To wonder how long the no heating brigade will last when it turns cold?

[womaninatightspot]

I’ve been contemplating how much I can reduce the heating and electric throws. It’s chilly here today, sixteen degrees, but grey and drizzly. I’ve lit the wood stove, I do have a cold so maybe I feel more susceptible to chills.

I feel like I’ve fallen at first hurdle. Definitely going to be keeping one warm room in the house so it’s not just really unpleasant for the dc. I’ve recently paid 365 for four cubic metres kiln dried wood but it’s going to cost 1K to fill the oil tank for 1000 litres. Was a third of that last year.

I have been wondering exactly the same thing.

Me too - I am very much thinking of reducing the heating rather than not having it on. It's going to be on morning and evening, but no more whacking it up to 22. And I'm going to try and leave it off during the day unless it's really cold. Up until now, it's always been, if we're in, the heating's on and at best, it's turned down.

Depends where you live.

I am in lovely mild SE and winters generally kind punctuated with odd day when properly cold. But infrequent.

Up north…. Bloody hell, chilly in summer there 😂

I remember a thread when someone in Manchester had turned on their heating in July as it was nippy. I read that sunbathing in my garden!

Some people will have to last if they simply don't have the money, I imagine the elderly will be among those numbers. I will be keeping one room downstairs, the kid's bedroom and the bathroom warm.

Up North but my conservatory doors are open to the garden so my dog can wander in and out. Hoping not to have the heating cone on until at least October .

I'm entering this winter with the mindset that we're not putting the heating on at all, fully expecting that we will fail 🤣

But my theory is that if I go into it with that as the ultimate goal, then it will keep me motivated to keep the use as low as possible.

In a normal year regardless of the cost, I'd normally not put the heating on at all until mid October, preferably November at the earliest. We'll see how far I can get this year without it. I'm in the midlands so not mega-cold.

I am going to try and not put it on for as long as possible. Saying that, it'll probably get to October 1st and I'll be too cold and turn it on. I really feel the cold.

What do people mean by up north? Of england or the uk? Cheshire/Lancashire or Scotland? If the former, then it's been hotter here this year than down south. If you mean Scotland, then you might have a point.

I'm a woman of a certain age. I rarely feel the cold. I'll be fine for a while yet. I like cosy PJs and blankets. I'm lucky. If my disabled housebound mum and dad were still alive tho, I'd be beyond worried.

It's 22c here in the winterlands of the N.E. 😁 I think we'll get much further into Autumn before we put the heating on but I expect when winter does hit then everyone bar the most financially pressed and a couple of old school stoics will be reaching for the thermostat.

I am in the north. (south east Lancashire). I set my thermostat to 15 degrees when my new boiler was installed last September. It has come on on a couple of mornings for about 3 hours since then. 15 degrees really is warm enough for me. I would rather put on another layer than have the heating on.

We see how long we can hold off turning it on every year. We only tend to make it until the end of October/beginning of November.

My boiler broke back in February. I can't afford to have it fixed, and even if I could, I couldn't then afford the bills. Luckily we have an electric shower. Otherwise, we occassionally used a halogen heather in the living room last winter. But blankets and hot water bottles mainly. You cope. (Not that people should have to just cope.)

I know 16 for a few hours a day is comfortable for us (currently in a t-shirt with backdoor open, 21 degrees). We've done no heating in a warmer climate with about two months where it got to single digits inside. Wasn't fun. Doubt I could do that November through February.

We'll be fine. Don't use it much at the best of times. All got lots of warm clothing, all got sheepskin slippers, fleeces, blankets.

I'm more worried about the electricity tbf, as that's more expensive. We pretty much have to use the tumble dryer and I love a roast dinner.

We don’t usually turn the heating back on until after October half term anyway. If we do put it on it will be on 16 so very little benefit unless it gets really cold as the house rarely drops below 15 in the day.

What are you wearing @womaninatightspot ? Is your house draughty? Do you have carpets or hard floors? Double glazing? All these things make a difference. I wear things like scarves all the time anyway, can't bear a cold neck or draughts.

They won't have much choice if they don't have the money.
There will be a lot of damp homes this year, at best. More illness at worst.

NHS are expecting increased hospitalisations of young and old due to damp, cold and mould

I don't think electric blankets are expensive to use.

I consider 16 degrees a reasonable summer temperature! We are north Scotland though.

It really doesn't require you to light the woodburner so you must be feeling ill.

We are yet to shut the windows at night let alone think about heating.

October at least before I switch anything on. That is on part because our heating is all or nothing but we've always done that, not because of current energy prices.

Like all things it's middle ground. Not putting the heating on at all will fall to keep the fabric of the building warm but we could all meet easily adapt to being a few degrees colder

It depends on how much money they have. The ones who can afford to turn it on or who can get credit will do it as soon as it gets too uncomfortable or damp. The others will not last long either. Literally.

I’m in Yorkshire and will try and tough it out.

to be fair I grew up without central heating and only had it installed in my own home when I was 42 (only 10 years ago) so am quite used to it.

Thw figures I have seen for bills are shocking and I’ll happily not run up any big bills just to spite the energy companies

I’m not overly concerned about us because we’re all relatively young and healthy. But I’m seriously worried for my dps - my df is bedbound and has the heating on constantly in his bedroom. I think my dm will just try and do without to save money. They won’t take money off us for heating and they worry about letting strangers in the house so refuse to consider anything like fitting insulation or solar panels.

@Bullshot · Today 14:34
'I’m in Yorkshire and will try and tough it out.
to be fair I grew up without central heating and only had it installed in my own home when I was 42 (only 10 years ago) so am quite used to it.
Thw figures I have seen for bills are shocking and I’ll happily not run up any big bills just to spite the energy companies'

Me too. I won't be switching the heating on until it becomes unbearable.