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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

3.4 degrees

101 replies

typos · 08/12/2022 09:51

I woke up this morning to the thermostat thingy reading 3.4 degrees, I'm a tough old bird and always felt warm over night without the heating on but no more! How's everyone else coping?

OP posts:
WonderingWanda · 08/12/2022 14:31

typos · 08/12/2022 14:11

You think I've been outside with the thermostat just to win an argument with some random on the internet? How is that possibly going to benefit me? I live on a farm in a very isolated and exposed area and we didn't have the heating on! We're also "fingers crossed" waiting for planning permission so we live in a mobile home - we have temporary planning to live on site for the record. We havent been cold at night or too bad in the morning so the heating has t been on. It will be tonight. So everyone with a pitchfork can put it down but also there's been some very funny posts too!

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I was going to say are you in a static caravan op (your photo looked like one of those plastic wall panels inside one) and it seems you do so no wonder it's so cold. They have very little to insulate them so not much better than a tent. Although suspect the tent would've been -3 overnight. Not sure I could tolerate that with no heating op you are braver than me!

Original poster
typos · 08/12/2022 14:36

Wondering we will definitely have the heating on tonight. Luckily we're off grid and have solar power etc so there's no reason for it not to be on just we hadn't until last night as hadn't needed it! I suspect the hay barn was warmer last night 🤣.

OP posts:
wonkylegs · 08/12/2022 14:39

knittingaddict · 08/12/2022 14:03

Conservatory. When we had an unheated conservatory we used it to store drinks and vegetables for Christmas. It was bloody freezing. I didn't sleep in there though.

Yes us too - our conservatory is our overflow fridge for Christmas as it's usually below the actual fridge temperature and it's more mouse proof than the garage.

MarshaBradyo · 08/12/2022 14:42

typos · 08/12/2022 14:11

You think I've been outside with the thermostat just to win an argument with some random on the internet? How is that possibly going to benefit me? I live on a farm in a very isolated and exposed area and we didn't have the heating on! We're also "fingers crossed" waiting for planning permission so we live in a mobile home - we have temporary planning to live on site for the record. We havent been cold at night or too bad in the morning so the heating has t been on. It will be tonight. So everyone with a pitchfork can put it down but also there's been some very funny posts too!

Show quote history

Caravan changes things - insulation in a house stops it getting this low

wonkylegs · 08/12/2022 14:45

Crunchingleaf · 08/12/2022 13:24

Can a house really get to that temperature unless you live in Siberia or parts of Canada.
If this is genuine then get insulation in the attic. Costs very little compared to other measures and makes a huge difference. Also put the heating on before you start having damp problems.

Yes they really can - eventually any building will get to the surrounding temperature if no energy is being input (ie no heating) how long that take depends on how that building is built, insulation, air leakage etc
So poorly built / insulated properties will drop temperatures very quickly, very well built, air tight, highly insulated ones will take much much longer.
Most housing stock will fall somewhere in the middle of this, newer houses generally functioning better than old ones but that can vary too.

GloomyDarkness · 08/12/2022 14:59

I live on a farm in a very isolated and exposed area and we didn't have the heating on! We're also "fingers crossed" waiting for planning permission so we live in a mobile home

Mobile homes in winter do get very cold - we stopped in many for field work trips in autumn/winter they were awful.

Most houses won't get this cold in UK and with pipes it's not really desirable that they ever do.

Cheesuswithallama · 08/12/2022 15:05

Oh so it's a caravan

GetOffTheRoof · 08/12/2022 15:06

luxxlisbon · 08/12/2022 13:53

I don’t understand how that probes your point? Your house was 12, that’s a way off 3 degrees indoors!

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It was 12c in the house last week - when we had 12c temperatures outside at midday.... Today it's been -1c until 11am (it's now 5c outside and dropping again).

So it's hardly difficult to understand how a house temperature varies when the temperature outside is also variable...

OoooohMatron · 08/12/2022 15:28

Oh come off it. Our unheated draughty shed is 3 degrees!

TheYearOfSmallThings · 08/12/2022 15:42

Well fair enough, if you live in a totally unheated caravan in the middle of nowhere I suppose it could get that cold. Although I'm actually surprised the body heat generated by two humans didn't raise the temperature a few degrees - if you put the caravan in the haybarn and banked up hay alongside it you would be much more comfortable!

knittingaddict · 08/12/2022 15:59

I'm just going to put this here in case people miss it.

After a handful of posts it turns out that OP LIVES IN A CARAVAN.

Might have been useful to lead with that.

I slept in an old caravan in September with frost on the ground. I thought we were all going to freeze to death. 😨

GasPanic · 08/12/2022 16:39

knittingaddict · 08/12/2022 15:59

I'm just going to put this here in case people miss it.

After a handful of posts it turns out that OP LIVES IN A CARAVAN.

Might have been useful to lead with that.

I slept in an old caravan in September with frost on the ground. I thought we were all going to freeze to death. 😨

I think that rivals the poster who "couldn't work out why everyone else was using so much electricity".

Turned out they had solar panels.

MenopauseSucks · 08/12/2022 17:02

My kitchen - the coldest place in the house - was 10c at 6am today before the heating came on. A tad parky!

TheGoodEnoughWife · 08/12/2022 18:42

What a silly post. You live in a caravan and you have solar panels so could just use your heating.

You do realise that people are actually struggling don't you? It isn't a joke to them. Or something to 'play at' while they decide whether to use their 'free' heating!

Original poster
typos · 08/12/2022 19:11

knittingaddict · 08/12/2022 15:59

I'm just going to put this here in case people miss it.

After a handful of posts it turns out that OP LIVES IN A CARAVAN.

Might have been useful to lead with that.

I slept in an old caravan in September with frost on the ground. I thought we were all going to freeze to death. 😨

Lead with it why? My post was to say I was cold last night how's everyone else getting on?

OP posts:
Original poster
typos · 08/12/2022 19:14

TheGoodEnoughWife · 08/12/2022 18:42

What a silly post. You live in a caravan and you have solar panels so could just use your heating.

You do realise that people are actually struggling don't you? It isn't a joke to them. Or something to 'play at' while they decide whether to use their 'free' heating!

The whole post was around being cold last night and asking how other people were coping with the cold snap. I wasn't making a joke, although you'd make a good punchline.

OP posts:
IBelieveInAThingCalledScience · 08/12/2022 19:21

I love all the posts adamantly declaring it's 12/8/6 degrees outside, as if that's the blanket temperature for the rest of the UK (or world, for that matter).

I'm in Scotland and it's -5C

TheGoodEnoughWife · 08/12/2022 19:22

@typos Sense the tone. Many many people don't have the option to choose to put on heating from a solar panel. And most people in a house won't go down to such low degrees.

Asking how people are coping when you don't actually have to cope is silly and pathetic imo.

Original poster
typos · 08/12/2022 19:31

TheGoodEnoughWife · 08/12/2022 19:22

@typos Sense the tone. Many many people don't have the option to choose to put on heating from a solar panel. And most people in a house won't go down to such low degrees.

Asking how people are coping when you don't actually have to cope is silly and pathetic imo.

And that's enough internet for me today.

OP posts:
luxxlisbon · 08/12/2022 20:14

Okay so not a house, you live in a caravan that isn’t insulated so it’s obviously going to be cold and you’ve been choosing to not heat it but then complain about the cold?

CourtneeLuv · 08/12/2022 20:27

cheshirecatssmile · 08/12/2022 14:15

I can believe
My electric is broke
Bg here fixing it now
My house is that cold after 2 days that my fridge turned it's off or onto stand by whatever fridges do.
I can see my breath in the living room.
I have a bobble hat on

I can believe it too.

I could see my breath when we had no heating and single glazing in rotten wooden frames. No running hot water either, except out of the electric shower.

The plumbing was fucked too so we had to wash our hands over a basin and tip that down the toilet to flush it.

The way homeowners have to live sometimes, eh.

Cheesuswithallama · 08/12/2022 20:41

CourtneeLuv · 08/12/2022 20:27

I can believe it too.

I could see my breath when we had no heating and single glazing in rotten wooden frames. No running hot water either, except out of the electric shower.

The plumbing was fucked too so we had to wash our hands over a basin and tip that down the toilet to flush it.

The way homeowners have to live sometimes, eh.

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Anyone can belive it now we know it's a caravan

BooksAreSaferThanPeople · 08/12/2022 20:47

I'm in Cumbria. It was -6 outside this morning.

My single skin garage and utility room was 2 degrees. My poorly insulated kitchen with no radiator was 10.

The rest of the house was fine. I can believe the OP.

Soccermumamir · 08/12/2022 20:50

Ours was 15 this morning, only put heating on for an hour last night. Didn't need it this morning. Did have the dryer on though that seems to warm downstairs up a fair deal.

PurpleButterflyWings · 08/12/2022 20:55

knittingaddict · 08/12/2022 14:01

I always have the bedroom windows open. Even with temperatures of minus 2 outside and no heating on it was nowhere near as low as single figures.

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This. ^ Turns out OP lives in a caravan anyway! 🙄 #dripfeedalert