To think that I could just not use the heating much at all this winter?

[Socathe]

I live with my DH and three year old DS in a new ish four bed detached house. I know that there are many who will not be able to afford to heat their homes this winter and for whom it will not be an option.

We are very fortunate in that we could just about afford to heat our home as we usually would. However, it would swallow up all of our extra money - we would be doing it at the expense of other things, such as a holiday next year, a normal Christmas, meals out, the pantomime in December, finishing our house renovations, those sorts of things.

I know these things are luxuries and we are very fortunate to be in a position where we have luxuries we could give up in order to afford heating. But AIBU to think that we could just try not to use the heating much at all this winter, so we don't have to give up these other luxuries? In previous winters we've had it on for 5-6 hours a day, I'm thinking of trying an hour a day to start and see how we go. Thicker duvets, boot slippers, oodies etc.

Am I being unrealistic especially with having a 3yo? What is everyone else planning on doing?

An you turn the radiators off in rooms you are not using?

My plan is to sit round my mother in laws and let her treat us for a change.

Our house is terrible to heat as it’s all open plan, we’ve done the following since having our daughter.

Invest in an eco oil radiator with a thermostat for your toddlers room, this will keep their room temp regulated overnight ensuring they aren’t cold and they cost pennies to run - we bought one from John Lewis and it’s brilliant.

We have the heating on for 1 hour on a morning 6-7am and 1.5 hours on an evening, 5-6:30pm on a night.

We wear slippers with socks, have throws on the sofas and an electric blanket on the bed with a timer.

Ive worked from home for 6 years, I have a thermal base layer top I wear under jumpers along with a throw on my desk chair, and I’m never cold even though I’m sat all day.

Rooms we don’t use have radiator thermostats set to number 1 to keep damp at bay on the time the heating is on.

We have a thermal door curtain over the front door and heavy lined curtains to close across the bi-folds.

I wonder if a dehumidifier would cost less than heating? Someone must know the maths 🤔

I spent last winter in a long sleeve thermal top, long sleeve top, jumper, normal socks, thick bed socks on top of those then a blanket on top of my knees whilst watching TV and I was still cold when the thermostat was kept at 18degrees!
I will be adding my think winter coat on indoors with prices the way they are. I am Dreading winter.

Well. The problem with that is that if you are also not using a tumble dryer then towels won't dry between uses in the bathroom and it'll take at least 5 days for an airer of washing to dry. We do about 3 loads a week for us plus a 3 year old.

It's also really really not good for asthma to have a cold home and both DS and DH have it. I'd rather cut down on hot water and oven usage first.

I tried to reduce our use of heating at the end of last winter/ beginning of spring. There were still a few days when we were working from home and had to cave in and put it on for a couple of hours. I only need half an hour in the morning to take the edge off because I'm rushing around getting ready. It's a different story when you're sat at a desk for 9 hours not moving. I could keep my body warm with layers but my hands and face were too cold. We're going to try electric blankets this winter.

I'm thinking an hour in the morning definitely and then maybe would add an hour in the evening if we were struggling and see how we go and what the costs are. That's definitely less than we usually use it.

Drying washing is a whole other issue as would usually just stick the heating on for an hour to get it going - we don't have a tumble dryer. I've been looking at heated airers and hoping an hour's heating in the morning will get towels dry on towel radiators in the bathrooms.

If sitting at a desk I recommend a carport square under feet

As several other posters have said already I grew up in a house with no central heating ( in fact, we had no mains electricity until 1975 and relied on a temperamental generator in the back shed for a fitful supply of electricity, but we did have mains gas and had gas lights and paraffin lampsuntil mains electricity was installed), and made do with a woodburner. It was actually quite fun to live such a simple life.
I still have no central heating in my house, to this day, and, again, rely on a woodburner, but I don't like being too warm and have the bedroom window open all night, every night, all year round. But, big caveat, it is just me and, yes, it can be a bit uncomfortable when temperatures are sub zero or nearly so. It is doable, but not something I would do if I had children or young people residing with me

Easy to say in August 🤠 but yes give it a go for sure. My DM and df used to sit under a blanket with hot water bottles before going up to bed. Wear wool.

I'm dreading this winter. We are already careful but this year we just won't be able to afford to have it on for more than an hour or 2 a day. We will have a newborn from the end of November so it's definitely a worry.

My house is quite well insulated - when I had an extension built in 2005 I had all ceilings upstairs dropped and 6" Kingspan inserted and the whole thing re-plaster-boarded - I did the same to the flat roof extension.

I have bought several rolls of this📧www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B075XKJ9LQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've velcro'd it to large windows to keep out the heat in the heatwaves - and will use it in the winter to keep the heat in - I just used some doubled sided velcro tape to fix it to the inside of my windows. Some windows upstairs can have this on more of les permanently over the winter but I don't want a totally dark house so I have made sections I can take off to let some light in. Not sure how much difference it will make - it helped in the heatwave so should help. Extreme times call for extreme measures!

I've even contemplated turning the electric off at the trip switches overnight when it's too cold for the freezer to defrost. I could use my phone as an alarm clock but I'd have to use a torch to switch it all back on again, unless I left purely the upstairs ring main untripped.

If this winter is warm like last winter, you won't need the heating on so much anyway. I'm buying thermal lined curtains for my draughty windows, and planning on wearing a hat indoors a lot! My dogs will probably be getting some extra wear from their jumpers too :)

I would start by getting your home as efficient as possible- a lot of things can be done to help insulate. For example, plugging up gaps where cold air comes in with draft excluders, checking for drafts, using heavy curtains, making sure radiators are efficient, etc. Are windows double glazed? Is the house insulated? Are there any cold floor areas that can be covered with rugs? Even if those costs are not possible there are small changes that can make a huge difference. For example, we are slowly changing modern radiators for second hand cast iron ones- they hold so much more heat and keep a room warmer for much longer. Consider placing radiators more carefully- sometimes they are simply in the wrong spot. Also bear in mind that letting a room get completely cold then warming it up can cost more than maintaining a base temperature. Doing these things will cost some money but in the long term it is worth the investment as you will cut costs and be more comfortable in your home.

I've never been in the habit of having mine on in the mornings before I gomout to work. Seems a bit pointless to have it on for an hour when I'm in a hot shower or drying my hair and not get the full benefit of the heat once I've gone to work. My 1950s semi doesn't feel particularly cold in the mornings anyway, and I'm quite nesh. Its on when I get in from work though as I commute by bike 🥶. Its on for a couple of hours in the evening and I'm usually in bed by 10 - brushed cotton bedding, cotton pj's, hot water bottle and various cats keep me cosy.

My heating only went on 3 times last winter, when I needed to dry washing in a hurry. I’m not even sure how I can cut back anymore of that, and my bills just increased by over £100/ month despite reducing my usage as far as possible,

We can afford the price rises but will still be cutting down energy consumption. If we all do that then demand will collectively fall and maybe prices will fall, or at least stop prices increasing as fast.

We are fortunate enough to continue as usual too OP. However I have purchased a heated throw, I work from home and want to cut back a bit. My Lab isn’t a fan of the central heating! It should cost me around 10p an hour.

🤣 this is actually a great idea!

OP, if you buy those cheap quick drying microfibre towels they dry really fast (and if you can afford that holiday next year the towels will also come in really handy). When I was a child we just washed hands, faces and bums in winter at the sink and then had a bath once a week, or a really good shower after swimming lesson when I was a bit older.

Is your dc at preschool for part of the day? If yes you can probably get away with having the heating off a lot of the time. Also if you have a library or toddler group within walking distance on cold dry days that’s a good place to while away some time in a warmer environment without costing a lot.

Don't shut off rooms to the north side of the house if they have water pipes - just leaving the door open to the room will probably stop them freezing. In really cold weather pipes against outside walls can freeze ( I'm talking zbout well below freezing.
Put the tv in a small, central room in the house. You feel the cold more when you are sitting about and a smaller room is easier to heat.
Use a lecky blanket for 15 mins before you go to bed.

Its ok saying dont put on your heating if you live in the south of England. Im in Glasgow, the temperature just now is 16 degrees, its 25 in London. Its much colder and wetter here and there's no acknowledgement of this anywhere.

I seem to remember the days before standing charges, or was that a dream?

You must make sure that your frost stat on the heating is correctly set and working. If your pipes freeze it will cost a fortune. The frost stat turns the heating on once it reaches a certain temperature in the house to protect the heating system. Usually between 3-5 degrees. So do not turn the electricity off at the trip switch!
I have a heat pump 😬 and I am planning of setting the room stats to 10 degrees as this should be cheaper to run whilst ensuring the house does not get damp or the heating system freezes
I aim to avoid putting the heating until well into November. Past experience tells me it easier to do without heat when you’ve not had it on, than when you’ve had it on for a few months. Last year I made to Christmas Day without the central heating but was using the open fire.
Old weather lore says on candlemas day you should have half your corn and half your hay. Because there’s still half of winter and cold weather to come. Candlemas day in 2nd of February.
snow is more likely in March than December in the uk.
I could afford the heating but to do so would mean I couldn’t invest in solar next spring which will make energy more affordable in the long term for us.