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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Re the heating?

119 replies

MrsPear · 19/01/2016 16:28

So husband can't work the heating - he is being a lazy arse. Has just complained it is cold in here - set to 18 on constantly. I said well put some clothes on - he is wearing shorts and a t shirt. He said you don't wear jumpers in the house; after all what do you wear when your out? A coat was my answer. Am I unreasonable to set the thermostat in account of jumpers?! Btw I left work to become a sahm after ds1 due to him having health problems and he is suppose to be working to support is but he he currently is not just gambling so I am not feeling charitable

OP posts:
TheSecondViola · 19/01/2016 23:08

30 degs?

randomsabreuse · 19/01/2016 23:11

My 5mo likes room temperature around 18. She's toasty in vest/top/trousers - no cardi. I'm usually wearing a fleece. Have to pander to baby temperature requirements. Heating has been cheap this year!

Abraid2 · 19/01/2016 23:12

30!? That cannot be healthy.

Intheprocess · 19/01/2016 23:15

18 degrees is recommended by the WHO as a minimum temperature for healthy children and adults, (21 degrees for babies and the elderly) so you're fine to stick to that. If he wants a warmer house you should suggest he finds a way of paying for it.

tootiredtoknow · 19/01/2016 23:18

Neither is sitting in a freezing cold house with cold hands and feet Abraid. I haven't had a cold/been ill for three years. I accept that it is a little bit extreme for some and I probably have an undiagnosed circulation/thyroid problem that I should probably go and sort out.

tootiredtoknow · 19/01/2016 23:22

Oh and I do have a jumper and thick thermal socks on too. I'd be freezing in a t shirt.

tobysmum77 · 20/01/2016 07:27

30 would make me ill. I suspect in mitigation for all of this some people's thermostats are in fact higher than others. I doubt 18 according to the thermometer in my house would produce an identical temperature to someone elses for example. If I put mine to 21 it really is warm.

The thing I don't understand is if you have it at 30 you surely must need the heating on during the summer too?

HermioneJeanGranger · 20/01/2016 07:29

30 degrees?! I'd bake. If ours is set much above 20 degrees I get a pounding headache after half an hour or so. The air feels so dry and I get a sore throat too.

I think it's easier to warm up than it is to cool down, though. If you're baking in a t-shirt and shorts, there's not much else you can do to cool down, but if you're cold in a t-shirt and shorts, then you can easily warm yourself up without sticking the heating on.

TheoriginalLEM · 20/01/2016 07:47

"bloody hell some of you are strict over the heating"

errr some of us can't afford to be otherwise!

We don't have the heating during the day. We keep active.wear jumpers and use throws. Like most people

TheCatsMeow · 20/01/2016 07:51

Most people I know keep warm houses LEM

fieldfare · 20/01/2016 08:01

It's winter fgs, he needs to put proper clothes on - long trousers, socks and a jumper. If he's still cold after having a cup of tea or other hot drink then turn up the heating.
Ours is set at 18, comes on for two hours in the morning, an hour over lunch and two hours in the evening.
I am comfortable in jeans, thick soled socks and a vest with light jumper over, Dh walks around in his pants as he just burns hotter than me.

flanjabelle · 20/01/2016 08:10

Money is tight so I only ever put the heating up to 18 and only until it takes the chill off. I feel sick if it's too warm anyway. We just wear jumpers and dressing gowns to keep warm and cosy. Even my parents who are well off never have it higher than 18, but they have it on all the time.

TheoriginalLEM · 20/01/2016 08:12

Lucky them!

steff13 · 20/01/2016 08:13

I do not like to wear sweaters and pants in the house. Or shoes and socks. We keep ours at 74 (F) during the day, and 62 at night.

nightandthelight · 20/01/2016 08:16

Most people would think that of me meow but I only turn on the heating when I know other people will be in the house!

Roussette · 20/01/2016 08:16

Tell him to put some clothes on! Ridiculous to have to heat a house up to a temperature that would suit someone wandering around with shorts and a t shirt on!

I wear lots in the winter, even indoors... layers, because I'm a cold person and to be honest I would prefer it like that. Our house is warm enough and I hate going to houses where it's honestly like walking into a 200 degree oven and they are wondering round with summer clothes on. I feel it's unhealthy. And as for keeping heating on at night - no no no! I like a cold bedroom, far more healthy, I'd have a bangin' headache in the morning if it was on, I always do in hotels that do.

Fairylea · 20/01/2016 08:18

If there isn't much money coming into the house I think it's a bit of a luxury to have the heating on all the time! We are down to a low income as dh is off sick with stress and depression and we have a severely disabled child (I am a full time carer to both at the moment) and we have the heating on twice a day for 2 hours at a time. Can't afford any more! Dh is due to return to a different job in February and then we will be able to have it on a bit more.

biscuitz72 · 20/01/2016 08:20

I have the heating set to 16°C overnight and 18°C during the day, then for 4 hrs in the evening, when everyone is home, it's set to 20/21°C. Our heating doesn't go on before mid November regardless of the weather and it will go off in mid February (end of of February at the latest). I would much rather wear an extra layer of clothing or a blanket than waste money/energy on heating.

biscuitz72 · 20/01/2016 08:21

Forgot to add: YANBU

merrymouse · 20/01/2016 08:22

If you don't like wearing a jumper, the U.K. really isn't the right place for you.

Central heating and thermostats have only really become common in the last 30 years, so I'm a bit bemused at people who think that it is culturally normal to wonder around in t-shirts in winter.

biscuitz72 · 20/01/2016 08:29

I have rheumatoid arthritis, and the cold hurts, but I get headaches and feel ill if it's above 20°C for too long. Normally we wouldn't go above 18°C at all but we've recently moved into an old place and it gets cold pretty quick (hence the higher temp for a few hours in the evening; although our thermostat is in the warmest room so it doesn't stay on long and isn't heating the entire house to that temp).

steff13 · 20/01/2016 08:29

I'm not in the UK. It's currently 19 (F) here in Cincinnati, which I believe is -7 (C). I don't know what an average winter temperature in the UK is.

DutchWabbit · 20/01/2016 08:35

18 degrees would be too cold in our house for just sitting around or for study and desk work, but i agree with OP, not if you're running around doing housework or bombing about playing then at least put some warm things on.

We have a new-fangled thermostat just fitted to go with the smart metre and the settings I've set are Away 15 degrees, Home 20, Sleep 15 and Comfort 22 - the heating is set to a normal working day so, as I work PT I take the liberty to crank up the heating to comfort when I'm sat doing research. (Very sedentary - seat and bum do not part company for hours on end). I always feel guilty for doing this - wonder if the wood burner next to my desk would be more eco-friendly.

She's not at all unreasonable to be aware of the costs of turning the heating up and telling OH to put more suitable clothing on... I think DH would go bonkers at paying £25 per week on heating,

OP, I know you will be paying premium price for pre-paid energy bills (just one of the crazy, socially unequal, upside-down things about living in the UK- will your landlord allow you to change the metre - when i was renting in the UK my LL allowed me to do this.

TheCatsMeow · 20/01/2016 08:35

Well I'm glad I don't live with you lot! I like to be comfortable in my house, if I have to wear a million layers that's not right IMO

TheCatsMeow · 20/01/2016 08:37

Also am I the only one that can change the temp of every room? So we can have a really warm room or a really cold room depending on who's in there and what they're doing.