to not put the heating on as much as everyone else?

[elmobaggins]

I grew up on a farm, in a very draft-prone house where the boiler was more broken than not, so am used to living in cold houses. I make sure we all wrap up warm at all times (i.e. appropriate thermals, multiple layers and very sturdy footwear, etc) and DH never seems to feel the cold - he works outside all day anyway.

However, now that DCs are getting to that age where they start to invite newly-made friends around, I've noticed a couple of comments from the other children/parents about how cold our house is - I've genuinely never noticed it before now... but I've just spotted a heating oil thread where someone commented they put their heating on all day when it's very cold outside I don't think I've had the heating on for more than 3 or 4 hours in the whole time we've lived in our house, and it's not on a timer or anything. I think we normally turn it on for the first time in late Nov/early Dec, and only on the occasional day it's very cold.

I'm starting to think that IABU for basically using the "can you feel your feet in thermals? if no, time to stick the heating on" as the threshold for if the heating gets popped on, and perhaps my level of use isn't quite normal for a family.

(Just wanted to add, DD doesn't complain of the cold - seems to have inherited DH's warm blood too.)

So, AIBU?

What's a normal "trigger" threshold for putting the heating on?

[WorraLiberty]

I've just had a new boiler fitted today, having spent almost a month without one.

The heating's on 20 now and I feel like I'm in Barbados

In fact, I just keep turning the hot taps on and off again...and staring at this wonder that is hot water.

I don't think I ever want to see a pot/pan/kettle and a plastic bowl again.

And my Dad will be pleased at the 4 of us not constantly turning up at his door, laden with towels and soap

[expatinscotland]

'YABU. DD won't visit one of her friends anymore due to the lack of heating and the forced jollity of the friends mum who like to be competetively cold grin
She sometimes goes on about how they don't have their heating on to 'toughen up' the dc's hmm and her dh is one of those muppets who likes to make a statement and reach for the shorts when the snow starts.

I just don't geddit! '

YY. Competitve cold, when you can afford it. Stoopid.

[cleangreens]

I have total sympathy for anybody who can't afford to have the heating on - Zukie I really feel for you .

We have an Aga and the heating is on all day although I do control the radiators with thermostats which are off during the day. We have two sitting rooms and I never put the one furthest away from the kitchen on at all.

I hate visiting people with cold houses if you know they are just doing the 'oh we don't mind the cold' smug crap - competitive cold yy and utterly mental .

[Meglet]

I try and avoid cold houses TBH. I even got out of Xmas day at a relatives partly because their house is always so cold and they've been asked to turn it up before. I hate the cold, I go into myself and want to hibernate.

[BigBoobiedBertha]

I hate houses that are hot but we have ours set to 20C and that usually means 2 layers of clothing in this sort of weather. Below 20C we start to feel cold and think about a 3rd layer or a blanket if we are just sitting around.

I was cold most of my childhood too - houses back then weren't as insulated as they are now and this sort of weather there would be ice on the inside of the windows. I can't bear it when we come back from a week away with the PIL in Feb and the house is freezing for a whole day even with the heating on all the time. It is amazing what a week of no heating does to a house. It is so inhospitable. If your house is like that all the time OP I am not surprised people are complaining.

We too have a dodgy boiler that breaks down regularly (the last time on Christmas day) but we intend to get it changed this year. As it is, it is expensive to run especially with the cost of repairs on top. It is a bit of a false economy to keep patching it up in the long term.

[BigBoobiedBertha]

Can I just also add that I hate cold houses where the heating is on but for the sake of 'ventilation' people leave a window open, usually the bathroom. What kind of madness is that especially when they sit in their own sitting room swaddled in blankets to stay warm. Just shut the window.

[frogwatcher1]

I have terrible memories of being cold upstairs in our old farmhouse growing up. I didn't realise how miserable I was until after I had left home (didn't know any better I suppose) but now, looking back, realise it was horrible. We had an aga on all the time in the living room and one in the kitchen but no other heating - the living and kitchen were toasty - everywhere else awful.

I think 20 or 21 is comfortably cold. If guests are coming I light a log fire as well as heating. Nothing worse than visiting a cold house - I (and dc) avoid lots of friends houses in winter as they feel so cold and miserable!

[TippiShagpile]

We have oil and have just had to shell out well over £1000 to fill our tank. I try not to put the heating on until 1 November and usually turn it off when the clocks change (ie next weekend - eek). When the heating is on we have it on for an hour in the morning and 2 hours at night.
We love hot water bottles in this house.

[Varya]

Cant afford constant price increases, so run it at 16 degrees and wrap up well hoping for better weather soon. Now we are being told gas is going up yet again they must think our pockets are lined with gold.

[poppypebble]

I don't put the heating on until late November, and never until the evening. Generally it is on from 6-10pm and then off.

We are just fairly warm blooded I think. Most people I know are similar though, must be us Northerners. I do remember going to London in late Feb once and sitting outside a cafe having a cold drink whilst people were walking past dressed in coats/scarves/gloves.

[Wallison]

I also grew up in a house with inadequate heating and hate being cold now, so it's not as though you get used to it or whatever - I think you're either the kind of person who doesn't mind cold or you are aren't. Me, I mind the cold.

Am interested to learn about these people who cannot afford to heat their houses but can afford internet connections though.

[Wallison]

Oh yes and I am a Northerner, but I still hate being cold, so it's not that.

My mum is the opposite - even when it's fucking -2 outside she'll still have a window open, which to me is bloody madness.

[Startail]

Are you the reincarnation of my DMIL?

I loved her dearly, but DH and I used to have jumpers we kept specially for visiting her.

DHs family home was a daft open plan old stone house that would have cost a fortune to heat all of, but some warmth in kitchen and bedrooms would have been nice.

[SoMuchToBits]

I hate being cold, and really feel the cold. 18 degrees to me is the sort of weather I would still be wearing a fleece jacket on top of other clothes, not sitting indoors in it. It has to be at least 23 degrees before I feel remotely warm in a t shirt and cotton skirt.

If I was moving around a lot that might be different, but not if sitting down. And if I add loads of layers I find it hard to move, and even then my feet would be cold. I usually wear socks/tights and slippers indoors in the winter, but unless it's about 22 degrees or above, my feet turn to ice.

If I was going to a cold house, I would want to know in advance so I could put extra layers on, and even then I would probably still be cold (at least in my feet). I think if you are having visitors you should maybe put the heating on for a bit while they are there. What you do when you are on your own is up to you though!

[Bunbaker]

"What's a normal "trigger" threshold for putting the heating on?"

There isn't one. Everyone is different. I feel the cold and always have done and wear extra layers when visiting friends who don't heat their houses to what I consider a comfortable temperature (we have our thermostat set at 17 degrees). I also try to avoid visiting them when the weather is particularly cold. There is nothing less welcoming than a freezing cold house.

I admit that I get irritated by people who are smug about not feeling the cold and make disparaging remarks about those of us who do.

[simbo]

This thread has really surprised me. My heating is on 6.15 to 8.00 in the morning, and then from about 3.00 til 10.00pm. I warm the house up for when the dc come home from school (only when it is as cold as now, otherwise it stays off until about 6.00pm). The thermostat is set to 18 degrees. I thought I was being stingy! My dc always complain that our house is colder than those of their friends. Though I am home during the day I just put on another layer rather than the heating. If we are at home over the weekend I do have the heating on more as my dh grumbles otherwise. I know that if he was the one at home he would have it on all of the time even though it costs so much. I don't think that is the only point. We should be mindful of using the limited resources of the planet. I now feel I am being wasteful, so the dc will have to manage and get into their onesies whennthey get in.

[TheCatIsUpTheDuff]

A t-shirt and cotton skirt is summer clothing. It's still winter. If we're appropriately dressed for the time of year and still cold, the heating goes on. Haven't had the bill yet - I doubt we'll be so extravagant next year.

[bluer]

wallison what a rude comment. I'm sure zukie isn't freezing herself voluntarily.

[Bunbaker]

"A t-shirt and cotton skirt is summer clothing. It's still winter. If we're appropriately dressed for the time of year and still cold, the heating goes on"

Yes. I use that criteria as well. It has been so cold round here that the heating has been on all day when we have been in the house. No-one got any medals from being a martyr to the cold.

[MisselthwaiteManor]

I don't think it's a simple choice between heat or Internet. We pay £5 per month for the Internet, that wouldn't last a few hours on the gas unfortunately