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!

If you wfh in a small room you can buy 500w electric heater. They cost very little to run and if you have them on the floor by your table it heats it up around you beautifully in very short time. I put mine on and can feel the difference in the box room within 15 min. Probably use it in total half an hour in a day when it's really chili.

You can buy heated neck and shoulder warmers - cheaper than a portable heater. Other options availabe - have a look under heated clothing

I'm in the South it got as low as 11 in my house, it's a 1920s house with no cavity wall and high ceilings, needless to say I caved and put the heating on,

Who are all these people with unnecessary subscriptions?!

People who don't check their bank accounts regularly, presumably. Do people have so many that it means they can't afford to switch the heating on?

I think most people would want to stick it on at 11. We were at 13.5 this morning and feeling nippy so I stuck it on for 45 mins. Helps the washing dry too!

Gosh this sounds really unhealthy, both for you and the house. I get arthritis in my hands So my thermostat is set to a constant 18 degrees, my bills are £230 for gas and electricity a month. Granted we’ve just had a new boiler than took £30 a month off our gas bill when we weren’t using the heating.

When I started WFH years ago my company was obliged to carry out an assessment and provide equipment to ensure I could work properly. I don't know if was a legal thing - I'm thinking something to do with health and ensuring I didn't get eg RSI from a poor desk set up.
Is that still a thing, and if so do employers have a responsibility to ensure their employers have a warm enough space to work?
Or has it all changed since covid where it's more flexible and staff can somehow waive any employer responsibility?

I'm sure folks will flood on to tell me otherwise but I really don't remember this under a labour government. The last 12 years have been punishing for anyone but the wealthiest.

I think people are forgetting everyone gets £400 towards heating. Low income families hundreds more. That goes quite a long way evening at the new prices.

Omg mine was 15 degrees last night and I tuned the thermostat to 18!!

Depends. If you have a modern gas (fossil fuel) boiler and standard energy contract then yes, it might mitigate.

If you are in an electrically heated home (which could ultimately come from renewables rather than gas), especially if you have a prepayment meter, you're probably screwed.

It will go far even in electric heated property. It's 400...

Prepayment is not more expensive than DD at this point. I just checked Bulb for example and it's the same per unit basically except 5p difference on standing charge...

This isn't a sustainable or healthy way to live. We put the heating on when it dips below 17 so I cannot possibly imagine what 9 feels like inside?!

The cold making you ill is an old wives tale. But I had to put the heating on long before I felt the cold because our windows are over least 20 years old and for the first time ever we were dealing with damp and mold because we weren't warming the house. Our house is Victorian. I think it really depends on factors like the age of your house and ventilation and windows and draughts etc We bought a dehumidifier and have the hearing on now and the damp issue has gone.

@CheapWine About the window condensation at your DDs - Have just learnt about this marvellous gadget called a "window vac" that looks like a squidgee but is electric and sucks up liquid from walls or glass or tiles, for example in the shower! Perhaps suggest it to her?

Can someone advise if it’s more cost effective to set the thermostat to a minimum temp (during the day - we have it off at night) and just leave it to run so that it keeps firing up when it drops? Or is it better to just turn on for an hour or 2 at a time?

It seems to be having forever to get to temperature when I put it on for an hour or so at a time and drops in temp so quickly! Last year I think we just set a temp and let it run.

Also, I think people who keep quoting the £400 help from the government are maybe forgetting all the other stuff that's gone up in price (namely food and petrol). If it was just the energy bills in isolation, then yes a household could still use half the energy they did last year, but it isn't - money seems to be getting sucked up at an alarming rate from all sides 😕

@blanketseverywhere if it helps, I just looked at my usage. I give readings every week as it updates it instantly
Gas central heating and hob, electric oven
I WFH and don't have a tumble dryer or dishwasher and use a dehumidifier and heated airer
Heating is on an hour in the morning and a couple of hours in the evening at 19c and I shower every day and have a bath every week
Cautious with usage but I'm not cold or stingy with it!
Bill for me is £122pm for gas and electric so £56 after the £66 is taken off my electric is always higher than my gas usage

But electric is (much) more expensive per kWh than gas regardless of its origin.

Just heat the house . I’ve been using mine as normal and I’ve received a monthly bill of £89 beside an electric bill of £150 ( we use electric showers) . It’s manageable . Besides the potential health risks and damp to properties that aren’t designed to be unheated , why on earth would we all suffer on the basis of someone else’s fiscal cock up?
they are catastrophising in the hope that the little people will cover their mistakes . They’ll meet the demand if they have to , it might push them to move away from their dodgy relationship with the Middle Eastern oil trade and Russian gas and start using renewables more. No one goes to prison if they don’t pay their gas bill. No one works to sort the issue out if everyone conforms to their little contingency plan. Use it , pay what you can afford they’ll soon move to plan b if everyone does that.

I didn't say it isn't so I am not sure why the but.

I think it is more cost effective. It’s how we run ours, it clicks on an off itself if the temp changes. We have it set at 19 in the morning and at 21 after 4 pm.
If I get too cold I can’t speak, my lips don’t work, I’m sluggish, my blood pressure rises and generally feel ill.
Against my better judgement DH turned the heating off fully once when we went on holiday one December, It was usually left on at about 14c, on a timer for a hour am and pm to stop pipes freezing.
Never again, when we got home the house was soooo cold, the inside temp was 9c. It took two days to properly warm up.

I thought my bedroom was cold and it was 18.6!
9C is beyond acceptable

I haven't read the whole thread so this has probably been said many times, but if you want to avoid spending a fortune in the future to repair damage caused by mould (as well as your health) then you really need to put the heating on. See it as house maintenance as well as keeping yourself well - you won't be able to sell a damp house (these things do show up in home report surveys)!

Same. It’s set for I think 16 daytime at moment.

and now 12 at night. Was 14 but clicked on and dh too hot