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Original poster

What is the 'thing' with putting the heating on?

197 replies

CatchersAndDreams · 30/09/2022 19:57

Surely just because you put it on doesn't mean you have to keep it on. I've never understood this thing that people have about not putting or putting on the heating as if you're stuck with it on once you put it on!

OP posts:
MinervaTerrathorn · 30/09/2022 21:35

I use my thermostat to control my heating.
So do I once it's on for the winter. I just don't want it clicking on if there's an early cold snap and there's a window left open or it would be on full blast trying to heat the street.

GrimmTales · 30/09/2022 21:36

Sirius3030 · 30/09/2022 21:30

I genuinely don’t get it. I turned my heating on in May 2016, and haven’t turned it off since. It’s on a thermostat so it only generating heat when the room temperature drops below 18.

But that’s the point. I don’t want my heating to run when it’s “only 18 degrees”. It would have to be less than that, less than the minimum temperature on my thermostat, which I think is 15. I don’t want it on / don’t want to pay just for the occasional colder day. It needs to be a spell of very cold weather.

tillytoodles1 · 30/09/2022 21:39

My heating is always on, I turn off the radiators when it's warm then turn them on again when it's cold. I can't stand wearing heavy clothes indoors. The exception was my in-law their house was never above 14 and everything felt damp, I wore lots of jumpers and socks there.

picklemewalnuts · 30/09/2022 21:41

Sirius3030 · 30/09/2022 21:30

I genuinely don’t get it. I turned my heating on in May 2016, and haven’t turned it off since. It’s on a thermostat so it only generating heat when the room temperature drops below 18.

Your boiler is on at all times. It's burning gas inside, a little bit all the time. When it heats the water, it burns much more for a short period. When the house gets cold, it burns much more until it warms up- and keeps burning it to keep it warm- even when you aren't there.

If you learn how to use the timer and thermostat, it will only warm the house when you need it.

Weemummykay · 30/09/2022 21:41

CPL593H · 30/09/2022 20:43

Thank you! I thought I was weird just to control it from the thermostat, just have it set really low all summer and then turn it up, thought I was Doing It Wrong!

Show quote history

i use my thermostat to control my heating too. I have a baby in the house so there was a few mornings here n there during the summer where it had clicked on. I always have the radiators in each room set differently as well. Living room and kids rooms are the highest and the bathroom is usually off completely apart from when it’s bath time

teenagetantrums · 30/09/2022 21:41

I just put it on when we are cold. We both work shifts so no point in having it on a timer. We haven't had it on yet but we are in South West not been cold yet really and we still the bedroom windows open.however in my mind l don't put the heating on until October no idea why

friedbrainrightnow · 30/09/2022 21:41

People are at it a little bit here. Clearly when people talking about their heating being on they mean having a warm house … not just a a working boiler.

Is your tv ‘on’ 24/7 because it’s switched on at the plug?

BanannaSplitz · 30/09/2022 21:43

5128gap · 30/09/2022 20:02

Putting the heating on is a sign that the weather has become cold enough to require it. Usually this is then pretty much a one way street until the next spring. The longer people can stave it off the better it feels psychologically.

It doesn’t feel better ‘psychologically’ to be freezing and to put off putting on the heating because you can’t afford it.

butterfliedtwo · 30/09/2022 21:46

BanannaSplitz · 30/09/2022 21:43

It doesn’t feel better ‘psychologically’ to be freezing and to put off putting on the heating because you can’t afford it.

Show quote history

Exactly.

Bunnyfuller · 30/09/2022 21:47

My thermostat is set to 9. I’m not doing Billy Big Balls, we just won’t be using the rads until we have to. We do have a big woodburner tho.

Meggie2008 · 30/09/2022 21:49

Mine was on for 15 mins this evening but only to check it was all working properly before it needs to be on!

etulosba · 30/09/2022 21:50

Having the heating "on" doesn't cost a penny unless the thermostat actually calls for heat and the triggers the boiler to burn gas.

It adds up to lots of pennies if your boiler has a pilot light burning for no reason in the warmer months.

Fuwari · 30/09/2022 21:50

They reckon that with the price cap and £400 payment, energy bills shouldn't be much more than they were last year.

If I'm cold, heating goes on. I'm not walking round in a t shirt (unless I get one of my regular hot flushes!) but I am not wearing thermals and gloves in my own home. Nor am i going to be a martyr.

Past few days it's been on an hour in the morning and some evenings. I never use a timer, just the thermostat. I'm on a payg meter and currently have over £100 on there from small top ups through summer. Obviously I will keep topping up and use my monthly vouchers once they come through. I won't need to start thinking about restricting it anytime soon.

Obviously some people are in a far more difficult situation and so I see why they might be holding off as long as possible. But I'm not particularly well off, single so only my income coming in and I'm not paid loads. But heating to me is up there on the essentials list.

Cynderella · 30/09/2022 21:52

For decades now, I have just switched my energy supplier from fixed deal to fixed deal. And now I can't.

So, last year, I could afford to have my heating come on when it got cold. This year is different - I've got to reduce my annual usage and less heating is going to be a big part of that. So, instead of putting on the heating, it's extra layers or getting under a blanket. I'd like to think I can do this until the end of October. If it turns really cold, heating will go on. But right now, we're managing - not liking it, but managing.

If I was only paying three or dour pence for a kwh of gas (like last winter), I'd be leaving the heating decisions to the thermostat. I'm not badly off - I have savings and I don't have debt. I have a reasonable income, but I don't want it all to go on energy. Many people don't have the luxury of the choice - they cannot keep feeding their meters of paying higher DDs, so leaving the heating off is essential.

MinervaTerrathorn · 30/09/2022 21:53

They reckon that with the price cap and £400 payment, energy bills shouldn't be much more than they were last year.
Mine will be £1200 minus £400, so £800. The trouble is that everything else is going up at the same time.

Goldencarp · 30/09/2022 21:55

I don’t have a thermostat so when it’s cold I’ll “put it on”. It is on a time so usually comes on twice a day.

AsAnyFuleKno · 30/09/2022 21:56

They reckon that with the price cap and £400 payment, energy bills shouldn't be much more than they were last year.

The problem is, everything else has gone up - mortgage, groceries, OTC medication, everything (except my salary). I don't have as much money as last year, even if my energy bills stay the same.

itsnotmeitsu · 30/09/2022 21:57

@Comefromaway > 'My heating is on 365 days a year. The thermostat is set to come on if it drops below than 19degrees during times we are in. (Used to be 20 degrees but I’m economising). Overnight it comes on if it drops below 15'

That's me - I control the heating by the thermostat, rather than a schedule. Turn it down at night and then turn it up in the morning. The average temperature when the heating kicks in is probably about 20 degrees.

MinervaTerrathorn · 30/09/2022 21:58

BanannaSplitz · 30/09/2022 21:43

It doesn’t feel better ‘psychologically’ to be freezing and to put off putting on the heating because you can’t afford it.

Show quote history

I think it depends on the person. I find it easier to put it off as long as possible knowing what I don't use now I can use later, when it is on it will be set to 16. I would find it harder to have the heating on longer but at a lower temperature all winter.

Manekinek0 · 30/09/2022 21:59

I like to wait as long as possible into the autumn and aim for the end of Oct. I do this because after the summer I am always cold and would turn it on every evening. But if I wait I acclimatise at least slightly and save energy/money for the whole of the winter.

BooksAndHooks · 30/09/2022 22:02

Because the same as the fans in the summer, despite good intentions once you turn it on you get used to it and use it more.

Bundlebungle · 30/09/2022 22:05

I've been holding out as I wanted to build up as much credit as possible on my utility account before winter. Had to give in today though, not that it felt much colder, but that everyone who came in was wet through. Dripping coats and boots, and dog!

LimpBiskit · 30/09/2022 22:05

Mine's just on the thermostat and timer so is "on" all the time but has only been heating the last few days. It's set at 17degrees so will come on from 6-8 and again from 4-9 if it's colder than that. I don't change the thermostat at all during the year.

Heswipedright · 30/09/2022 22:06

I put mine on when I'm cold. I come from a relatively chillier climate to where I am now (like Scotland). If I'm at risk of hypothermia or shivering or getting sick or feeling cold or uncomfortable, I turn the heating on. I turn it off when I'm warm (and then on again when I'm cold lol). During the winter, I turn it on when I get up. The guy who installed the system did try to explain how to put it on a timer but technology is not my strong-point and he didn't leave instructions..

When I switched to a new provider last year the salesperson kept asking me about my heating and when it's on and whether the insulation was good blah blah. She seemed to think that my insulation was very good if I only needed to heat one room. I saw no point in heating the bedroom until I was in the bloody bedroom!

My heating has been on all day today in one room (the living room) as I'm sick and cold. IT'S ON FULL BLAST!
When I'm cleaning or cooking or generally pottering around inside, I am usually warm but when I sit down, I get cold very easily.

I hate cold. I love sun. I hate winter. So this energy crisis is going to hit me hard.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 30/09/2022 22:06

I don’t have central heating and can’t set timers, it’s only on when I directly turn it on, but I still try and avoid putting the heating on for the first time after summer for as long as possible. I feel like it’s psychological and once it’s been on I will find it hard to put up with the house not being warm and will be likely to put it on again the next day and so on. I am a teacher and always try to hold out until half term before I put it on for the first time if I can.