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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Sleeping with the heating on?

153 replies

GoAgainstNicki · 10/12/2022 23:33

Sorry just posting here for traffic really.

A couple of hours before DD (19m) goes to bed, I’ll put the heating on in the room just to warm it up for her. As it’s been getting colder. I’ve been leaving the heating on until I go to sleep with DS (7m) around 11pm. It’s currently -3 outside and really cold. Is it okay to leave the heating on overnight or should I not do that?

I’m pretty sure the last time I slept with the heating on, I woke up with a headache and dry throat so I obviously don’t want anything like that to happen to the kids. Thanks

OP posts:
shivawn · 11/12/2022 17:57

Similar situation as you, my heating is all or nothing unless I go around and manually turn down every radiator! I left it on last night because I didn't get home from work until after 9pm and it was so cold. I woke up too hot at 1:30am so I turned it off then but turned it back on at 5am again.

cardibach · 11/12/2022 18:07

catgirl1976 · 11/12/2022 14:27

Well if you can afford it.

but I have a smart meter and I know it’s costing me £12 - £15 a day to have the heating in for maybe five or six hours in the day so be prepared for a big bill

Are you sure? That’s massively high. Prices have gone up less than 150% and there’s a £65pcm discount. £15 a day now would equate to - want? About £3.50/4 a day before the madness. That would be a lot for just a few hours.

cardibach · 11/12/2022 18:08

In fact more than that. I’m dyscalculic so can’t do the sum. But it’s very high

Hugasauras · 11/12/2022 18:12

Gas prices have tripled since last winter, and all electric houses are in for an even worse time of it.

To a PP, you have misunderstood how radiator TRVs work. The settings aren't to do with how hot the radiators get. They are thermostatic settings correlating to temperatures and will control hot water flow to the radiators when correct temperatures are reached. Setting 3 is what you want for most rooms as its 18-20
IIRC. If your radiators aren't coming on at setting 3 it's either because that temp has been reached or you need new TRVs.

catgirl1976 · 11/12/2022 18:12

@cardibach Yes I’m sure unfortunately. I’ve had my heating on for an hour or so this morning and from about half past three till now and I’ve used almost a tenner. I’m paying 10.6p on a pre payment meter and I’m sure because I have to keep hoping the bloody thing up 😩

Hugasauras · 11/12/2022 18:13

Sorry just seen someone else has said that! I started replying a while ago and then got distracted and things have moved on Grin

catgirl1976 · 11/12/2022 18:16

I’ve just had a look at my boiler though. There’s a temperature dial on it which I had set to “e” thinking this would be the most economical but this said 72 degrees. I’ve turned it down to 64 degrees which I think is 18 degrees C so I’ll see if that makes a difference. We don’t have any fancy panels and stuff so I don’t know if it does control the temperature and if this will make a difference (clueless - any advice most appreciated)

Ginmonkeyagain · 11/12/2022 18:16

@GoAgainstNicki aha! That makes a lot more sense. If I were you I'd ask yoir neighbours for advice on how the system works and perhaps ask your landlord about how costs are passed on.

Don't be embarrassed about not knowing how it worked, district heating (as these sort of heating set ups are known) are not very common in the UK.

catgirl1976 · 11/12/2022 18:18

Also I get the £66 discount on my electric not my gas

Original poster
GoAgainstNicki · 11/12/2022 18:19

Hugasauras · 11/12/2022 18:12

Gas prices have tripled since last winter, and all electric houses are in for an even worse time of it.

To a PP, you have misunderstood how radiator TRVs work. The settings aren't to do with how hot the radiators get. They are thermostatic settings correlating to temperatures and will control hot water flow to the radiators when correct temperatures are reached. Setting 3 is what you want for most rooms as its 18-20
IIRC. If your radiators aren't coming on at setting 3 it's either because that temp has been reached or you need new TRVs.

If your radiators aren't coming on at setting 3 it's either because that temp has been reached or you need new TRVs.

I genuinely believe I may need new TRVs. I’m thinking to buy a thermometer and get a feel of the temperature within a certain room and see if the radiator act’s accordingly! Thank you for the explanation

OP posts:
NewBootsAndRanty · 11/12/2022 18:24

Everyone gets the energy discount added to their electric not their gas @catgirl1976

catgirl1976 · 11/12/2022 18:29

@NewBootsAndRanty i know it’s just a pp mentioned the discount in relation to gas but you don’t get it on your gas so was clarifying

Original poster
GoAgainstNicki · 11/12/2022 18:32

Ginmonkeyagain · 11/12/2022 18:16

@GoAgainstNicki aha! That makes a lot more sense. If I were you I'd ask yoir neighbours for advice on how the system works and perhaps ask your landlord about how costs are passed on.

Don't be embarrassed about not knowing how it worked, district heating (as these sort of heating set ups are known) are not very common in the UK.

Thanks so much! I often see my neighbour so will chat with her sometime this week. My energy bills go to straight to SSE and not via the LL (who is awful anyway so he certainly wouldn’t answer any questions I have!)

OP posts:
ILoveAllRainbowsx · 11/12/2022 18:35

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

catgirl1976 · 11/12/2022 18:43

Ooh! I look to be saving 50p an hour by doing that thanks to this thread. I didn’t know it worked like that am I thought that the “e” setting would be best! Thank you

Comefromaway · 11/12/2022 19:50

A couple f things that might affect your heating coming on OP

Make sure there is nothing covering/blocking the radiator valve which may lead the TRV to think it’s warmer than it really is.

similarly wherever your central control is, in our old house it was right above a lamp table and the heat from the light bulb led the thermostat to think it was hotter than the actual air temperature in the rest of the house. Being in a drought/direct sunlight etc will give false temp readings.

Oakbeam · 11/12/2022 22:27

Hot water bottles just go cold and are dangerous if they split.

You’re telling me! I nearly had a heart attack when I thought I had wet the bed.

iwasaterribleteen · 11/12/2022 22:36

Notaninterestingfact · 10/12/2022 23:41

I accidentally left the heating on in my bedroom last night. I had the best night's sleep ever! I never usually turn it on in my bedroom and I'm getting about 4 hours sleep per night. Now I know why!

Get an electric under blanket

HintofVintagePink · 11/12/2022 23:02

OP do you use a GroBag or is your DC too big for that now? I always found mine were very cosy with a footless babygro and then a high tog Grobag. Then turn the radiator very low or off

GerronBuzanDoThaWomwok · 11/12/2022 23:36

Thanks to previous posters, I wondered what a thermostatic radiator valve was and if I could afford one. I am sitting here in appalled disbelief, having found the following information
The numbers on the valve ARE NOT THE TEMPERATURE OF THE RADIATOR.😲😱
The numbers roughly correlate to the room temperatures below. When the room drops below these temperatures, the TRV will allow hot water to flow into the radiator:
0 = Off

  • = 7°C 1 = 10°C 2 = 15°C 3 = 20°C 😂 4 = 25°C 5 = 30°C

Why has it taken me 37 years to discover this?
And how quickly can I lurch around the house to set to 3?????????
What a dick 😲

GerronBuzanDoThaWomwok · 11/12/2022 23:37

Hugasaurus, you are a lifesaver 😂

GerronBuzanDoThaWomwok · 11/12/2022 23:54

But, at the risk of sounding even more clueless, my boiler doesn't have a thermostat control, so i have to set the times the gas central heating comes on by pushing in the little black spike thingies.
Even with the trvs the radiators won't come on without the boiler timer being on, will they?🤔

QS90 · 11/12/2022 23:57

@QuinkWashable I had this exact thing! Cough got worse week on week on week with no other symptoms. Cleared up after a few days of heating, like magic!

LBFseBrom · 11/12/2022 23:59

I know nothing about my boiler, it was installed early this year because the previous one packed up. Today it has been making noises, something to do with the weather. It has quietened down now.

Something I have little clue about is how to read the electricity meter; I did the gas but EDF want the electric too, fair enough. I have something outside on the wall which used to have a cover but that came off and broke; another thing in cupboard under stairs which has switches you can press up or down if the lights fuse.

Well tough! If I don't get the hang of it I pay monthly anyway so who cares?

NewBootsAndRanty · 12/12/2022 00:08

No they won't heat up if the boiler's not fired up at that point @GerronBuzanDoThaWomwok .

@LBFseBrom the thing you use to sort out the lights fusing is your fuse box, the thing outside should be your electric meter, I think?

If you google the meter type there'll be instructions online as to how to read it if it's not immediately obvious (I need to press '9' on my meter to see my reading, other meters need you to press a different button, or might have an analogue display and no buttons)

I keep evangelising about loop - loop.homes/ - which lets you see your usage throughout the day for gas or electric if you have smart meters, and is great if you don't have an in home display.