To ask what's your heating situation?

[sadsufferer2023]

Is it on? How long do you have it on, and what temperature?

I've turned mine on to come on a timer for 2.5 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the evening at 18c. Maybe that's a lot but I'm home most of the day and I feel the cold, plus the morning heating keeps the house warm most of the day. Last year I had it on for only a few hours at 15c and it was miserable. I have a nice amount of credit in the energy account so I'll see how November goes.

Clearly noone gave my meter the memo!
Just upped my payments from 90£/mth to £110 just in case, because I'm hoping to claim back some of my £500 credit after Winter as on mat leave. Don't think it's a bad bill for a lovely toasty house and hot tub!

This.

Also, keeping a house at lower humidity helps it feel warmer (to me anyway - I don't think there is much science behind this).

People at last are starting to realise that there is more to environment management in houses than simply turning the heating on to maximum to avoid damp - this is why dehumidifiers are becoming very popular, and people are making more effort to manage the living humidity that is generated inside the house.

We were later putting on this year as it's been so mild. Historically ours is set to 20 or 21 for about an hour in the morning and then again between 3 and 7. I tend to go to bed early and watch TV soon after that. It's not on overnight but if I'm working at home and I'm really cold one day I would just put it on all day (even at 19 I'd probably still have a dressing gown on!)

The rest of the time it's not on but house doesn't really fall below 17 anyway at the moment. My house is quite small.

I am trying to cut down energy use (e.g. no longer have baths) but more due to environmental reasons than cost. Fully appreciate that some people literally can't afford it on, but although I'm not minted I'd say I definitely prioritise heating over other 'luxuries'. This might sound really sad to some but I'd rather use my money for a toasty house throughout winter than a one-off holiday, the latter of which isn't something I'm all that bothered about having.

I think there is some science - damp air takes more energy to heat up than dry air, so if you can pull some of that moisture from the air the heating will work more efficiently.

I grew up in a Victorian house and opening windows every day, even briefly (and, tbh, having poorly fitting single glazing and open chimneys 😂) was a key part of the battle to keep damp at bay. There has to be airflow to move moisture out of the house.

I only turned ours on again for winter last Sunday, we'd been away for the weekend and it was about 15.5 indoors when we get back home, which is too cold for me. It's set to 20 degrees and it's on for about 2 hours in the morning when the kids are getting ready for school and then from 4 until about 9:30pm, weekends possibly slightly different. If it's a particularly cold day, as in close to freezing outside during the day, I will turn it on for a couple of extra hours because I can't bear being frozen. The husband grumbles about the heating though, so this is a rarity.

No heating bills. Have been in a new build flat (in London) since 2016 and never needed to turn it on. The building is very energy efficient.
One the coldest day, it's maybe 18 in here, so a jumper is fine. Otherwise over 20 in the winter.

Mine is similar to you. It’s set to come on 730-9am to 18° and 6-9pm, also 18°. I’ve got a 4 month old and this keeps the place warm. Occasionally if we’re in during the day, I might boost it for half an hour in the afternoon to make sure it stays up around 18° :-)

I am shocked to read all the other responses. I have my heating on morning couple hours evening 5/6 hours at 22 degrees. I can’t see how 18 even feels on? Maybe my system is rubbish I am thinking though it is fairly new 😳 either that or I just like it hot which is also true 🤣

If you can afford it who cares??

Were rural so out heating is electric. Log fire in kitchen, large lounge with radiators at 26 my side of the room, 20 ish dh side.

I like the bedroom warm but with fresh air. I think it’s in 24 but the windows cracked.

It stays on all day. I prioritise not freezing my arse off in a damp house over holidays and new cars.

Quite right! Humans actually had fireplaces before they had houses! I prioritise my simple hovel being warm through the colder months as a basic necessity of contentment...and I too will forgo having a car, holidays (and many other superfluous things) if it means that I can curl up in front of a roaring fire with a good book!
That said, I am enjoying it to excess whilst I still can - how long until Big Brother can use live satellite data to identify illicit combustion activities in real time and send in the AI police drones ro eliminate the perpetrators (in our global quest for net zero😬)!

18, or 16 feels on because it would drop to 7 or 8 in my house without heating. It's a significant difference. If you live in a well insulated flat it may stay that warm without heating.

I do think 22 is hot for heating. That's suitable for my 90 year old grandmother who sits most of the day.

it is not on yet unless i put it on briefly

We budget our payments to make sure we have a good credit balance for the colder months. Both retired, so we spend quite a bit of time at home, and keeping reasonably warm is a priority. Heating’s been on in the mornings and evenings at about 18/19 for a couple of weeks. We wear fleecy hoodies, and I put a blanket over my legs when I sit and watch TV or read.

Although we’re on a low income, I’m fairly adept at managing the finances, so we won’t be cold.

We've been putting ours on around 5pm till 9pm at 18.5c

Should add it's a new boiler but house is 1930s terrace. We spent quite a lot of time doing as much insulation as possible last winter

18 degrees is fine. I mean you would be happy sitting outside in a light jumper in a warm Spring day 18 degrees wouldn't you?

I tend to run warm, wear warm clothes in winter and don't spend a lot of time sitting still sit down much so don't need a whole lot of heat. Heating for us is mainly about keeping the fabric of the house warm and dry.

I know plenty people who have it above 18 but if I even had mine on 19° or 20° it would feel like a sauna lol x

It's quite the assumption that people are spanking all their money on holidays and new cars in preference to heating. We holiday with my mother as we're fortunate that she lives by the sea and our car was second hand quite some years ago and was paid for outright. No finance.

I prioritise paying my mortgage and food bills...

22 degrees would feel suffocating to me. I'd be stripping down to a t-shirt and opening all the windows.

Ours comes on at 18.5 - we had it on for 90 minutes this morning and the house is still at 18.3 now and it doesn't feel cold in the slightest.

Currently renting an Annexe with storage heaters.
Living alone and working three jobs just to pay the bills. Heating has not gone on yet.
I work all day so when i get home, I do an online class like combat/zumba or a quick jog on a mini treadmill to warm up before I go to bed. (2 duvets and a hot water bottle)
Trying to keep it going like this before I have to switch on any of the ancient storage heaters.
Fingers crossed ....it's working for the moment :)

We have just moved house, so have been keeping on eye on our gas usage. Our thermostat is set at 17 degrees (though it is by the front door, so may not be accurate) and boiler is set on low (radiators are a barely warm when the heating comes on). We switch the heating on from about 3-4 o'clock in the afternoon, depending on when we feel the need, and then it is on almost constantly until we switch it off at around 9. We haven't put it on in the morning yet, the house feels on the cooler side, but not horribly cold. In 3 weeks we have used 16 kWh gas. For context, it is a 2-bed ex-council house. Even with us not needing a huge amount of heat, based on this and experimenting in our old house after the energy prices went up, having the boiler set on low definitely works. (comparable to driving a car at different speeds - you will always get there, but difference is in the time and fuel it takes).

Thermostat set to 17 during the day and about 12 at night. We have a combi boiler. If we have guests or we feel cold we will up it to 18 or 19 but not has to do that yer. Luckily the house gets a lot of sun and is generally a warm house (1950s semi). We have had issues with our energy supplier randomly telling us we need to pay £250+ so we won't go into debt this winter - how they think we can afford it as we're on universal credit I don't know! Anyway we've got the warm home discount so that should help and we have £350 credit. At the moment we're paying £102 a month (dual) and we've agreed to make lump sum payments if necessary.

Hiya- most councils are doing a boiler replacement scheme for low income households. Please look this up! They will do everything necessary at no cost to you.