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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To leave blow heaters on overnight in my dc's bedrooms?

121 replies

Barbielovesken · 14/12/2011 15:31

Is this a fire hazard/ dangerous? would it be unreasonable to do so?. Im aware this isnt really an aibu but Im quite worried and need advice and know here gets the most traffic.

Our damn boiler broke last night (oil) the house was freezing we have back up in a solid fuel stove that heats the radiators but it would appear that the circulation pump is also on the blink and the rads arent been heated. The kitchen and sitting room are quite cosy downstairs (where the stove is) when it got going but it is sooo cold upstairs.

We cant get a plumber today - we've tried. Our usual one is 3 hours away working for a few days but can get to ours tomorrow to sort it.

Im worried about tonight - we've 3 dcs (6yrs, 22 months and 6 months). Im in work today and they are in CMs right now but I dont know what to do later. Ill light up a big fire downstairs but last night dd2's room was 12 degrees (hers has the monitor in it) I think it'll be even colder tonight as the heating upstairs been gone longer, if that makes sense - I think it was retaining some heat from the morning before it broke. Also its been snowing again here today. I had them all in fleece zip up pjs, extra quilts and dressing gowns etc..(dd2 in a 2.5 tog gro bag).

I kept checking them all last night and they slept peacefully but dd2's little hands and face were so cold to touch.

I have a few blow heaters/ can borrow some off my mum too so was thinking of leaving one on all night in each room. Is that irresponsible or ok to do?

Other than that, I could move all dc and things to my mums and we all stay there tonight? she has room and its warm - itll just be a huge hassle. (work and school and cm drop off in the morn)

OP posts:

minouminou · 14/12/2011 21:41

Mumnotmachine.....you're hardcore! I was working at my desk by an open French door last week!
Sad thing is, DP's got Reynaud's disease, like his dad and four uncles......all he has to do is step barefoot on a bathroom tile and his toes turn white!

minouminou · 14/12/2011 21:48

Glad you made your mind up....I think it's the right decision. I bet you all get a good night's sleep, too.
All cold hands really mean is a slight diversion of blood flow to maintain the all-important core temp that talkin mentioned.
And I agree....overheated bedrooms are horrid. I slept on the sofa next to a radiator earlier this week (DP had stinking cold) and Sod's Law, he'd not turned the heating off before he went to bed.....I woke up feeling hungover and desiccated!

TalkinPeace2 · 14/12/2011 21:52

I am fairly well informed on sleeping temperatures for a very simple reason.
I get Raynauds in my hands and feet.
DH reckons my feet are the antidote to global warming.
Once my toes have gone purple they can take three hours to warm up.
And my fingers are always too cold to operate an iPhone
BUT the temperature of my core is what determines a good nights sleep
so long as I do not accidentally touch DH and he jumps sky high!

namechangerbat · 14/12/2011 21:56

Please take some of those layers off the baby

minouminou · 14/12/2011 22:00

Nightmare! One of DP's uncles lives in Canada in a region where there's snow for several months a year....he had (again, bit vague) some surgery to disable the nerve controlling blood flow to the fingers so's he wasn't so badly affected.
It is a very painful condition, and I feel sorry for anyone with it.

A1980 · 14/12/2011 23:00

What do you think people did before heaters existed?!

Exactly! Buy hot water bottles, an extra blanket, thick pajamas and thick bed socks. Job done. It'll be warmer than heaters too probably.

A1980 · 14/12/2011 23:03

I've left on her wooly tights, vest and an extra t-shirt under a fleece one piece. I've then swaddled her with a cellular blanket (from underneath her arms down) I've then popped her in a grobag with 2 blankets over'

Bloody hell! It was -5 then that might be ok. 12 degrees outside would feel quite mild. Take off the tights, the extra vest, the cellular blanket and one of the over blankets.

MangoMonster · 14/12/2011 23:14

Blow heaters are a fire hazard, get an oil filled one with thermostat.

Beccabell · 14/12/2011 23:24

I wouldn't leave one on overnight - they are dangerous. I never leave them on when I'm out either. Our central heating broke down last year when it reached minus 18 degrees - we used the fan heaters in the bedrooms before going to bed, and lots of extra covers. We got through it, but it wasn't pleasant. I lent my fan heaters to my neighbour the other day when her heating broke down on the strict undersanding that she wouldn't leave them on overnight or when she was out. Oil radiators are fine, but they take a while to warm up. Good luck and stay safe.

1Catherine1 · 14/12/2011 23:33

I must be a little odd as I actually prefer the heating off at night time. It gives me a terrible sore throat if the heating has been on during the night.

If I were you I would put it on for about half an hour before you go to bed to warm the room up. Then turn it off. Get up extra early in the morning and put the heater on in the main room of the house and encourage everyone to go straight to that room to sort themselves out. In my old flat (heating never worked) we would heat the living room only and get dressed in there.

ChrisTingleTeaspoon · 15/12/2011 08:32

How was your night?

belgo · 15/12/2011 08:36

1Catherine1 - I agree with that - I get a blocked nose, dry skin and sore throat if the heating is on. I prefer snuggling up under masses of blankets and duvets, and keeping warm nightclothes and socks on. Just as well really as my house gets very cold at night!

I hate blow heaters, they are so dangerous.

Original poster

Barbielovesken · 15/12/2011 10:06

Thanks all

christingle great actually! Although it was the same temp as the night before it really didnt seem or feel as cold for some reason - it didnt freeze outside last night (as it did the night before) and the dc slept very well (actually til 8 this morn - had to wake them ) so they must have been fine. I took some layers off dd and left her in her own bed, her hands were cold this morn but the rest of her was lovely in morn.

They are in CM's now and Im in work ( shhh) and dh is meeting plumber to try sort it out! (fingers crossed everyone pllleeease)

Thanks for thinking of us

OP posts:

LauraIngallsWilder · 15/12/2011 11:00

I think you are seriously over worrying!
Our house is very often 12-15 degrees. No heating on at night ever.
Be thankful that you and the DCs are out during the day (we are not) and that soon you will have CH again.
There's a this winter thread on here somewhere about never having the heating on at all (or very rarely) and how to cope - loads of great suggestions on it.
When the indoor temp monitor says 7degrees or below every morning (last year) that's cold!!
12 really isn't too bad.

LauraIngallsWilder · 15/12/2011 11:06

WibblyBibble You are welcome to pop round to my house and check whether our monitor says 12 degrees. (We actually have two - one battery, one plug in and they both agree with each other)

Too many blankets/layers is more dangerous AFAIK than being too cold (because being too cold means a room temp much lower than 12 dgrees)

valiumredhead · 15/12/2011 11:41

All the posters who are worried about it being cold much be much younger than I am - in the 70's no one had heaters in bedrooms, we had hot water bottles. Everyone spent the evenings in front room - sitting round the fire. It wasn't commonplace to heat the whole house.

PigletJohn · 15/12/2011 13:39

hot water bottles? fire?

eeeeeh, luxury

valiumredhead · 15/12/2011 13:41

And we were lucky if we got a satsuma and a lump of coal for Christmas!

TalkinPeace2 · 15/12/2011 23:06

remember the days of pulling school uniform into bed with you before school so the zips were not freezing when you put it on!

OP
I'm glad your DCs slept well
and just THINK how much money you will save when your boiler is mended by allowing the house to cool overnight and keeping the bedrooms a bit colder
:-)

mathanxiety · 16/12/2011 15:06

Sitting? You mean huddling

startail · 17/12/2011 00:06

If by blow heaters you mean fan heaters then so long as they are in decent condition and relatively modern they will be fine as long as they are in a safe place.
We ran one at the bottom of our stairs all night to have a chance of not freezing last Dec.
Used to leave them on frost setting whenever we went away in winter in the old house. A decent modern one will have an over tempt trip it should switch off.
They are horrible and noisy. DD was delighted when the oil depot was dug out of the snow

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