Visiting friends’ freezing cold houses

[Lardychops]

Yet another evening visiting a friends’ house for a mid week catch up natter and couple of drinks, 7.30-10pm type affair. Absolutely fucking Baltic with no heating on Went to the loo, radiator like ice not even warm from maybe having clicked off at 8.30/9pm
Home warming up in bed.
Baffling as this seems to be the case with loads of our friends - all not short of a bob or two, nice holidays, homes, cars etc especially as half of us grew up with sod all and often joke about our relatively impoverished upbringings by today’s standards ( myself included which is why I hate hate being cold at home)
I mean, even at my skintist as an adult with a young family, making sure the meter was plugged with 50p’s so the flat was warm for visitors would have been a given

After having grown up with chilblains in winter as a kid I just don’t get the freezing cold house thing when it doesn’t have to be.

I was at a party recently, and my feet were FREEZING on the wooden floor.

I looked around and realised people were all strategically standing on corners of rugs, or toys.

Everyone suffering but of course you can’t say anything!

You can condition yourself to colder temperatures if you are a healthy adult. When I go into a house that is at 20C it feels quite warm and I can easily live at 17C or lower.

However if I have guests I always turn the temperature up to a more standard temperature (18C-20C) because I want them to feel comfortable.

No one sensible really likes setting fire to £5 notes which is what excessive heating is.

We keep our house around 15/16c. It’s not because we don’t have money (we have money, live in a very big house), it’s because this is a comfortable temperature for us. I can’t stand going to places where I feel like I’m going to pass out from the heat. I would put the heating on more for guests, but it’s never going to go above 18c (it’s an old farmhouse). I’m not offended if people don’t want to visit though. Happy to meet somewhere for a coffee instead. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I was feeling sympathetidc. And usually put the heating on before any guests come round.

But have just seen that all you tend to wear (even though it is January) is a t-shirt & jumper, and a pair of trousers. No wonder you're cold!

Most people I know routinely wear leggings or tights in the winter. And more than 2 layers on their top half. Why not add a vest, and another long-sleeved top, before you go out anywhere?

I'm assuming you drive everywhere. Those of us who spend more time/ work outdoors ( & walk/ cycle/ use public transport rather than going everywhere in a cosy car) probably dress up more warmly as a matter of course.

As a result of doing this, I usually find everyone's houses (even the ones with no heating turned on) fairly warm.

I keep my house thermostat at 16 degrees except for the bathroom where I keep it warmer with an electric towel rail. I am in and out all day long rushing about and any warmer it can feel too hot. However, if I have visitors I will always offer to turn the heating up for them.

I have friends who keep their house cold. First time I stayed there I was unaware. The next time I stayed there I brought a heated hoodie, thermal joggers and furry boot slippers. I was just honest and said "I really feel the cold and you run hot so this is my solution." We all had a nice time then. I don't think they were offended. I hope not 😂

That doesn’t work when the air around you isn’t warm. I used to rent a room in a big house and they would only have the heating on for an hour in the morning and evening. It was miserable and I was always freezing.

I worked shifts too so if I missed those particular hours I’d have to sit freezing the rest of the day/night. Family bought me blankets/fleeces/onesies but, while they took the edge off a bit, it was still cold and horrible.

We never heat our house higher than 19 degrees. I get a headache if I'm stuck in a stuffy house.

I run cold and if visiting other peoples houses in winter I always wear strategic layers in case they’re the kind of people who prefer their home in the chilly side. I take slippers sometimes!

I've noticed this at a couple of my friends' houses this winter! The weather has been so bloody cold over the last month or so,my central heating has been on practically constantly when I'm at home. I turn it down to 18 at night but in the day it's on 20/21. In my defence,I have various health issues which are exacerbated by getting too cold. Both of these friends I visited admitted they hardly ever had the heating on because of the cost. I spent the entire visits with my coat on!

We don’t have our house any warmer than 18 as we’d much rather wear layers than feel too hot; I hate the feeling of my head being hot! We also have the heating totally off in the evening/ at night as the bedrooms hold the heat and are uncomfortable to sleep in otherwise (and we have DC in bed from 7pm). It’s nothing to do with money for us.

Our neighbours invite us and other neighbours around now and again. We've learnt to layer up keep a coat on and not stay too long. DH said no to going the other week. Invite everyone here at least we'll all be warm he said.

OP, what were your hosts wearing?

Were they in similar clothes to you? Or bundled up in layers?

No one in my family feels the cold. I like my house at 18 or 18.5 . My sister’s house is colder.

But I wear a thermal long sleeved vest under a good wool sweater.

I put the heat up to an uncomfortable 21 if I have guests.

I think you have to invite them to yours in the winter, and go to theirs in the summer.

I came on to say, I hate going into people’s boiling hot houses!

But to be fair their house sounds a lot colder than mine. I like to think mine is a happy medium but then I would think that! I like a cool room to sleep in though.

18 - 18.5 sounds normal to me!

I often keep my coat on in my parents house in winter. I’ve been doing it in restaurants recently too. Some Victorian style houses with high ceilings and bay windows especially are very hard to keep warm even with the heating on. What style house do your friends have?

That's what I would wear in summer.
In winter it's a vest top, long sleeved top, tshirt if it's very cold, then a jumper.
Thin leggings under jeans if it's very cold. And thick soled shoes or boots. Thick socks.

@OrigamiAnimal eek, I thought I was doing badly paying just under £200 a month in my 3 bed

Yes, my parents' house is unbearable. Our thermostat is at 18, which is comfortable for us. I turn it up when my parents visit as they're in their eighties and feel the cold.

id expect to wear 2 jumpers - a normal/ medium weight one like a merino plus a heavy over jumper or cardigan when I went to a friends house.

I also can’t stand being hot since having kids. So would always rather er on the colder side than be stuck in a warm room

I’m with you OP. I was at a friends recently and she said, oh, we rarely put the heating on during the day, it doesn’t really need it. I caught sight of a thermometer (through my chattering teeth 🥶) 10 fucking degrees! In no hurry to return, will suggest a coffee shop in future!

Did you tell them that your cold?

I froze growing up. Im not doing it now. Do one of them have a woodburner or fireplace? Woodburners are so cheap to run.

You aren’t wrong. It’s a basic courtesy and shows consideration. Get the temp to 20deg and then when they arrive tell them to let you know if it’s too hot or cold. What you like is irrelevant for a few hours when your guests are there.

I agree OP it does get uncomfortable. Recently stayed with friends in Scotland and I went to bed in a wooly hat and my DH’s fleece, but still spent the whole visit uncomfortably cold. I also suspect I’ve got a bit nesh and southern, but can also see it no doubt costs vastly different amounts of money to keep my new build triple glazed house warm versus this house in Scotland with huge single glazed windows and great high ceilings. I do yearn for a beautiful house like that but equally see the positives to my (slightly lacking in character but extremely comfortable) new build with heaps of insulation and solar panels.