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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Heating - AIBU?

81 replies

Latara · 07/11/2012 23:59

I'm lucky to have Gas Central Heating; i keep it on all night because i wake up if the air temperature gets cold. Also start to get achy joints if it's cold. Plus it's hard to want to get out of bed in the morning if the house takes a long time to heat up.

Problem is: i need to save money - i'm skint.

My Dad says to switch off the heating at night. He had ''ice on the inside of the windows when i was a nipper, & i was alright...'' !!!

I keep the heating at about 21c - optimum temp as recommended by drs for rooms you live in at night.
I have a digital thing which only switches the boiler on if the temperature drops below the 'set' temperature of 21c, therefore it saves money as the boiler isn't constantly on.
I was in credit by approx £50 on the Gas btw, which i managed to get back from British Gas. So i do save money.

So AIBU to have the heating on all night, or am i a money-wasting wuss??

OP posts:
MrsCantSayAnything · 08/11/2012 00:00

Money wasting wuss. Get some proper covers on and pyjamas!

Latara · 08/11/2012 00:00

I mean, is my Dad BU or am i?

OP posts:
Latara · 08/11/2012 00:01

I do have blankets on top of my duvet, & wear pjs already....

OP posts:
NewNames · 08/11/2012 00:01

I live in an old, drafty, barely single glazed house and I don't have the hearing on all night. AND I am a very cold person.

Have you tried an electric blanket? I put it up high for half an hour before I get in bed and if it's really really cold I leave it on low.

My heating comes on about an hour before I get up for two hours. Am usually out the house in 20 mins though so could probably cut back!

Shesparkles · 08/11/2012 00:02

Money wasting wuss! It's very personal, but I'd feel stifled sleeping in 21C, and I feel the cold!
21C is about 70f- that's a very pleasant summer day!

stargirl1701 · 08/11/2012 00:03

YABU. No need for heating at night. Total waste of money. You need warm pyjamas, warm sheets, a 13 tog duvet, cosy blanket, hot water bottle and a teddy bear Grin

MrsTerryPratchett · 08/11/2012 00:04

We had ice on the inside of windows as children. I don't recommend it. However, no heating at night. I would find 21 in a room where I was sleeping, absolutely stifling. Hot water bottle?

stargirl1701 · 08/11/2012 00:04

Have you had your thyroid checked?

apostropheuse · 08/11/2012 00:04

YANBU.

I grew up in a house with ice inside the windows. We only had a coal fire in the living room, no other form of heating anywhere in the house. I live in Scotland so it gets pretty cold here. It wasn't pleasant and I can still remember the bitter cold feeling even when we had loads of blankets on - and at times coats on the tops of the blankets.

My heating is on twenty-four hours a day in the winter, unless it gets too warm and I'll very occasionally turn it off for an hour or so. I have the radiators turned down quite low so it keeps an even temperature throughout the house.

Why would you want to suffer when you can be warm and comfortable?

Latara · 08/11/2012 00:05

Oh dear. My Dad would be very happy to see these replies.

Must get a hot water bottle, electric blanket, & er, a teddy bear.

OP posts:
5madthings · 08/11/2012 00:05

God i would hate it if it was that hot at night. Recimended temp us about 18 actually if you have a baby esp.

Having the heating on all the time drues out my skin and makes my eyes itchy.

I havr thermostat at 18-20 in the day and about 16 at night.

healstorturepeople · 08/11/2012 00:06

21 degrees is very warm for the night. Dress warmer and use a hot water bottle.

nokidshere · 08/11/2012 00:06

Well if you were to ask me I would sa YABU because I sleep with the windows wide open and a fan going all year round - my bedroom is icy! Just the way I like it.

If you were to ask my Dh he would say turn it up to 25 and leave on all the time from September to May Grin

I walk past the thermostat and turn it down and he walks past and turns it up. If you need to save money turn it down a few degrees and wear more clothes/have more covers in bed :)

stargirl1701 · 08/11/2012 00:06

I live in Scotland too. 6 hours of heating on a day here in the winter.

lurkedtoolong · 08/11/2012 00:06

Try turning down to 20 and once you're used to that to 19. I wouldn't usually go lower than that myself as I feel the cold. Have the thermostat on a timer. You don't need it on all day - we do 6-9am and 4-9pm. That's usually plenty.

DH is constantly hot and I'm always cold so I did learn to do things like layered clothing (even a thin top under a thicker one can help a lot). But at the same time, if you can afford the heating don't go cold.

akaemmafrost · 08/11/2012 00:08

Heating off at night. It's a complete waste of money imo. I get up half an hour before dc, heating goes on so it's warm for when they get up.

Latara · 08/11/2012 00:08

Not had thyroid checked.

I do take lots of meds, which means i have hallucination type nightmares every night & wake up at 4am or 5am literally in a cold sweat - that's when i can't get warm. Not much i can do about that.

I will turn the heating down to 18c overnight tonight & put extra blanket on to see if that's ok.

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 08/11/2012 00:09

Very rude question... are you thin? Maybe more pies would help Grin I am joking but if you are slender, that is a lot of extra clothes that you would have to wear to get the effect of a bit of body fat. Thermals is the answer.

MrsTerryPratchett · 08/11/2012 00:09

x-posted. Have you talked to your GP about it?

Bunbaker · 08/11/2012 00:11

21 degrees is very warm for sleeping in. I feel the cold, but only ever have the heating on at night when it is about -10 outside, and that is to stop the pipes from freezing. Even then I set the thermostat to about 15 degrees.

I suggest you get a new duvet, wear warmer pyjamas and put on some bedsocks. If you are still cold I think a trip to the GP is in order. You shouldn't be feeling that cold at night.

akaemmafrost · 08/11/2012 00:11

That sounds horrible OP Sad. I have panic attacks in my sleep sometimes and wake up the same way. It's CRAP! Feel for you. Still don't have MY heating on though Wink.

TheCatInTheHairnet · 08/11/2012 00:11

LOL Nokids! That's the same here!

AThingInYourLife · 08/11/2012 00:12

21 degrees is very warm, especially at night.

Why not just turn the thermostat down by a degree or two?

EllenParsons · 08/11/2012 00:15

I would never keep my heating on all night (or at least not if I needed to watch my money, which I do!) I think it is such a waste of money. Set it on a timer to come on a while before you need to get up.

musicmadness · 08/11/2012 00:16

I'm with you OP. I leave the heating on at night (at about 18 though), as well as wearing thick long sleeved pajamas, socks, using a hot water bottle and having a massive quilt! I just feel the cold pretty badly and can't sleep at all if I'm cold. As long as you aren't going into debt or anything have the heating how you like it!