9 degrees inside - is it now a false economy to not put heating on?

[blanketseverywhere]

I'm trying to get by without putting heating on. According to the smart meter, it's currently 9 degrees in the sitting room (north-facing). The house feels very cold, but if I sit in the kitchen (south-facing) in many layers, with scarf and fingerless gloves on etc, it's not unbearable for WFH. In the evening I can use blankets / hot water bottles etc while watching tv and have two duvets on the bed at night.

However, at what point will temperatures of this level start to damage the house - or me? I feel achey all the time which I think is from being 'tense' in the cold, if that makes sense. I also have a constantly red and running nose / scratchy throat although I don't really feel ill.

I'm not using the tumble dryer so drying washing inside most of the time, although do try and keep windows open for air circulation... but then that makes it colder! I don't think we have any damp but I'm worried about the house constantly being cold - is this an issue in itself?

Is it going to get to a point where it's a false economy not to put the heating on because it will possibly be doing damage to the house, or should I carry on trying to hold out if possible and just carry on layering up? I realise this probably sounds a bit daft but I really don't want to store up even bigger problems!

Unless you have significant financial problems please put the heating on!

I presume you would have heated your house before this burst?
How much were you spending then?
Cant you at least minimally heat it - and try to keep Costs down by just doing it for less?

If you're trying to dry washing inside while it's only 9deg, then you're already harming your home and your health.
If your nose is cold, you're more likely to catch a cold/flu bug (and covid is still hanging around).

Yep, I’d crack the heating on, even just for an hour morning and evening. Try a dehumidifier too.

Can you pick a room and heat it? At least for part of the day.

Work in it and also stay in it in the evening, to get the most out of the heat.

Yes I think unless people have fins cial
issues then some of this sitting here freezing for the sake of it is stupid ( not saying this is the case with you OP)

as another pp has said minimise it so your spend is still online with what you’d have spent if it hadn’t gone up for example

Financial obviously 🙄

The answer I read recently was that that point is 15C. Beyond that you’re damaging your home and your self.

Please put some heating on. That’s what the government subsidy for heating costs that we all got is for.

www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/seasonal-advice/your-home/keeping-your-home-warm-in-winter

This is why I prioritise using a dehumidifier over putting the heating on.

I've done many years with minimal heating, often with the house at 10 degrees, and can tell you that you will indeed get damp, mould and have health issues if you try to dry laundry indoors at these temperatures just by opening windows.

Your books will be ruined, and your clothes and furniture may be too.

A dehumidifier will dry out the laundry, keep the moisture levels down generally, and it puts out slightly warmed dry air so can help get the temperature up in that room.

I find it's a win all round. Yes it costs to run, but it solves multiple problems.

I've only been here for just over a year and tried not to have the heating on too much last year as it was already quite expensive.

Turn the bloody heating on!! If financially if it has to be the same £ as you paid before just keep it at that level.

Below 15C you’re storing up issues for your own health and for your house itself.

I don’t know where you are but where I am the humidity outside is too high to have windows open to help with drying most of the time/ airing out the house. It’s not raining today but last time I checked humidity was still over 70%.

I would worry about mould if you’re drying clothes inside, it’s so cold and the open air is likely not helping. I use a dehumidifier

I suppose the question is.. can you afford any heating? I don’t find heating too expensive but it seems we use a lot less than most people do based on average use / asking other people.
How much did you have it on last year? Just cut it a bit? It’s not that having the heating on is definitely incredibly expensive.. an hour a day will take the chill off.

The washing is outside in the back yard at the moment as it has been sunny-ish today - I'll bring it in soon as it's getting chillier. I try and take the edge off it with an extra spin and then an outside dry if possible so at least it's not 'wet' when it's inside.

Ive started putting the heating on a few weeks ago. Thermostat to 19. I put it on of an eve for kids having showers and going to bed. Its been enough so far. I started last night with electric blankets for the kids. I let them fall asleep with them on then turn them off when i go to bed. I sit on the electric blanket when working from home rather that heat the house and i have a small hallogen heater i use if really cold when they arent here. I do think you need something rather than just layers. Could you insulate windows? Get some cheap oil radiators rather than put heating on?

Unless you are so poor you genuinely can’t afford to eat, I have no idea why you would put yourself through this.

Even if I couldn’t afford to eat, I’d be having a bit of heating and working out a repayment plan later.

No need to live like this unless you’re in really, really precarious financial position.

Turn it on. That is far too cold for a house.

If you can afford to you need to put the heating on. It doesn’t have to be nothing or heating all day to 22. it doesn’t have to be high temperatures but that won’t be doing you or your house any good.

We are fine with it on an hour (maybe a bit more) mid mornings to get us back to temp of 18.5. It goes off and then for a burst in the evening. It’s working the house is warmer and nothing feels cold or damp like it did in October despite the warmer temps.

As it’s getting colder it will increase of course usually we have it on for a while in the afternoon too. While we can afford it it i wouldn’t be sat in 11 degrees. But not would I be paying for 20s all day.

You need to turn it on. You are likely to cause damage to the building, your possessions but most importantly, your own health.

You’ll be damaging your health and your house by sitting in such low, damp temperatures. It makes no sense

Even running it 16/17 or so will make a big difference

BBC - what does an unheated room do to your body?

Never mind the house, you are risking damaging your health at that temperature. There was an article recently, I think the Guardian or maybe BBC, about how the risk of stroke and heart attack go up at a certain point and it was higher than 9 degrees. They did a test at 10 degrees and noted the changes in the body.

Maybe I'm being a bit daft, then. I grew up in a cold house - my dad was one of the 'we grew up with ice on the windows, never did us any harm' types (lovely, lovely man but, y'know...) I hate being cold but I'm worrying about bills too. I get a bit panicky about the thought of not being able to afford this stuff.

So would an hour a day be ok to stave off damp etc?