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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

House on 16 + layers

225 replies

ByMyName · 08/02/2022 17:40

I’m guilty of having the house on 23 Blush because I like being warm. I’ve been saying to DH that I will make some changes.

Today I set the hearing at 16. This is what it will be say and night.

I had to wear a jumper around the house but it’s genuinely fine.

We can really make some habit changes and cope with the has increase. Or am I deluded?

OP posts:
Maireas · 08/02/2022 19:12

@hangrylady

What is it with mumsnet and competitiveness over how cold people have their houses? It's like a badge of honour, who has their thermostat turned down lowest.Confused
It's most odd. Surely they're not all living in penury? A cold house is so miserable and unpleasant. Wrapped up like you're on an expedition just to watch telly or read your book. I like a comfy, welcoming house.
Maireas · 08/02/2022 19:13

@Blossomtoes

You don’t need the heating on at night. What a waste.
You do sometimes. I used to live in a very draughty and poorly insulated Victorian house. In bad weather it was too cold without.
Caspianberg · 08/02/2022 19:19

Maybe I just feel the cold, ours daytime is around 20-21 degrees. I’m in full winter layers and jumpers still. At night it goes off but never drops below 18-19 ish indoors overnight.
We would all freeze at 15!

We are in a colder country, and the government actually suggest 23 degrees as a suitable indoor temperature in winter. You can get grants to allow you to afford that. If we ever visit friends or public places it’s much much warmer indoors.

Nanny0gg · 08/02/2022 19:22

@ByMyName

I’m guilty of having the house on 23 Blush because I like being warm. I’ve been saying to DH that I will make some changes.

Today I set the hearing at 16. This is what it will be say and night.

I had to wear a jumper around the house but it’s genuinely fine.

We can really make some habit changes and cope with the has increase. Or am I deluded?

You need the heating off at night. Ours goes off at least an hour before bedtime

Everyone will be warm enough in bed. Otherwise you'll all cook

Tricked2003 · 08/02/2022 19:25

Ours goes off overnight..........the thermostat is set to 8 degrees but I've never known it cut it even when it's freezing!

thewhatsit · 08/02/2022 19:29

@ByMyName

Also I heard you should not have heating completely off as pipes may freeze etc
Yeah like if you leave it off completely and then go away for a month when it’s freezing Grin.

Most people have theirs off overnight I think? The pipes don’t freeze that quickly!

Maireas · 08/02/2022 19:35

Those of you all layered up in permanently cold houses - do you warm the place up when visitors come round? Or just give them a blanket?

genome · 08/02/2022 19:44

Ours is set to 17.5c and 16c for night-time, but the thermostat is in the hall/stairs so a little cooler than the rest of the house. My parents have it in the mid 20s and I'm always sweating if I go round 😂 I'm dressed for winter with layers all day, whereas they don't wear layers indoors.

Svara · 08/02/2022 19:47

@Maireas

Those of you all layered up in permanently cold houses - do you warm the place up when visitors come round? Or just give them a blanket?
Mine isn't permanently cold but if I have visitors when the heating is normally off and it's very cold outside I will put the heating on for an hour. They will normally arrive with a jumper under a coat so will just take the coat off. Most also have the heating off in the day at their house too.
chesirecat99 · 08/02/2022 19:50

@Caspianberg you might be feeling cold layered up in jumpers at 20/21C because of the way that our bodies sense heat. The temperature will be lower at floor level than at the height of the thermostat so make sure your feet are warm, always wear socks and slippers, as you will be "feeling" the part of your body at the lowest temperature. Another factor is that we sense the radiant heat from walls and windows. If your home is poorly insulated or your sofa/desk etc is by an outside wall or window, you will be sensing the lower temperature of the wall/window rather than the air temperature.

JudgeJ · 08/02/2022 19:53

@OwlNoises101

23 is baking. 16 is cold. Why not go for a reasonable 18 in the day and off at night?
Depends on the house or, in my case, the part of the house. I have no heating on until early evening for a couple of hours at about 16, during the day the kitchen side is in the sun and very warm, the sitting room is much cooler all year round, it's fabulous when we have those unbearably hot days! Why anyone has heating on at night is beyond me.
Original poster
ByMyName · 08/02/2022 19:54

During the day 16 was ok with a jumper.

So we had dinner and are now watching tv. It’s freezing. I have a dressing gown on and have a duvet on as well… I think my body will adjust with time.

OP posts:
resuwen · 08/02/2022 19:55

@godmum56

is this going to turn into a competitive freezing thread?
Not me. 21 during the day, 16 at night. I still wear a jumper and fluffy socks!
CheshireDing · 08/02/2022 19:58

Our back doors were open today like the pp, for the dog and nosey chickens. It’s not been cold today, nice and fresh. The bathrooms can feel cold I find because of all the tiles.

Turn your heating off overnight OP, you will save a fortune and turn it down in the day. Ours is definitely off overnight as we have the windows open.

When you get a bit too cold in the day remember ‘it’s free to put a fleece on’ 😀(as I say to DH)

Caspianberg · 08/02/2022 19:58

@chesirecat99 - our house is well insulated, and warm. But if it’s below 20 I definitely am cold. I wear thick socks and slippers every day. Dh has his office at 22 as gets cold just sitting down all day

dementedpixie · 08/02/2022 19:58

Mine is on 18/19⁰C when it's on during the day (6-10am and 5-10pm) and then off overnight

Svara · 08/02/2022 20:03

@ByMyName

During the day 16 was ok with a jumper.

So we had dinner and are now watching tv. It’s freezing. I have a dressing gown on and have a duvet on as well… I think my body will adjust with time.

It will feel cold in the evening if it's the same temperature as the day. It would be more comfortable if it was either lower in the day when you are more active or higher in the evening. Off at night or you will feel cold getting out of a warm bed. My heating goes off well before bed but I make a hot water bottle when I start to feel colder that I later take up to bed.
Maestrog · 08/02/2022 20:25

@randomsabreuse

Our thermostat is in the draughtiest coldest bit of the house right by the front door. It's never on above 18, down to about 11 overnight. It's definitely warmer than that in the bits of the house we actually spend time in!
Exactly! 20 on a thermostat by the front door is completely different to 20 in the cosiest spot in the house., thermostats vary, ability of heating systems to reach the set temp varies.

OP getting and using thermostatic radiator valves, and turning the heating off at night, are much less miserable ways to save money than never going above 16 in the daytime.

godmum56 · 08/02/2022 20:28

hahahaha

House on 16 + layers
Retrievemysanity · 08/02/2022 20:32

We don’t usually have the heating on overnight but I do have an electric blanket on when it’s really cold outside. In the day in the week, we have it on 18 from 5.30am-9am and 3.30-8pm. Weekends it depends if we are in or not. Always wear jumpers or fleeces in winter inside. I think if it’s too hot, everyone can get really lethargic.

Angrymum22 · 08/02/2022 20:35

My DSis and I were discussing menopausal hot flushes recently and how central heating is totally unnecessary when you are menopausal. In fact DSis thought that energy companies were missing out on an untapped natural heat source. A roomful of menopausal women probably produce enough heat to supply an average house.

XmasElf10 · 08/02/2022 20:37

Mine is 19 during the day and off overnight and we wear jumpers!

BigBadBoom · 08/02/2022 20:38

We usually have ours set at 18c, but we're in a pretty solid 1930s ex council house so it only comes on if it's very cold outside. I'll bump it up to 19c in the evening if it's freezing, just to heat up the bedrooms, then it's off for the night. I can't bear it being on overnight, and I can hear the boiler so I know if it kicks in and I just have to go and switch it off!

BigBadBoom · 08/02/2022 20:39

Actually have to say I'm pretty cold during the day now I'm working from home, just from sitting around. So I layer up, drink hot drinks, move around and go for a walk on my lunch, stuff like that.

Coulddowithanap · 08/02/2022 20:44

@ByMyName

Also I heard you should not have heating completely off as pipes may freeze etc
It's really not cold enough to freeze the pipes at the moment (unless you are somewhere where the temperature is below zero, it's been quite mild in the UK so far this year)
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