Is 15 degrees an OK indoor temperature?

[nappyaddict]

I have got tshirt, cardigan and hoody on plus socks and slipper boots. I feel fine temperature wise. We have a real thermometer in the room that tells you the exact temperature as opposed to one of those colour changing ones so I know it really is 15 degrees and not any colder. Sister came round earlier and said it was freezing and that we were neglecting our poor DS in that temperature. We haven't had the heating on yet and trying to hold out until December cos of a big bill earlier in the year. Does anyone else wait until December if they can?

I don't know how all your houses are 15/16 without heating on. When DH and I got home at 9 from a meal out it was 5 degrees in the car.

We have a pretty swish new system and can have different temperatures at different times. I think DH set it for about 14 degrees over night with bursts at 18 first thing, for a couple of hours when dd gets home and then again from about 9-10.30.

To be fair, I'm a bit chilly at the moment in a light jumper, leggings, boots and cotton scarf.

Do you really think that is a lot of clothes? That's just my normal amount of layers in the winter, it's not like I'm sitting inside with outdoor clothes on. I add a coat, hat, scarf and gloves for going outside. If I was having to keep that on inside then yes I would think it was too cold. I have seen people in this country wear shorts and a vest top in outdoor temperatures of 15 degrees. I personally think that is mad!! Our house was built in the 60s I think.

oh my gosh I would cry at that temperature. I keep my house at 22 and am sitting here with several layers on anyway. If it drops to 19 I feel uncomfortable and putting another layer on doesn't help - I seem to lack the ability to warm up from inside. Especially just sitting watching tv or whatever - I don't particularly feel the cold if I am outside and moving about but when I am sitting down I struggle to keep warm.

I know I do feel the cold a lot but 15 seems horribly cold to me. But if you all have the metabolism for it then good for you!

I'm wearing about what you are wearing nappyaddict and my heating is on full blast! You are tough as nails

It's a good point about considering the age of the DC and whether they can articulate if they're cold and seeing how well wrapped up they are. DS is only 11mo and spends all day crawling, cruising and jumping so he is quite active but also couldn't tell me if he was chilly. If we think it's slightly cool, then we assume that DS might be feeling that too and put on an extra top or similar.

I feel the cold very easily, DH is a very warm person, so if I feel cold and DH feels normal (ie not hot), then it's probably a little bit cool but not actually cold. We have thermometers dotted all around the place by default (they are integrated into other appliances) so we're anywhere between 18C and 20C at the moment without heating on (well insulated loft) depending on the time of day - coolest first thing, warms up throughout the day - but it feels about a degree cooler due to draughtiness (old single glazed windows).

15C is definitely too cold for both of our comfort without heating on and with DS I would be a bit nervous. However we used to live in a place that would hover around 12C in winter and we didn't put the heating on, we managed fine but it was very cold! We pretty much just lived under the duvet and only cooked things that could be thrown in the oven so we could run back under said duvet.

OP, its fine and not too cold for kids.
Honestly, just wear lots of layers, hot drinks etc.
Do you know about putting cling film around your windows and do you have thick curtains, drought excluders etc.
Lots of people my age grew up without heating, we're all soft now, including me who has heating on [embarrassed]

this tip may be handy (with all precautions taken)

www.permaculture.co.uk/videos/heat-your-room-8-pence-day

I have no idea what the temperature is in the house but I haven't put the heating on. in wrapped up nice and warn but ds who is six seems quite happy having spent all weekend in shorts and t shirt .

That's too cold for your children. Our house is 23 degrees tonight (in front of the fire) and colder in the bedroom.

We live in a cold house and happily survive

typically its around 15 but can easily be 13 or less during the day.

I won't put the heating on if there is just me at home.

We can't afford to keep the heating on all the time ( Well we could but we'd have to starve)

I'm not asking for sympathy btw, I live in a huge old house that from the outside would get many an envious look.

Guests that know us well dress accordingly and I always make sure the heating has been on when they are with us.

I can't stand visiting people with hot houses I come over all funny like I'm having a hot flush...

Ours is about 17 degrees and the heating has been on for hours! Bloody old leaky house! I get under a duvet to watch tv but my nose feels like I have been outside in a blizzard.

Over winter our house is usually around 16 downstairs and quite a bit colder upstairs, I turn it up if we have guests. The DC are young but they are fine, they are wrapped up for bed but run around lots in the day.

Wetting myself at the thought of Public Health England saying it should be 21 in living areas and 18 in bedrooms - are they going to pay my fuel bills for me!

No, too cold.

We house sat for some friends last December and they had their heating thermostat set to 16 degrees.

It was freezing until I cranked it up to 21, they are very wealthy so I didn't feel too guilty

Sounds fine to me,if you're all happy. DD and I are both hot people though, I've been comfortable in just a long sleeve top and cardi today (outdoors). I would put it on for baths/showers in the morning though.

Far too cold for me. Our living room is normally at 20-21, the bedrooms a degree or two cooler.

How old is your DS?

Oh my goodness I would freeze in those temperatures and be utterly miserable. I've always thought that I would much prefer to live in a tiny house and be warm than in a big house and be cold. I'm very lucky that I live in a medium size cottage that is cosy, I thank my lucky stars every day that we can afford to heat it properly.

Have friends who we were with on Saturday who live in a lovely house but refuse to heat it as they are stingy (their appraisal and I know it to be true) we all sat in coats rubbing our arms wtf is that all about?

nobody would die, you'd go outside in that easily!

if your child is too young to move about, make sure it is wrapped up properly. If it can move about, move it about and also supply appropriate clothes.

dance around, do some housework or put outdoor clothes on and go out for a brisk walk.

main thing to avoid is damp, which is mostly why we use our heating more now.

Well of course you wouldn't die but it would be very uncomfortable. There is only so much housework, dancing around one can do in one's house over a 16 hour period presuming you go and huddle in bed the other few hours.

Where are you? Last winter I made appoint of never putting the heating on when I was in the house alone. I would wrap up and generally be active doing HW etc but it never, even during the very cold spell, got below 16 degrees. (which is very cold for indoors btw)

We've hardly had the heating on yet but the indoor temp hasn't dropped below 17. Do you need some insulation improvements?

I find 18 comfortable when busy but like 19-20 in the evenings if sat in front of the TV

18 at night in a bedroom would be far too hot for me.

too cold for me. I think 18 is my limit if im wearing thermals, but im comfortable at 19/20. Any higher than that is a bit extravagant

That's too cold for me, sounds like a lot of us are in agreement! I prefer 19.

Mine is 16 at the moment and it really is fine. I have a scarf on but I like wearing a scarf. It isn't freezing and I am not feeling cold.

Our boiler thermostat is broken, so it was 12 degrees yesterday lunchtime - the thermostat knows how cold it is, but can't transfer that into a command for the boiler to switch the heating on .

We have the fire in the living room and that's it, but actually we've been fine. We all have blankets under the bottom sheet and sufficient bedding to feel cosy in bed (DS has 5 blankets and a duvet and wears a onesie, we have 2 duvets and 3 blankets) and just pile on layers as we need them - I was wearing my dressing gown on top of my day clothes on Saturday night as an extra layer. It isn't glamorous, but so long as you just keep adding layers until you're warm, it's fine. I've worn leggings under pyjamas at night for example, as my legs were getting cold with just my PJ bottoms on.

I would like us to have our thermostat on at 17 degrees normally, and with double glazing and cavity wall insulation, that's fine.

It's cold. I lived in Asia and it got very cold in winter. No heating....

I physically can't get my house past 15 in winter and it's too cold for me really. But if your all fine with it than its no one else's business, I warn people to wrap up before coming over though.