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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think actually it won't be such a bad thing if people are forced to put a jumper on instead of the heating this winter?

156 replies

create · 21/08/2011 20:00

I know there are certain people who must have the means to keeps warm and unfortunately those are often the ones who least have those means Sad but for the rest of us is it really such a bad thing if a financial squeeze makes us think twice about putting on/turning up the heating?

I find I only ever wear proper winter clothes in my own home because everywhere else (shops/offices/friends' homes) is far too warm. Really wearing a jumper or two is fine.

OP posts:
ProcrastinatorGeneral · 21/08/2011 20:05

We live in an end house. It is three beds. We have a single gas fire to heat the entire place. Jumpers might not cut I t:(

smoggii · 21/08/2011 20:05

YANBU

edam · 21/08/2011 20:08

You made this point on another thread. Smugness is very unattractive, especially when people ARE really struggling.

fuckityfuckfuckfuck · 21/08/2011 20:09

My dc are fine when it's a bit chilly tbh. We live in a flat sandwiched between 2 others and seem to get heat from that iyswim. We have one heater that works, which is in the living room, and I admit it goes on in October time and is on pretty much every night til March. The dc's bedrooms stay warm, and luckily both seem to roast in their sleep. But I really suffer from poor circulation and as a result am never warm. Even in Summer I sleep under 3 duvets Blush. I am going to try and alternate days when the heating is on this year though (single storage heater for the whole place and it costs a fortune).

Bestb411pm · 21/08/2011 20:11

I'm in your club General, can't really cut down the heating any more!

Saying that at least we're practised in the fine art of layers in the winter and you do become acclimatised, I find so many centrally heated spaces really stuffy, it's got to be icicles on the windows before I top up with the electric heater upstairs - well apart from the once a day shower run so we don't get mouldy...

booyhoo · 21/08/2011 20:11

why would it not be such a bad thing? who for?

GypsyMoth · 21/08/2011 20:12

Smug

What about the elderly? Sick?

fargate · 21/08/2011 20:14

WOW!! Wear a jumper in cold weather to reduce fuel bills??

I'd never have thought of that in a million years Shock and I don't suppose anyone else has either Shock Shock

Genius.

InfestationofLannisters · 21/08/2011 20:14

Isn't it more economical to have the heating on low all the time than to switch it on and off and wear six pairs of socks and nose-warmers et al when it's off?

Pamplemoussse · 21/08/2011 20:14

elderly, sick or very young

what about them?

and wearing a jumper doesn't stop damp does it?

Sirzy · 21/08/2011 20:16

Of course people should think to do that before cranking the heating up, however people shouldn't have to think if they can afford to heat the house. Especially as often the people who can't afford the heating are the most vulnerable.

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 21/08/2011 20:17

You know, wearing a jumper or two won't cut it if we get another -14C winter like we had last year. Fuel prices are artificially high, and the providers are making record profits. Something has gone wrong somewhere. Some of us have to have our heating on in extreme temperatures so we don't get hypothermia

AnyFucker · 21/08/2011 20:19

what are you talking about shit stirring this kinda stuff for ?

it's august

lend us a jumper...

InfestationofLannisters · 21/08/2011 20:19

I've lived without heating of any kind in Jan / Feb at two stages in my life and the damp is awful. The chill too, which renders clothes and bedclothes ineffective.

I often wonder how many people who never "put the heating on" have baked potatoes in the aga all bloody day.

Andrewofgg · 21/08/2011 20:21

We have downstairs neighbours who overheat their flat . . . we get the benefit!

JemimaMuddledUp · 21/08/2011 20:27

We don't tend to have our heating on really high. We have two storage heaters downstairs, and only usually use the one in the sitting room (we did put the one in the kitchen on last winter though when temperatures locally were -17!). We have wall panel heaters in the bedrooms which we set to come on from 6pm - 8pm in the DC's rooms and 9pm - 11pm in our room (so just before and just after we go to bed) then 6am - 7.30am so that it is warm when we get up and get dressed. We are in a new house though which is very well insulated.

Both DH and I grew up in an old houses with no central heating, so we are probably pretty robust when it comes to the cold.

I think in general we have got too used to not needing to wear extra layers in the winter. However older people who can't move around as much to keep warm are in real danger if they can't afford to heat their homes properly, and that is a whole different matter.

Minus273 · 21/08/2011 20:28

I'm all for putting a jumper on before getting to the stage of putting the heating on but sometimes the jumper just isn't enough. Last winter I was sitting in a t-shirt, long sleeved top, sweatshirt, big woolly cardigan, dressing gown and my coat. It wasn't enough. My flat gets very cold, a few days ago it was 14C inside in summer. Could really do with new windows but that's up to the landlord. dread to think how cold it could get if we have a winter like the last one.

Around here we hot -22C at night, I suspect not having the heating on at any point would risk the pipes and endanger my tenancy agreement.

Empusa · 21/08/2011 20:29

"Isn't it more economical to have the heating on low all the time than to switch it on and off and wear six pairs of socks and nose-warmers et al when it's off?"

Yep, makes more sense to have a low heat on.

onagar · 21/08/2011 20:31

OP. Providing it doesn't apply to important people like MPs, Bankers and Royalty I'm ok with that idea.

BleurghUna · 21/08/2011 20:36

I have just bought 4 new cardigans so I can turn the heating down.

worraliberty · 21/08/2011 20:38

We live in an end house. It is three beds. We have a single gas fire to heat the entire place. Jumpers might not cut It

OMG you've just described my house Shock

It's open plan too Sad

Jodianna · 21/08/2011 20:39

My daughter gets hypothermia due to her disability and inability to move around as the rest of can. I'll tell her to stick on some more jumpers.

SuePurblybilt · 21/08/2011 20:45

I have huge ancient storage heaters that Noah chucked out. I cannot afford to use them so I have a very small open fire in one room. Have to say, it didn't do much more than take the edge off when we were snowed in and the pipes froze in my kitchen. If DD and I wear any more jumpers, we'll not be able to bend Grin.
The plan for this year is to make the dog run around inside to warm up the air Grin.

WinterIsComing · 21/08/2011 20:46

Yes OP, because we are all swanning around in lacy camisole tops and short shorts all the time.

It's the end of August and I'm wearing a sweatshirt in the South fecking East already.

Groovee · 21/08/2011 20:48

Actually dh is a gas engineer and he maintains keeping the heating on 24 hours and at 17 degrees is better than keeping firing up the boiler. Our heating bill last winter was cheaper than it's been in a long time by doing this.

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