Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

How cold do you let your house get before turning on the heating?

48 replies

naturelover · 22/10/2008 16:39

And how many hours a day do you have your heating on at the moment?

I'm just curious to know if I'm particularly stingy! Ours is on 1hr at morning and 2hr in the evening at the moment. The thermometer currently says 15 degrees downstairs. DD and I are wearing 3 layers and thick socks - that's ok, right?

OP posts:
Cheesesarnie · 22/10/2008 16:40

we freeze as we have no heating to put on.

hannahsaunt · 22/10/2008 16:52

We live in the north east of Scotland in a mid terraced granite house. Our basement is undergoing renovations and although is now wind and watertight it's still a major source of cold air coming up through the house. It was 4 degrees coming to work this morning and nearly freezing overnight. We're making do with an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening as we have exceedingly efficient large reclaimed radiators run off a gas combi boiler. Can't go on for longer ATM as despite decresing our usage and being in credit with gas co they're still putting up our monthly DD as they've increased their costs so much. Humph.

this is about the third thread I've mentioned that today - can you tell I'm quite hacked off that all our energy saving isn't being appreciated by lower bills

Original poster
naturelover · 22/10/2008 17:15

Cheesesarnie how on earth do you cope? Are you in the UK?

hannahsaunt that sounds terrible. Brrr

OP posts:
forevercleaningwithmybesoms · 22/10/2008 17:19

we have progresssed to couple hours each end of the day. If it is mild i leave it off, but if it is bitterly cold then i will leave it on longer. I get sooo miserable if i am cold, and although being extremely careful, there are other areas I would go without before heating.

HeadFairy · 22/10/2008 17:20

We have ours on for an hour in the morning, an hour at ds' bathtime, and an hour in the evening if it's cold (so far really it's only been last night that we needed it in the evening) but we're soft southerners in London in an end of terrace. Currently the thermometer in ds' room says 19 degrees. I used to walk around the house in a t shirt all the time and open windows when it got too hot (this is in winter we're talking about) How bad is that? Now it's jumpers on all the time!

Cheesesarnie · 22/10/2008 17:21

naturelover-yep uk.i think mostly were used to it .otherwise we just cry!

Original poster
naturelover · 22/10/2008 17:24

But cheesesarnie how do you dry washing?

I have those rack thingies on every radiator and racks all over the house (no tumble dryer) - we use cloth nappies, I don't think we'd get anything dry if we didn't at least have hot radiators twice a day.

OP posts:
Cheesesarnie · 22/10/2008 17:26

dryer and airers!
we used cloth too so part of which cloth nappies to use was based on easiest to dry!

i dream of radiaters!

Cremolatorium · 22/10/2008 17:27

We do let it get Baltic.
about 3 hours a day too.
Have taken it off the timer in the evenings so you physically have to go and put it on.
Also light fire if I am turning blue.

Elk · 22/10/2008 17:36

My thermostat is in the hall and is set at 15 degrees and the heating is just left on constantly and regulated by the thermostat.

Emma

forevercleaningwithmybesoms · 22/10/2008 17:41

15 degrees in my house though feels really cold. I have mine on around 25 and even that gets cranked up a tad at times. Just cannot bear being cold!Or going without chocolate!

MegBusset · 22/10/2008 17:47

25 ! Are you wearing a bikini?

We have the heating on for an hour in the morning, half an hour during the night if the temp drops too low (so DS doesn't wake up cold) and sometimes for half an hour before DS's bedtime. Otherwise I will sometimes put it on if it gets below 16/17 but otherwise it's time to put another jumper on!

MrsGhoulofGhostbourne · 22/10/2008 18:09

Have been holding out till now, but did put the heating on for 1 hr when we got up as otehrwise could not have got out of bed. Otherwise am hardening to it - have bought some sock/slipper things from Asda, that worn in three layers are cosy, and am considering purchasing leg warmers ( onlu to wear indoors!) as I work at home and and get cold very quickly - especailly my calves, for some reason.

Lauriefairycake · 22/10/2008 18:16

Mine has been on since 8 this morning

even on all day all winter it has never once gone above 20 degrees and not because there is any sort of thermostat but because it is a teeny detached victorian cottage with draughts like feckin' ghosts

zippitippitoes · 22/10/2008 18:18

my boiler broke down at the weekend so i have no hot water

i wouldnt have the central heating on yet anyway but no hot water is a nuisance

but not such a nuisance that i have rung an engineer to sort it yet

i have asked my neighbour to take a look but if he doesnt come round tonight ill ring someone to come out

it does feel cold tho

forevercleaningwithmybesoms · 22/10/2008 18:36

lol bikini!!!

This morning i ordered from m&s some nice thick duvets for all of us, im sure that will help as they do tend to go thinner after a while (cheapos) so we shall see what difference that makes.

Prob just stay in bed all day

MrsBumblebee · 23/10/2008 07:58

At the moment we have it on for half an hour in the morning and half an hour at 5pm to warm the house up for DS's bath. It was only 15 in DS's room this morning and he did seem a bit chilly, so I think I'm going to invest in some of those furry babygros to keep him toasty.

RubberDuck · 23/10/2008 08:23

Ours stays on all day on thermostat and only goes off at night.

  1. we live in a small modern house which retains its heat well.

  2. I'm a SAHM so in all day.

  3. I have tropical fish and the heater works less hard if the ambient air temperature is a little warmer.

  4. It actually doesn't take that much energy to maintain a temperature than it does to continually be heating it up from cold.

My mum did an experiment a couple of years ago where she just left the heating on all day on thermostat (turning the thermostat down at night, but not off). Her heating bills stayed much the same. Again, she has a modern house that retains its heat fairly well.

RubberDuck · 23/10/2008 08:32

(Mind you, not sure the same logic applies if you're in an older less-insulated house and/or you're out lots in the day!)

UmMwahahahaaaaa · 23/10/2008 08:44

According to the Heating Engineer, it is more energy efficient to set your thermostat to 16 and keep it on all the time rather than the house cooling right down and having to heat right up twice a day...

BloodyStranglingwithBling · 23/10/2008 08:52

we have great insulation so once it warms up, it tends to stay warm for ages. So we turn it on for an hour when we get home and that's pretty much fine for rest of evening. On the weekend, I turn it on for an hour in the morning to take the chill off and then leave it off until late that evening.

DP Is a human furnace as well, so the radiator in the bedroom is permanently turned on. The heating on in the rest of the house makes the bedroom less icy and then once he's in bed, the temperature goes up at least a few degrees!

BloodyStranglingwithBling · 23/10/2008 08:53

Damn, that should be "DP is a human furnace as well, so the radiator in the bedroom is permanently turned off"

cupchar · 23/10/2008 08:55

Set to 15 at the moment - is about 5 degress outside but 15.8 inside!

herbietea · 23/10/2008 09:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

RhinestoneCowghoul · 23/10/2008 09:05

We live in a 1970s house, full double glazing and loft insulation (also DH fixed brushes on internal doors downstairs). We have storage heaters, which are a pain in the backside so delaying putting them on. The temp has only dipped to 15/16 degrees in the evening and we are managing fine with jumpers and blankets on the sofa.

We v rarely put any heating on upstairs in any case, have small plug in radiator for DS's room in case it gets really cold.

I have noticed that washing is taking longer to dry (terry squares looking much more attractive than shaped atm), but have still managed to get stuff out on the line on the nice days which helps. Also finish stuff off in the airing cupboard.