Disagreements over what temperature to have heating set to.

[thatswhatshesaid36]

Partner and I rarely disagree on much, but he’s getting strangely wound up over the temperature of the house.

For context, I rarely have heating on until the winter months, but I do like it on when people are bathing/showering so you come out to a nice warm towel and aren’t freezing in the bathroom.

I only have the thermostat set to 18 degrees so I don’t feel it’s overly warm, but he’s walking round trying to throw the windows open whereas DD and I are shivering and chucking on layers. He’s the type of person who would permanently sleep with a fan, and we do have a summer duvet on all year round to help with him over heating in the night and I just whack extra blankets on me. Every window in the house is also always slightly cracked open because we like the fresh air.

How do I resolve this? What’s the happy medium? And for interest - do you think 18 degrees is too warm inside?

How cold are your houses?! My 1980’s house hasn’t dipped below 18c yet and the heating hasn’t been on. I think around 20-21c is comfortable.

I recommend a heated throw blanket, absolutely wonderful. £25 on Amazon.

My house was built in 1960. If we don’t have the heating on in certain rooms clothes & shoes go mouldy

Putting more clothes on doesn’t warm the air going into your lungs

Far too many people seem unable to understand this.

That's what I keep telling my DH.

@665theneighborofthebeast you can get programmable thermostatic valves for radiators if you want more control. Not cheap though.

If you go outside on a day when it’s 15 that’s a nice spring day isn’t it? Am I missing something? You wouldn’t wear a coat surely?

I absolutely would be wearing a coat & I’d also be moving around most of the time

No it doesn't. I can often see my breath in winter. I have a cat who sits on my lap while I work and a heated shawl, plus kettle bell swings on the hour!

Ours has been down to 14 a few times in the mornings. It's definitely getting below 18 or the heating wouldn't be coming on. It hasn't been on much. Just in the mornings and evenings. It stays warm enough in the day without it for now.

Yes, I would. 15 degrees isn't warm, nor is it cold, but I would wear a jacket at that temperature.

I can often see my breath in winter

In the house @Silverpaws ? That can't be healthy for you or for the fabric of the house.

Wow, that’s chilly, are you in a colder part of the UK? I’m in the EoE so still quite mild. My house can get down to 13-14c but that would be in the depths of winter and if the house hadn’t been heated for a while. I’m really trying to be more frugal with the heating, but it’s hard isn’t it.

The Energy Saving Trust recommends heating your home to between 18 to 21 degrees during winter. And The World Health Organisation suggests 18 degrees is the ideal temperature for healthy and well-dressed people. Both agree this is also the ideal temperature for sleeping.

For vulnerable people such as the elderly, a change in room temperature can present several health risks. A temperature of less than nine degrees has the potential to lead to hypothermia and a temperature of 9 - 12 degrees or above 24 degrees increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

The ideal temperature to prevent damp and mould is to maintain a consistent temperature of 18 - 21 degrees in living areas, as this prevents condensation. It is also important to ensure less used rooms stay above 16 degrees and to ventilate properly.

Not particularly, fairly central England. We have a lot of glass at the back of the house though, which isn't great for keeping the heat in.

And I’m totally cool being “morally superior” in that case! 😆

Gosh, I had no idea! (Never owned a dog) Are people aware of this when they choose a dog I wonder? seems like the uk is increasingly inhospitable for some breeds 😨

this thread is funny because other cultures
altesdy think brits are hilarious for wearing jumpers indoors
imagine if they realised some people liked it the same temperature as the outside!

oh please! It is actually illegal to keep work places and schools as cold as 15C where I live. Sadist.

I think 18 is a fairly reasonable, middling temperature to want.

Obviously individuals differ a lot, but men in general tend to be warm enough at a lower temperature than women, so any male partners should be considerate of the fact that women and children will likely feel cold when they’re ok.

I don’t like the air temperature too hot myself and always wear jumpers etc in the house rather than whacking the heating on. I agree that people walking round in t shirts with the heating on are daft.

I personally don’t like it when it gets (to my mind) stuffy and airless in the house, particularly in the evenings, so I won’t have the heating on all evening. I don’t ever make it so the kids are cold in a jumper though as that’s unfair. I don’t want it to be freezing either of course!

Older people of course feel cold more easily - have just been at my parents house and the temperatures they now feel comfortable at are roasting for me in the evenings! To the point of uncomfortable, not just “I wouldn’t want to pay for that, by gum” sort of thing.

But do they have amazingly well insulated houses? Or just spend a lot on heating? Or is this just in countries where it’s warmer.

I do know people from countries where it’s very cold who like it warm indoors but in the country I’m thinking of in particular they live in flats alot where the heating is centrally controlled.

I’m obviously in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 and although I’m sitting in a T-shirt tonight I’m thinking of putting a jumper on as there’s no heating on at the moment but it can be very cold when you haven’t had any heating on at all , yes I’m a 22c person but I can also have it at 18/19c sometimes

I have solar panels and thermal wrap around ( that’s what I call it )