Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Sally872 · 30/09/2022 22:06

"Putting the heating on" to me means it is time to routinely use the heating. Rather than very occasional use in warmer months. If course it goes on and off.

This year i will be more careful and we will have jumpers and slippers on to minimise the heating needed.

Bunnycat101 · 30/09/2022 22:16

I’ve got mine controlled room by room by my phone. Smart radiator valves have been brilliant as it’s much easier to heat a single room or set programmes. I’ve needed it today- first day it’s felt really cold in my house while working from home.

LondonQueen · 30/09/2022 22:17

I don't get the whole no heating before October thing, mine has been on for weeks!

PinkStickleBrick · 30/09/2022 22:19

RudsyFarmer · 30/09/2022 20:02

I don’t think that’s what people are talking about. They’re trying to keep it off completely until it’s bloody intolerable and then when it’s ‘on’ it’s in every day on a timer until Spring.

Yes this. I'm going hard-core of not turning on when it's just a bit nippy, or a bit cold. Intolerable is what I'm going for, then not having go up to 21 degrees as per normal

Hepwo · 30/09/2022 22:21

Been on for weeks?

Blimey, I'm still enjoying cooling down from the summer. It got very hot for a while.

RampantIvy · 30/09/2022 22:26

It has been much cooler here for a couple of weeks. It isn't warm everywhere in the UK.

We don't all live in London, the south of England or big cities. Today we have had pouring rain and 11 degrees, and definitely needed the heating on today.

Cynderella · 30/09/2022 22:28

LondonQueen · 30/09/2022 22:17

I don't get the whole no heating before October thing, mine has been on for weeks!

Are you on a fixed tariff?

chaosmaker · 30/09/2022 22:28

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?

Yes, your tv will probably be on 'standby' or as I call it, on. Mine goes off at the plug when I turn it off.
When I was with my late partner he was very ill so we had the heating on constantly as he was always cold. Now and in a different house, I only have radiators that are switched on in the living room and bathroom. None of the upstairs radiators are ever switched on. It's not good to be too warm in bed as you don't sleep as well.

MajorCarolDanvers · 30/09/2022 22:32

Is just another angle to talking about the weather.

We are British. It's what we do.

junebirthdaygirl · 30/09/2022 22:33

We have underfloor heating so once it goes on its on until April..24 hours a day but each room has a thermostat. So for us turning it on is big so we try to keep going as long as we can. So far September hasn't been an issue. We started lighting a fire these last few days so we will see how it goes now October is here. Probably save an average of 8 euro each day its off..l think.

Rupertgrintismyguiltypleasure · 30/09/2022 22:38

I think most people have it on continuously when they put it on. In our house we put it on for an hour to warm the house and then keep all doors shut into each room to keep the heat in. We also leave the oven doors open once finished cooking as it heats the house. Everyone puts jumpers on or we have blankets all around the house to use. We’ve always done this not because a cost of living crisis.

Oblomov22 · 30/09/2022 22:40

I don't understand the big drama or the rigmarole either. Ours is on a timer it comes on for a couple of hours in the morning couple of hours in the evening. what's the big deal?

UWhatNow · 30/09/2022 22:41

It’s a saving money thing. If you’re piss poor you’re just being prudent but the middle classes on MN are tight AF and prefer to freeze and shop at Aldi so they can spend it on prestige property and private education and climb even further up the greasy pole.

spookyjupy · 30/09/2022 22:42

We have to turn the gas on and we have to light the gas with a candle or a long match to put ours on every winter. Then when it warms up again we turn it off by turning the gas off and that's it.

Don't have a timer for everyday as that costs a fortune, we have it on some days. We usually use the oven to heat the house (so leave the door open after cooking dinner) but I got an air fryer so I don't know how that will go. The air fryer doesn't warm up the kitchen much.
vacuuming warms the house up too.
We have porridge on the hob for a few mins most morning and that, with a tea warms us up ready to get ready for school.
So if we are having a Sunday dinner or a big pot Dinner we won't have the heating on at all that day. or if I'm hooving up the whole house I won't have it on either.

so even though the heating is not turned on, the gas is lit and costing me money so its still on. When it's off in the summer I only pay the standing charge (which hurts oh so much)

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 30/09/2022 22:46

I know right. I get sick of seeing thread after thread after thread started, asking the same question... 'AIBU to put the heating on?'

Well how the fuck do WE know? Confused Put it on if it's cold, don't put it on if it's not! NOT rocket science is it???

We get a ruck of these dumb threads every September! So annoying! Each poster who puts it seems to think they're sooo original and they're going to start off an interesting debate. I just hide these threads instantly now. They bore me and they irritate me.

spookyjupy · 30/09/2022 22:46

Oblomov22 · 30/09/2022 22:40

I don't understand the big drama or the rigmarole either. Ours is on a timer it comes on for a couple of hours in the morning couple of hours in the evening. what's the big deal?

there are different heating systems.

Central heating
Wood burner
oil heaters
gas heaters
warm air vents
storage heaters
no heating because even though you work all hours under the sun you just can't keep your head above water.

4 hours a day seems like loads to me. we don't put it on until frost hits our bones.

Winceybincey · 30/09/2022 22:48

Wine warms me up enough not to need it on

FanniesFlaps · 30/09/2022 22:51

butterfliedtwo · 30/09/2022 21:15

This. I don't understand the confusion.

Show quote history

People are being deliberately obtuse.

friedbrainrightnow · 30/09/2022 22:54

@FanniesFlaps yup!

cheekytucker · 30/09/2022 23:00

I live in a well insulated new build flat so I don't need to put mine on yet probably until it gets really cool. We are wearing fleece dressing gowns when we wake up and before we go to bed. Socks on, slippers on. I know a couple of friends who have started putting theirs on but every home is different and everyone lives in different parts of the UK plus each person has a different heat/cool threshold on what they can manage. I've seen so many threads about this though.

wherearebeefandonioncrisps · 30/09/2022 23:00

We've had our boiler turned off except for water.
I expect a lot of folk don't want to turn their radiators on now due to increased energy costs. That's probably why a lot of folk are asking now as temperatures are dropping.

DonnaBanana · 30/09/2022 23:01

It's because you get used to it. If you keep going without turning it on at all, you can do that for a while but then cave in. Once it's on, you're not going to then switch it off for a day and freeze. Once it's on, it's on.

PinkStickleBrick · 30/09/2022 23:16

Our immersion is off and has been for around six months. It's a direct fear from col increases. Winter 2020 I didn't care about the heating. I'm really worried tbh

DixonD · 30/09/2022 23:23

We lit our fire tonight for the first time this autumn. The heating came on by surprise this morning as it is set quite low (under 17 degrees).

etulosba · 30/09/2022 23:24

We usually use the oven to heat the house (so leave the door open after cooking dinner)

You don’t need to leave the door open. All the heat in the oven during cooking and afterwards will escape into the room if you have it shut. It will just take longer.