Room temperatures
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Every winter on MSE we get post after post from people stating that they have the temperature in their rooms at unbelievably low levels.
In the last couple of days, we have had posts claiming 10C, 13C, and 15C. Frequently 17C is quoted as the ‘norm’ – well it ain’t!
I suspect many of these posters have faulty thermostats, or they have their wall thermostat situated in a cold draughty hall.
Bear in mind that if your thermostat, in the cold draughty hall, is set at, say, 17C and the temperature doesn’t reach 17C, then your heating is on constantly. It would be perfectly possible in that situation to have the temperature in a living room at 24C.
Many of us set the temperature of our rooms using Thermostatic Radiator Valves(TRV) . On most TRVs the middle setting(usually ‘3’) corresponds to a temperature of 20C. On mine (Honeywell)
1 = 16C
2 = 18C
3 = 20C
4 = 22C
5 = 24C
There are thousands of websites that give recommended room temperatures. This is one that is representative:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5372296.stm
Please, please let us not have posts describing how you sit watching TV wrapped in a sleeping bag and with hot water bottles and woolly hat with the room at -5C.;)
In the last couple of days, we have had posts claiming 10C, 13C, and 15C. Frequently 17C is quoted as the ‘norm’ – well it ain’t!
I suspect many of these posters have faulty thermostats, or they have their wall thermostat situated in a cold draughty hall.
Bear in mind that if your thermostat, in the cold draughty hall, is set at, say, 17C and the temperature doesn’t reach 17C, then your heating is on constantly. It would be perfectly possible in that situation to have the temperature in a living room at 24C.
Many of us set the temperature of our rooms using Thermostatic Radiator Valves(TRV) . On most TRVs the middle setting(usually ‘3’) corresponds to a temperature of 20C. On mine (Honeywell)
1 = 16C
2 = 18C
3 = 20C
4 = 22C
5 = 24C
There are thousands of websites that give recommended room temperatures. This is one that is representative:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5372296.stm
24C - top range of comfort
21C - recommended living room temperature
Less than 20C - death risk begins
18C - recommended bedroom temperature
16C - resistance to respiratory diseases weakened
12C - more than two hours at this temperature raises blood pressure and increases heart attack and stroke risk
5C - Significant risk of hypothermia
Source: West Midlands Public Health Observatory
Please, please let us not have posts describing how you sit watching TV wrapped in a sleeping bag and with hot water bottles and woolly hat with the room at -5C.;)
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Comments
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A number of energy suppliers give away simple LCD thermometers to their vulnerable customers, if you are of pensionable age I'd suggest getting one, or better still buy a decent one and hang it your main living area, away from heat sources at about 5ft off the floor.That gum you like is coming back in style.0
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Death risk beneath 20? Wow. Is that right? 20 feels pretty warm to me. I'm not even sure my boiler can get the house above 20.
There's also person insulation to consider. The air temperature doesn't really matter if you're wrapped up. Otherwise polar expeditions wouldn't work.0 -
I have my lounge at 22C sometimes 23C sometimes the air con system will maintain 22.5 at 22C and sometimes you have to set it at 23C to maintain at about 22.5 depending on how it feels... 22.5 is ideal for me but I cant set this on the system.
The bedrooms are at about 18/19 and my flat mates bedroom is kept at 21/22C as he uses this as a lounge also and doesnt just sit there so we have to keep him warm.
Kitchen and bathroom get the heat from the lounge and hall so these are kept at about 21/22If you found my post helpful, please remember to press the THANKS button! --->0 -
I usually heat my living room to about 18-19C on an evening and to 19-20C at the weekend when I light my stove. The hall and spare rooms are heated to around 13C. My bedroom is heated to 17-18C before bed and then switched off.0
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Oooooooooooooh this might explain why my house is so hot then! The thermostat on the wall is set to 10, has been up to a maximum of 20, but its always baking in here.
But I do have numbers on my radiators and downstairs I have them set to Max
:rotfl:
I take it that the fact I have turned them up to that makes the wall thermostat irrelevant?2010 resolutions1- get my 5yo DD dry daytime, with enuresis help dry since 12th Jan so far!
2-Lose 3 stone inc giving birth :j baby born 11/02/10! lost 2 stone, 1 more to go!
3- more moneysaving! sealed pot number 851
SAHM getting organised, dont wanna go back to work after mat leave :j0 -
Quote:
24C - top range of comfort
21C - recommended living room temperature
Less than 20C - death risk begins
18C - recommended bedroom temperature
16C - resistance to respiratory diseases weakened
12C - more than two hours at this temperature raises blood pressure and increases heart attack and stroke risk
5C - Significant risk of hypothermia
Source: West Midlands Public Health Observatory
Less than 20C - death risk begins
Only from the wife's complaining.
Get a sweater on!0 -
I take it that the fact I have turned them up to that makes the wall thermostat irrelevant?
PRetty much yeh, it only controls the temperature in the hallway, set the ones on the radiators to about 3.5 and then turn the ones down to * setting in the rooms you dont use, i.e spare rooms etc.
You will save a fortune by not having rooms heated that you dont need heating.
Get a thermometer and check the temps in each room and you will find that they are more likely 24C + if they are set to max!If you found my post helpful, please remember to press the THANKS button! --->0 -
richardc1983 wrote: »PRetty much yeh, it only controls the temperature in the hallway, set the ones on the radiators to about 3.5 and then turn the ones down to * setting in the rooms you dont use, i.e spare rooms etc.
You will save a fortune by not having rooms heated that you dont need heating.
Get a thermometer and check the temps in each room and you will find that they are more likely 24C + if they are set to max!
Makes sense! Thank you!2010 resolutions1- get my 5yo DD dry daytime, with enuresis help dry since 12th Jan so far!
2-Lose 3 stone inc giving birth :j baby born 11/02/10! lost 2 stone, 1 more to go!
3- more moneysaving! sealed pot number 851 SAHM getting organised, dont wanna go back to work after mat leave :j0 -
Death risk beneath 20? Wow. Is that right? 20 feels pretty warm to me. .
These two posts from another thread explain that 'dramatic' statement!!Well as you can see from the BBC article the source is West Midlands Public Health Observatory.
My assumption was that they meant for elderly frail people??
If you go to their website http://www.wmpho.org.uk/
They are certainly not a Micky Mouse organisation. There is an interesting article there on excess winter deaths and they seem to concentrate on those over 85.
Yes, I think your'e correct. The data appears to have been pulled from the table here:
http://www.wmpho.org.uk/resources/Fu...erty_Short.pdf
but rather than using "Mortality rate increases below 20°C", the BBC seem to prefer the slightly more colourful and concise "death risk begins".0 -
Yeah, that's for old people. I'm 31, sitting on our settee under a fleece and a duvet and don't have the heating on. I don't think I'm at any risk of dying soon despite the temperature outside being 0.It's not easy having a good time. Even smiling makes my face ache.0
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