I dry indoors at this time of year with a dehumidifier. I put the dehumidifier on intermittently anyway as most indoor activities result in moisture in the air.
Anyone with a damp or mould problem should invest in a good dehumidifier if they can afford it.

Oakbeam · 15/01/2024 10:22

For those with really cold houses, do you not get problems with damp and mould

No, because it is well ventilated.

fairiesrus · 15/01/2024 10:24

Buy an electric blanket. I haven’t had my heating on since last Christmas as I can’t afford it. Heated blanket cost me £25 in sale and best money saver ever! Costs 1 p per minute. Last year I was spending £300 a month of energy bills, it’s costing me around £50 now!

Spendonsend · 15/01/2024 10:24

Mufflepuff · 15/01/2024 09:42

For those with really cold houses, do you not get problems with damp and mould? Do you dry clothes inside or have a tumble dryer?

Yep. I have to battle damp and mould. Mainly by airing the place. Its a running battle between me and DH. There are some sports thay are difficult to air.
We had to move things away from walls in some areas. Hate it.

Mufflepuff · 15/01/2024 10:28

I agree about the dehumidifier. We use one instead of a tumble dryer and it's so good. Had it 10 now and still going strong.

Also love my heated throw. It also means I get cat privileges 😺

TiggeryBear · 15/01/2024 10:33

Our heating is set to tick over at 14 with a small boost in the morning & evening (children's bathtime) we're in a 3bed semi, but the adjoining house is currently empty so it feels like it is sucking all the heat out of ours. Last winter it wasn't as cold as the house wasn't empty.

Having the heating running this much is hitting our wallets quite hard, but not as hard as dealing with the resulting mould, damp etc would do if we didn't have it running.

WagWoofWalkMeeoow · 15/01/2024 10:33

Motheranddaughter · 15/01/2024 07:33

Our heating was on last night as it was very cold with snow
I refuse to be cold in my home

@Motheranddaughter

but you're in bed, why don't you just wear pj's or put another blanket on your bed?

its different if you have small babies & you're up & down to them all night.

@Devilsmommy why can't you just put him in a warm sleep suit?

ManchesterLu · 15/01/2024 10:34

Set it to come on an hour before you get up, and buy a heated blanket for your bed if it's really cold.

WagWoofWalkMeeoow · 15/01/2024 10:41

SpringMeadows · 15/01/2024 07:48

Can people please also say how much they pay per day for their heating? If we were to keep ours on all day and all night, it would cost us over £25 a day. We have a 4 bedroom house.

I've accidentally left mine on overnight a couple of times (probably set around 18/20°. Thankfully it's only a small place, it was £6 one time &£8 another.

i don't think it's going to help you to know what it cost others as all houses are different.

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 15/01/2024 10:43

I would change your thermostat for a programmable one. It is inexpensive and will save you money in the long run as you can drop the thermostat to frost protection level overnight and then have it warm up the house for getting up, look for one that offers lots of flexibility and seven days a week settings.

WagWoofWalkMeeoow · 15/01/2024 10:47

Fairymother · 15/01/2024 09:39

I dont understand how people can live like this! 14 degrees! Brr!

14° when you're in bed under a duvet/blankets isn't cold.

WagWoofWalkMeeoow · 15/01/2024 10:52

Reallybadidea · 15/01/2024 09:12

We have the heating on overnight at 15. I've compared it to turning it off and it only costs a little bit more but saves it being really freezing when we get up. We're just about to get a Tado thermostat which will allow us to have different temperatures at different times of day/night so I might re-evaluate. During the day we have it at 18/19 all day.

Just checked our account and we've spent about £80 so far this month. December was £160 in total. We have a 5 bedroom detached house, but we're on an octopus tracker tariff which is sooo much cheaper than the standard rate.

@Reallybadidea

what do you have now? Are you installing the TSDO system yourself?

I have a Honeywell thermostat/controller that I want to swap out for a TADO, but I can't quite get my head around what I need to do to swap it over.

BMW6 · 15/01/2024 10:59

Very much depends on the house. We have a 2 bed Victorian terrace, the heating in on 17° overnight and up to 19° 8am to 11pm.

The most it's ever cost in gas is £125 for a whole month.

In other houses it probably costs a whole lot more.

catelynjane · 15/01/2024 11:34

Mufflepuff · 15/01/2024 09:42

For those with really cold houses, do you not get problems with damp and mould? Do you dry clothes inside or have a tumble dryer?

No. We use a tumble dryer and open the windows everyday.

Devilsmommy · 15/01/2024 11:36

Ginmonkeyagain · 15/01/2024 10:08

@Devilsmommy I mean you could try not putting you baby to sleep in a room that is bare brick on two sides.

Unfortunately that's the best bedroom as the other one has damp issues so not really got a choice

Devilsmommy · 15/01/2024 11:37

@WagWoofWalkMeeoow as I've previously stated, he will not wear a onesie at all so that's not an option unfortunately

Crunchymum · 15/01/2024 11:38

Waiting for LL to fix our thermostat so currently heating only has on and off setting available.

Our bathroom (old Victorian house) is North facing so I have been leaving the heating on from about 1/2am [I usually wake up for a wee and turn it on] if anyone needs a shower first thing. We are trying to shower in the evenings though to avoid this.

Bathroom is that cold**

To answer the cold house question we avoid damp / mould be using a dehumidifier in the room where washing dries and opening windows daily. Even if it's just a crack for a few hours on the coldest days.

Zanatdy · 15/01/2024 11:39

I never have the heating on overnight. I have a teddy bear fleece under sheet and duvet cover. Plus a dog that snuggles up