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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to expect heating to be on?

583 replies

Glitterinthegrey · 08/02/2021 16:39

Me & DD's are spending our days at my FIL house for the next couple of weeks while some work is being done on our house.

We're having meals here, but I brought all the food with us, and I'm doing him dinner every day too.

It's absolutely freezing in his house! Youngest DD is sitting under a duvet in the spare room, and oldest is wearing her gloves to do her homework. There is snow on the ground outside. I asked him (politely) if we could put the heating on - he says it'll come on automatically if it goes below 16.5 degrees!

AIBU to think this is too bloody cold? He just shrugged and said that we should wear more clothes!

OP posts:
tillyandmilly · 08/02/2021 18:35

We don’t put our heating on very often - live top floor flat get everyone’s heat - although it’s too hot if we have our heating on over 20 degrees. Been to some friends’ houses and they are boiling hot and they walk around with t shirts and shorts?

Gwenhwyfar · 08/02/2021 18:36

@dotoallasyouwouldbedoneby

YANBU that's a very low temperature. Even 21 degrees feels too cold with snow outside. Mine's set at 23 degrees right now.
That's because 21 on the thermostat isn't the same as 21 in actual temperature. I imagine the room I'm in now is at least 21 (don't have a thermostat or thermometer), but I'm still wearing a thermal top, a jumper, a dress, a cardigan, thick tights and slippers. I'm not wearing hat and gloves inside so I wouldn't have it any colder.
lynsey91 · 08/02/2021 18:36

I get that some people can't afford to have their heating on high and/or often and I find that sad.

If you can afford it why the hell would you not have your house at a comfortable temperature? We have the thermostat set at 20 for 3 hours in the morning (6.30 - 9.30) and 6 hours later on (3 - 9). If it is very cold, like today, we put on constant but turn it down or off once we are very warm.

I don't expect to wear shorts this time of year but I am not bloody wearing god knows how many layers in my own home.

We have oil central heating and find it quite economical.

For the poster who reckons if it were 16 outside we would be getting the barbeque and patio furniture ready I can assure I would not. I don't think that is particularly warm at all.

MaxNormal · 08/02/2021 18:36

At being Facetious maybe. Is it such a difficult concept to grasp that some people prefer colder homes and that some of us understand it’s February and jumpers are a bloody given. No wonder the climate is shot to shit.

I remember when all this used to be fun fields.

Pootle40 · 08/02/2021 18:36

@Followthelarch

I don't have heating at this time of year, put some extra layers of clothes on will help a lot

Dear god, when do you put it on if not when there's snow on the ground and an artic blast of minus 7 !!

GrinGrinGrinGrin
LadyDanbury · 08/02/2021 18:36

Luxury!!!

SchrodingersImmigrant · 08/02/2021 18:37

Come on peopel😂 I saw people running around in tshirts in 12 degrees.

Plus there is this merch😂

AIBU to expect heating to be on?
Followthelarch · 08/02/2021 18:38

Sweet666

I'm still dying to know how cold it would have to be before you turned your heating on Hmm

Eckhart · 08/02/2021 18:38

@CoffeeRunner

But 16.5 degrees isn’t all that cold. My point was actually that maybe his thermostat isn’t working as well as it should!
Have you read the thread? You personally might not feel cold at 16.5, but many would. 20 is average room temp in winter. It would be normal for a person to feel cold at 16.5 if they were used to 20.
SchrodingersImmigrant · 08/02/2021 18:40

If you can afford it why the hell would you not have your house at a comfortable temperature?

Because "comfortable" is subjective. I like cold. My friend likes hot. We suffer when we visit each other even though we try to compromise temperatures😂

3orangekissesfromkazan · 08/02/2021 18:40

I sit in front of the freezer to keep warm.

Bloody luxury.

notalwaysalondoner · 08/02/2021 18:42

People have such different perceptions of temperature - I'm pretty much freezing below 17C (even 18C) and even wearing three jumpers, a down jacket and gloves will be uncomfortable, whereas my DH will be fine in just a T shirt and thin jumper.

I'd offer to pay the difference on his meter readings.

Thenose · 08/02/2021 18:42

"You'd hate it here there - set for 12.5 during the day, 8.5 overnight!"*

This is unhealthily cold and I pray that you don't have children there.

Cold indoor temperatures inflame the lungs, inhibit circulation, increase the risk of/worsen respiratory conditions, and negatively impact mental health. It should be at least 18°C; and warmer if there are vulnerable groups there - children, older people, people with chronic illness etc. There's no evidence that 'getting used to it' reduces the risk of adverse health effects, either.

VinylDetective · 08/02/2021 18:42

@Sweet666

I don't have heating at this time of year, put some extra layers of clothes on will help a lot
Wtf? When do you put it on? It’s bloody freezing today. Ours is set at 21.
BumbleBeegu · 08/02/2021 18:42

@Sweet666

I don't have heating at this time of year, put some extra layers of clothes on will help a lot
You don't have heating "at this time of year" 🙄 ffs?? Seriously?? NO HEATING? At "this" time of year? The COLDEST time of the year...when we have fucking snow on the ground and temperatures of -7! Christ on a bike but there are some mental braggers on here! I honestly despair at the lengths some of you will go to to score a point for the craziest nonsense spouted 🤣🤦‍♀️🙄
Chumleymouse · 08/02/2021 18:43

Ours is set to 19c downstairs ( bedrooms , bathrooms ) upstairs , open plan is currently 25c due to the wood burner, and it’s toasty. Being cold just makes life miserable. And no heating also makes the house damp ☹️

Tie the old git up and whack the heating on !!!!!!!!!!!

DwarfQuasar · 08/02/2021 18:43

No wonder the climate is shot to shit.

Actually, the people i know with cold houses, spend far more on heating than those with warm houses as they live in old draughty properties with poor insulation. If i'm spending 60 a month on gas and electric whilst they're spending 150 to heat their house to 16 degrees it's not me killing the planet!

Needsmustnow · 08/02/2021 18:43

@Sweet666 I too want to know what time of year you do put the heating on.

BumbleBeegu · 08/02/2021 18:44

@Sweet666

What are you and your daughters wearing? If you're not wearing warm clothes and layers then I don't think you can complain. It's winter so can't expect to wear one layer... I am wearing leggings with trousers and fluffy socks, 2 tops and dressing gown when I want to be warm, when you are busy you warm up too, go for a fast walk and you will be warm when you get home
Or...and, just hear me out here...wear INDOOR clothes and pop on the heating like a normal person 🤷‍♀️👍
listerclocks · 08/02/2021 18:44

That makes a change from all the boomers sitting in their expensive house with their massive pensions!

Comparison is the thief of joy.

DietrichandDiMaggio · 08/02/2021 18:45

@EmmaGrundyForPM

Ours is set to 17 overnight and 18 during the day. Our last electricity bill was really high as we had it at 19 so now we are trying 18 most of the time. I think it's because we are wfh. Pre Covid, dh worked from home 2 days a week but I never did, and he had a little plug in radiator in his study that he put on for extra heat rather than turn the thermostat up. With 3 of us wfh this winter we have had the thermostat at 19 to keep the house warmer during the day. We have now gone to 18 as a compromise.

I can't bear a hot house and sleep with the window open. But I have very good circulation, I rarely wear gloves and rarely do my coat up.

I think people get used to a certain temperature. Can you offer to pay your FIL more towards bills and then buy a small heater for the rooms you are using?

Why not keep it at 19 during the day and turn the heating off overnight? I don't understand heating the house when everyone is in bed. Set it to go off at 10pm and come on at 6am/30 minutes before you get up.
Thefirsttime · 08/02/2021 18:45

@Followthelarch

Sweet666

I'm still dying to know how cold it would have to be before you turned your heating on Hmm

Me too. And what time of year @Sweet666 will put the heating on since “this time of year” isn’t it.
Gwenhwyfar · 08/02/2021 18:46

@tillyandmilly

We don’t put our heating on very often - live top floor flat get everyone’s heat - although it’s too hot if we have our heating on over 20 degrees. Been to some friends’ houses and they are boiling hot and they walk around with t shirts and shorts?
I always dress warm and have heating according to that. However, if there are more than one person in the home and one is a hot person, it makes sense that that person would dress in light clothes rather than the other person being miserable. There's a limit to how many jumpers you can put on and still be able to move your arms.
LillyFlower1984 · 08/02/2021 18:46

Sweet666 must be a troll

bananafish · 08/02/2021 18:46

If you’re there for two weeks, and you’ve already offered additional money and it’s been refused, then I would have a heater delivered from Amazon or wherever.

Calculate heating costs and leave the money to cover it. I wouldn’t want my children to be cold for 2 weeks. It’s -2 outside. I think heating is justified.