To think in a cold damp climate there is only so much we can possibly change?

[SamBeckettslastleap]

Fuck you Jeremy.

I have layers I have hats, we have covers on the sofas to hide under. I'm not even cold with these measures.

But the house is damp, every morning I am wiping water and mould. I've had to put the heating on to try and stave it off.

Don't tell me to cut down my meagre use when your friends light tennis courts and heat swimming pools.

Yes, you're dead right. Same position here. All the textiles feel damp. Condensation streaming down the windows in the morning. Soon, moulds will start growing - dangerous ones and not so dangerous. Even ventilating the house and cleaning up all the condensation every day doesn't do anything as the outside air is so damp. It is inexorable in its ingress. There will be many sick people from this.

I think there's a limit to what we can save on heating. You can save a bit on lighting and cooking and not have as many Christmas lights up.

But the main people who need to save energy are businesses. For example, do shops and offices really need to leave their lights on all night? If they save energy it reduces prices for everyone.

He’s saying switch off the heating and try to save energy like it would never have occurred to us to do that, while energy prices are through the roof and everyone I know is already trying their best not to use as much just to save money. Does he think we’re all stupid?

Couldn't agree more. And I'm also sick of reading posts saying to just put a jumper on and that it's not even cold yet. I bet none of the people saying this are homeowners destroying their own asset by deliberately causing and mould either.

Sorry! See point about lighting and seeing how some people take it on other sites.
Do not sit in dark. Modern lightbulbs use VERY little.
Eg 60w equivalent asda light bulb uses about 8.6w. 1kw is 1000w. That's LOTS of hours for 34p (approx).

And YY op

Yes, I agree. It's been down to 2 degrees where I am and there's only so much layers and blankets can do. Had the heating on for a couple of hours today just to try to take the edge off it. Fed up with it all.

*damp and mould

Instead of people using less gas and electricity, the Government could scrap all the green taxes, stop the obsession with net zero, start fracking, build nuclear power stations, open up coal mines. Everything they are doing is just ideological - there are solutions, they just have a specific objective which they won't stray from. If countries like China, India and Russia are not going to stop using these forms of fuel then it seems ridiculous that the UK and Europe should sacrifice it's populations on the alter of net zero.

Also, I was sitting around in trousers over thermal leggings plus a warm woollen jumper over a t-shirt yesterday (waiting for a delivery before going out). I wasn’t even close to warm enough!

To stay warm during the day (WFH), I have a t-shirt, an oodie, thermal leggings under jogging bottoms, thermal socks and fleece lined slipper socks over the top. I then wear fingerless gloves and sometimes end up sitting on a blanket that I then wrap around my legs and feet as otherwise my toes feel cold.

That’s with the heating on first thing.

’Just put a jumper on’ doesn’t work. At all.

I had been drastically cutting back on central heating, and just using the log burners. These do nothing for the bedrooms and we have condensation on the windows in the morning. No thanks to that, it will cause problems in the medium term, so the heating is on - just enough to stop the condensation.

Go away Jeremy and take your top tips with you. We’re not idiots, and we’re getting cold. And some people are getting mould and damp. It’s so sad.

But it isn't even comfort, it is health. If my children's lungs are fucked now that is a lifetime of health care they will require.

I can do cold, but damp is different.

Those that are saying I am being unreasonable are accepting a lower life expectancy for the poor. 'If they'd rather die they'd better do it'

Instead of pointless and short lived green subsidy schemes, the government should commit to insulating AND ventilating (ideally heat recovery) all social housing.

There’s a huge skills deficit in respect of both in this country, it would help upskill the trade and help those who most need help with their energy bills.

Yes agree.m, I've just said to DH that I'm sick of trying to manage the temperature both of myself and the house.

I've conceded that we're going to have to have the heating on a bit more. Washing isn't drying, towels aren't drying after a shower, there's really wet condensation on the inside of the bathroom window. Some things just feel really cold. Fortunately I'm in a position to pay for a bit more. Goodness knows how you'd manage if not. 😞

Yup, been saying this for months. How to stay warm and eat cheap isn't the solution.

Saw Wills and Kate had a good time in SA this week -

@SilverGlassHare he's not saying it to us though, he's saying it to his own people who have started to feel a bit uncomfortable about the whole "fuck the poor" policy being stated out loud. What he really means is "don't worry, all those people who say they can't afford heating are being melodramatic, they just need to be a bit more sensible and probably hardly anyone will die."

@Talia99 I was working from home today too and was absolutely freezing in my fleece, thick dressing gown, sheepskin slippers and even a blanket over me. I was miserable and cold and couldn't concentrate so I boosted the heating. It's absolute bullshit that we're expected to suffer whilst smug twats like Hunt and Sunak are practically burning bundles of 50 pound notes. They can all fuck off. So can the nett zero lot, the people who couldn't give a shit about our health, and the wankers who say "it's not that bad, I don't mind a bit of mild hypothermia and it's no hardship mopping up the condensation and scraping off the mould every morning before work".

@Archibaldleach I agree with everything you've said. This all started way before Ukraine too so they can fuck off with their gaslighting as well. I remember in September 2021 renewing energy contract at work for a 60% increase which was the best I could get.

Totally agree OP! My house is soaking wet, I can’t get any washing dry and I am freezing when WFH. Putting on a jumper doesn’t help when the air around you is ice cold and damp.

FUCK THEM ALLLLLLL!!!!

And bitching that demand has increased over 30% due to it getting colder. It's late November, did you think we'd have a hot sunny spell, you fucking roaster?

Absolutely, OP. We should be moving to community heat like geothermal.

Yup,its not the cold its the damp. Black mould on all windows now. Having to use savings to buy a dehumidifier.

Agree about the damp. Is the weather unusually damp. Will there be less condensation in cold dry weather?

I am recovering from covid and have had the heating on to aid recovery. Am Asthmatic which adds to it I don't feel cold but my lungs complain.

I have a dehumidifier which I use in the worst room and I am struck by the fact that that room feels warmer than other rooms. The dehumidifier somehow makes the room feel warmer. Not sure why.

Spot on. If it was 'dry cold' it wouldn't be so bad. But it won't stop raining. I have considered a dehumidifier, but that's going to use electricity, which is more expensive than gas; my heating is gas so should I just put it on for longer ...

I was never a wanton user of the central heating - e.g. I never had it on overnight (other than frost protect if temp fell to 0 or below) and only used it October - April - but it seems like another world where I'd think 'oh, it's chilly, I'll put the heating on' without really thinking about it.

The dehumidifier makes the room feel warmer because damp air even at the same temp feels colder.

I adjusted my heating by getting house to desired temp, 15 on ufh. And then monitoring energy use evert 24 years and making adjustments.
its now £5 a day with ufh and wood burner. Hot water is heated when we need it as it doesn’t stay hot in the tank, weird tank in tank thing that I don’t fully understand yet.
In spring we were using £25 a day!