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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that central heating is a thing of the past?

173 replies

hiddenhome · 21/10/2013 13:13

More and more people seem to be unable to afford to use their central heating Sad

How long before we all go back to just having a fire in the lounge?

We no longer use our central heating and think of it as an unaffordable luxury. We've even had radiators removed as they were taking up room. We just have a multifuel stove that we use to heat the lounge and open the door if we want heat upstairs overnight.

OP posts:
BunnyLebowski · 21/10/2013 13:33

I know Freakin.

A bit tactless of me. Sorry Blush

Fakebook · 21/10/2013 13:33

I've only had the heating on for a total of 6 hours over 4 days so far this autumn. It's very mild this year. (Not trying to jinx it or anything).

Binkyridesagain · 21/10/2013 13:34

I have lived with only a gas fire to heat up the whole house, it doesn't!

I will never again get into a hot bath with half of my clothes on because its too cold to undress fully.
I will never again wake up with ice on the insides of my windows.
I will never again have washing taking a week to dry because I have to choose between keeping my daughter warm or getting the drying done.
I will never again go to bed dressed as though I am visiting the artic.

Central heating is here to stay, well in this house at least.

plum100 · 21/10/2013 13:35

Hiddenhome - we are almost there. always prefer to use our fire in the lounge at night when we only need to heat one room - really don't stick the heating on if we can help it.

FreakinRexManningDay · 21/10/2013 13:37

I wasn't having a go Bunny I was trying and failing to be kind of shruggy about it.

If I see someone throwing out wooden stuff in a skip I will ask for it for firewood. Ways and means Grin

FurryDogMother · 21/10/2013 13:37

I've not had central heating for the past 14 years - we have a turf (peat) fire in the front room, which we rarely use, and a Calor gas fire in here (the office/computer room). The gas ran out this morning (and we have no money to get more until tomorrow) so we currently have no heating, but that's OK 'cos I'm having hot flushes, and am currently sitting here in a T-shirt and a light sheen of sweat :)

doesthatmakesense · 21/10/2013 13:38

I'm just wondering how we'll afford CH when energy prices double as per the cosy agreement just done with EDF/China for a shiny new nuclear power station. Angry

FreakinRexManningDay · 21/10/2013 13:40

I'm in a council house and some years ago we were offered a free changeover to gas boilers. I declined as I was struggling enough and didn't want an extra bill so kept my back boiler.

I sometimes wonder if the council was in cahoots with the gas company.

cuteboots · 21/10/2013 13:40

thanks for correcting the mis spelt word but it makes my blood boil when people slog their arses off working trying to make ends meet and then cant even afford to keep their houses warm. Its wrong and seriously will anything be done about it ? No it wont !!

hardboiledpossum · 21/10/2013 13:40

I would hate to be without central heating. I get really cold and that would make me miserable. I would go without other things to be able to afford to heat my house. I have mine on for about 6 hours a day.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 21/10/2013 13:41

Erm, I don't think it was the spelling was bothering people, cute!

SnakeyMcBadass · 21/10/2013 13:42

I'm looking in to solar panels to help with the energy bills. There is no way that I am going without heating. I have the thermostat set to 18C and it only comes on for an hour in the morning and a few hours in the evening. It's been so mild that it hasn't really kicked in yet, but when the sub zero shit starts up again affording the heating goes up in my priorities rather rapid

NoMoreMarbles · 21/10/2013 13:42

we turn our CH off at the beginning of April and usually switch it back on at around the middle of October although we are trying to get to November this year without it if we can... Our house gets very cold in the winter but a few degrees higher outside makes a HUGE difference to how warm it is inside...plus a jumper/blanket goes a long way!

We havent used our heating at all this year since March/April but i am already dreading how much the cost of gas will be this year! We have a card meter and last winter we were putting £20-30 per week in and only using the heating for a maximum of 4 hours a day and we would be in emergency by the end of the week!

KirjavaTheCorpse · 21/10/2013 13:42

Unfortunately, yanbu. I don't think with the way energy prices are heading there will be much choice for a large percentage of families.

In the dead of winter we can afford the heating on for an hour a day, and that is a struggle. The house we're renting haemorrhages heat with no scope for improvement. It's jumpers to bed some nights, and we're by no means near the bread line. A consistently warm house, for us, is just unsustainable.

sebsmummy1 · 21/10/2013 13:42

Oh yes, when I was in my rented cottage on economy seven I had no heat upstairs and didn't have enough hot water to heat the bath water sufficiently. It was fine but I could only cope with night times by using an electric blanket. Otherwise I would wake up at 2am shivering violently.

The house I'm now in is toasty warm as we have to have the heating on to make the water hot!! We are also running down the oil as we are moving out soon.

I think our new house might end up being bloody cold so I'm not looking forward to our first winter there. I don't feel the cold particularly though so I can cope with a cool house.

Trills · 21/10/2013 13:43

Joey in Friends was wearing all of Chandler's clothes, not all of his own clothes.

sebsmummy1 · 21/10/2013 13:44

Oh yes, when I was in my rented cottage on economy seven I had no heat upstairs and didn't have enough hot water to heat the bath water sufficiently. It was fine but I could only cope with night times by using an electric blanket. Otherwise I would wake up at 2am shivering violently.

The house I'm now in is toasty warm as we have to have the heating on to make the water hot!! We are also running down the oil as we are moving out soon.

I think our new house might end up being bloody cold so I'm not looking forward to our first winter there. I don't feel the cold particularly though so I can cope with a cool house.

NotYoMomma · 21/10/2013 13:44

and I am with npower headdesk

BunnyLebowski · 21/10/2013 13:44

I know that Trills just didn't think the clarification was necessary to make my point Smile

Peetle · 21/10/2013 13:46

With modern standards of insulation no one needs central heating. Trouble is, it's impractical or ludicrously expensive to bring all houses up to that standard.

My school had no central heating; we had thick ice on the windows (not just that pretty frosting) and got dressed in bed. No thanks.

Given the choice between lower bills and seeing my breath in my lounge I think I'll grit my teeth and pay them.

FreakinRexManningDay · 21/10/2013 13:47

cute boots no one was objecting to your spelling as I corrected my spelling mistake. Its your use of thieving gipsies that is wrong.

cjel · 21/10/2013 13:49

Isn't it just as dear to run an electric fire in one room as gas heating?

cantspel · 21/10/2013 13:50

I am glad i froze my energy prices last year so at least this year i know roughly how much to budget for heating.

My last 2 winter bills for combined gas and electric came out at just under £800 per quarter. I have spent summer building up some credit to be used this winter but i know i will still have to find at least another £500 when the 2 winter quarter bills come in.

I need my ch and there is no way i could use less or turn it off.

JustGettingOnWithIt · 21/10/2013 13:51

Try thieving Gaudja, at least you'll be factual if you insist on using racial insults.

exmrs · 21/10/2013 13:51

on my Facebook newsfeed a British gas post appeared saying they are committed to making our houses warmer this winter and about 3000 comments asking if they are taking the piss , I had to laugh at one comment although it isn't funny that heating is so expensive that they wrote it would be cheaper for them to burn their house down than put the heating on but at least they'd be warm