Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not turn on heating

243 replies

mailfuckoff · 09/01/2018 11:51

I have trouble with spending money on myself and for looking after myself. It's cold and I'm working from home. If the kids were here I would turn on the heating but it seems wasteful for just me. However I have a few layers and a blanket and I'm cold. Do you turn on the heating just for you.

OP posts:
Smeaton · 09/01/2018 13:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mirime · 09/01/2018 13:03

@Mummyoflittledragon

Yes you are if you’re feeling cold. You don’t have heat the whole house, turn the radiators off in the rooms you’re not using.

This can cause condensation and damp problems in the unheated rooms.

@Ginandanything

Put a jumper on. Put another jumper on.

I actually get claustrophobic with too many layers on. Unfortunately I also feel the cold and always have done.

I'm not a fan of the winter.

stickytoffeevodka · 09/01/2018 13:05

Yep. If I'm cold, the fire goes on. Unless I couldn't afford it, I wouldn't sit and freeze in my own home. Luckily our fire costs us nothing as DP gets the firewood for free!

Honeycombcrunch · 09/01/2018 13:06

If you can afford it, you should put the heating on. Your comfort matters just as much as the rest of your family. If you're working you'll be more productive in a warm house.

Topseyt · 09/01/2018 13:09

Yes. I am working from home most days during the winter months, so if I feel the need then on it goes.

I can control ours from an app on my phone (hive). There is a boost function which will put it on for an hour. That is often sufficient, but on days when it isn't I have no qualms about putting it on constantly for a while.

Why don't you think your own comfort is worth prioritising? If you can afford it then why wouldn't you?

Blondeshavemorefun · 09/01/2018 13:09

putting on for an hour to warm the house wont cost much,if thats the problem

Fortysix · 09/01/2018 13:10

Hot water bottle here.
Yesterday my carrots in box at the front door froze.
Today feels warmer

extinctspecies · 09/01/2018 13:11

I have a plug in heater for my office which is at the top of the house. I usually need to have it on if the outside temperature is below 5 degrees. Otherwise I just wear an extra jumper.

Don't heat the rest of the house during the daytime unless there's at least one other person at home.

Trinity66 · 09/01/2018 13:11

I would turn it on, life is too short to be cold in your own home Grin

blueskyinmarch · 09/01/2018 13:11

I don't work (retired) and would be utterly miserable in a cold house. We can afford to heat the house and i feel i am worth it, so the house stays warm when it is cold outside.

LaLaLolly · 09/01/2018 13:11

Best thing we did was to get smart heating valves (ours are German from a company called tado who also rent them)

It means we can heat individual rooms at specific temperatures. We can set automatic times or do it remotely through our mobiles.

Also means we can keep the children's rooms warm throughout the night, the rest of the house off and then comes on around 5am for a toasty morning.

It also has GPS and sees when there's no one home and turns itself off.

Realising I love it even more than I thought!

balancingfigure · 09/01/2018 13:12

If you can afford it put the heating on! Look after yourself.

We have actually found that since I’ve been at home and the heating is on more our bills haven’t really changed. I think the house stays at a nice temperature all day rather that getting super cold and needing a lot of warming up in the evening. It is quite well insulated and so this does depend on your home and kind of heating.

Solly76 · 09/01/2018 13:15

If you are cold and uncomfortable then switch it on.
I usually have mine on quite low when I'm working from home but still need to feel comfortable. Like you I wrap up but if I'm still cold I put the heating on or turn it up

FluffyWuffy100 · 09/01/2018 13:16

@LaLaLolly that is really interesting re the tado heating valves. I had never head of that, only stuff like Nest.

mari652 · 09/01/2018 13:22

I work from home much of the time and used to either turn it off or turn it down a lot during these v cold months in the daytime . Grew up in a large house that cost a fortune to heat so was trained to layer up from childhood. My husband was raised in a hotter climate, has retired early and does not ' do ' indoor winter clothing - wants the heating on full all the time in the daytime. It isn't a vital budget matter for us , fortunately, but I do resent the higher bills when Putting Some Flaming Socks On would really help :/

Margomyhero · 09/01/2018 13:22

I put it on if I'm cold.

DH works from home often - so our house is always toasty warm.

What's the point in suffering ?

idontlikealdi · 09/01/2018 13:23

Yes of course I do - I WFH two days a week and I'm not going to sit there freezing.

IrkThePurist · 09/01/2018 13:26

Yes, its not just for you, its also for the house, your furniture and carpets. Keeping it a minimum temperature helps keep damp and mould at bay.
Its also less expensive to maintain a constant low temperature than to put it on and have to bring it up from cold.

citychick · 09/01/2018 13:32

We put the dehumidifier on.
It keeps the damp away and our home feels warmer because of it.
Also drying clothes indoors makes the house damp so sorts that out too.

Don’t live in the Uk at present and these flats are built to keep the heat out and the cool air in. Gets pretty cold in winter. No central heating but we do have a fan heater for the very cold days/ evenings.

rogue8 · 09/01/2018 13:39

I'm quite stingy with the heating, compared to DH who seemingly likes to parade around in T-shirts whereas I put on my wool jumpers. Even I put the heating on for myself in Jan. It gets warmer in Feb/Mar so I only have to boost it from time to time. Switched off generally by April until Oct.

Creatureofthenight · 09/01/2018 13:39

I wouldn’t sit in the cold in my own home unless I was struggling to pay bills. If you’d put the heating on for others in your family, put it on for yourself - your comfort is worth just as much!

Hullabaloo31 · 09/01/2018 13:41

I WFH 3 days a week and have a little electric oil rad for my office so I don't heat the whole house just for me. My room is toasty, then I put the heating on around 4pm to warm the place up before I pick up the kids and H comes home.

Comekittykitty · 09/01/2018 13:41

Yes, previous owners did that and when we heated the old house (built 1700s) cracks started to appear in walls.

I f youre cold then you turn the thermostat up or put a log fire on. Unless youre into punishing tourself for no particular reason.

Yes, YABU. Hope you don’t get a cold.

extinctspecies · 09/01/2018 13:45

You can't get a cold from being cold.

Swipe left for the next trending thread