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.

First coldish day in London. I’m sweating buckets at the mo at night, and so the cool
breeze is very welcome. Won’t be switching the heating on this month. Primark’s oodie is doing a sterling job in keeping me warm.

I've had to put the heating on to dry clothes ☹️

Few weeks ago I changed my 4.5 to a 15 😂

Yeah I thought this. I added the summer duvet 4.5 to the autumn duvet 9 so mine is 13.5 now. Plus a heavy throw. I do like to sleep with window open for air though.

We're 10 tog here.
Was about 14 degrees last night in the bedroom.
This is ok at night. I don't tend to get cold at night in bed

No window open

shivers

We're 4.5 tog and window open! I'm rather contradictory in that I'm nesh during the day and roasting at night!

First coldish day in London. I’m sweating buckets at the mo at night, and so the cool
breeze is very welcome. Won’t be switching the heating on this month. Primark’s oodie is doing a sterling job in keeping me warm.

@Shitfather what is the temperature inside your house? How are you drying your laundry?

10 tog!! 💪That is in my Beast from the East back up drawer cupboard!

I’m already looking at the weather forecast and wondering if I should pop a clean cover on the 2.5 now and have it ready to go so I can swap them about again more easily!

15 degrees today and I swear it's feeling warmer in the house the colder it gets. I still don't feel we need the heating on. But I'm going to have to cave on the tumble dryer next week. It's making me rethink why we always had the heating onto 21 I previous winters. I bet it won't come back on after this, I hope it still works! I'm not sure at what temperature I'm going to cave. I never thought I would tolerate 15 degrees but I'm just getting more used to it now.

Sad really but I feel less stressed this way. I know I can offord the bills and its one less worry. I'd love to manage until December. Let's see how cold it gets I guess. Surely much colder will become untouchable?

We don’t have the heating on yet, but it was sunny today.

I didn’t know about duvet togs until this year so only have one, I checked it and I think it’s a 2.5, it’s been on the bed all year round for years apart from laundering.

its currently 2 degrees outside and I have no idea what temp inside.

Can I ask a question, if ok?

We live in a flat, the thermostat thingy is in the hall. Say I set it to 15 degrees. Does this mean that only if the temperature in the hall itself hits below 15, the heating will turn on? So the temperature in the rest of the house is irrelevant to it then? It will be the cheapest system because I'm in H.A.

I've never used a thermostat before, I grew up in a house with no central heating just a fire, and I have always just put it on for an hour in the morning for us to shower, and also if the outside temp gets to 0. I am thinking that I should start using one now though.

Yes this is what ours is like

Yes, I think most of them have thermometers inside, so your heating being on or off is determined by your hall. Of course, that does mean if you'd normally leave your hall radiators off to save energy then you might be blasting heat into the rest of an already warm house!

@PlantDoctor So it is determined by the hall radiator , not the actual thermostat thingy itself?? Sorry I am totally ignorant of these things!!

I agree OP. This competitive coldness is tiresome. My worry is for those who cannot afford it at all. But many are just jumping on this and saying ridiculous things, about how 14 degrees is perfectly comfortable. 🙄 We all know that while a few people might find it so, for 90% of people it isn't.

@PlantDoctor I have the same type of system as @EXSW but my hall radiator is the only one I can't turn off.

My hall is the warmest place in my flat & thermostat says 18.5° at the minute but I'm awake because it's cold in my bedroom & I went to bed at 8:30 last night

We live in a flat, the thermostat thingy is in the hall. Say I set it to 15 degrees. Does this mean that only if the temperature in the hall itself hits below 15, the heating will turn on?

yes you are correct in your thinking, if you set the thermostat to 15 degrees then it’s the hall temperature that needs to drop before the heating will turn on.

it’s how many houses are set up. It’s a good idea to keep doors shut on every room. This will keep the rooms warm ( where you have the radiators turned in) and also keep the hall warmer as less area to heat to the temperature required.

by keeping the doors shut your thermostat can be set a couple of degrees lower say at 16 or 17 degrees and you’ll find the closed of rooms are much warmer at 18/19 but without using lots of gas

rooms you don’t use you can switch rads if at radiator and this will also save you money

No, it's determined by the thermostat. I just meant that if your hall is colder than the rest of your house then it will mean the heating comes on even when you don't need it in the living areas. Another poster said that your system is such that the hall radiator cannot be turned off though, so my point is moot!

But if your living off one low wage with four kids like us it's not an option. I don't have money coming in to cover £20 plus per day fuel bills. It's just pure maths.

If its 14 degrees but pay the bills and eat then it's 14 degrees. If I pay £10 per day on feel then I either don't buy as much food or we don't pay the bills.

By keeping it off hopefully I can pay for heating when it's intolerablefurther into winter. We are all in different situations with different amounts of money coming in. Can't you see that might be the case for some?

We are lucky, we have assets but selling my biggest asset is a once in a lifetime choice and I won't ever be able to buy it back. So I'm choosing this option for now. Kids are fine with it so far. It's really a better option for us.

There will be many people like us who could afford to heat to 18, but then would have to make extreme cuts elsewhere, such as on the food shop or no after school sport or clubs at all for children. We are already careful with money as it is very tight.

I will be heating for a couple of hours to 16 in the evening, but, yes, likely 14 if it gets very cold when we are home in the day. 14 is comfortable for us with appropriate clothing and activity in the day. DS is currently barefoot at 15 degrees.

There will be many people like us who could afford to heat to 18, but then would have to make extreme cuts elsewhere, such as on the food shop or no after school sport or clubs at all for children. We are already careful with money as it is very tight
I would prioritise my family being warm over a DC doing ballet or whatever it is they do.

I think the big error is thinking you have to go from having zero heating to warming the place up hotter than the surface of the sun.

I have just started using the gas fire at night in the lounge. It costs much less to run than the boiler which heats the entire house.

The lounge is warm and cosy after about 1 hour of heating (60p) which is much better than running the whole house CH (£2.50) per hour.

DS does one sport, costing £20 a month. College, so no school sport. It wouldn't just be the sport, it would be extreme cuts to the food shop as well. DS runs hotter than me so it would only be for my benefit.

What I mean is that is a balancing act. Some heat, but less than ideal, so you can also feed children properly and so they can do activities that are important for their health and wellbeing. Many families will be in this position.