Is your heating ON or OFF?

Reddleman79

Heating still off. The temperature in my living room is 13.5°C, so it can wait a bit longer yet. It is nice when the pilot is on in the CH boiler as it keeps my bathroom radiator aired and I keep my towels dry on it.

Spies

13.5c is way too low.

Has nobody seen this? https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63602501 

Primrose

Are rubber hot water bottles built to sustain 100% boiling water.   I always worry this would damage them or at least certainly shorten their life.   Is there any official guidance as tomproportions or hot and cold water to be used?  

I can't imagine people bothering to test the temperature in them with a thermometer.

Rosa_Damascena

Spies said:

13.5c is way too low.

Has nobody seen this? https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63602501 

A fit and healthy person can tolerate this temperature if wrapped up warm, but I agree an older / infirm person should not be taking any risks. Unfortunately many people do not feel they have much of a choice, they literally don't have money to burn!

Spies

Primrose said:

Are rubber hot water bottles built to sustain 100% boiling water.   I always worry this would damage them or at least certainly shorten their life.   Is there any official guidance as tomproportions or hot and cold water to be used?  

I can't imagine people bothering to test the temperature in them with a thermometer.

Always let the water settle in the kettle before pouring it in the bottle, it shouldn't be bubbling when your pour it. 

RobM99

As I said, I use 50/50 boiled and cold. I wouldn't use boiling - risky in my opinion.

Reddleman79

Spies said:

13.5c is way too low.

Has nobody seen this? https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63602501 

But I'm not sitting around in a T shirt and shorts. In fact I haven't sat around in such attire since the temperature went below 17°C.

Cherryfudge

Spies said:

13.5c is way too low.

Has nobody seen this? https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63602501 

A very informative article - even if we feel we are fine (and the researchers commented on how good the volunteer's health was), the experiments showed how various body systems (particularly the heart, lungs and brain) are stressed by lower temperatures. Our reasoning power decreases, so we may be less able to counteract the effects of cold.

Of course, if you are fit and active, you can generate heat through keeping busy, but you can't be busy 24/7.

@Rosa_Damascena has a good point too: a lot of people just haven't the money to heat themselves.

newlywed

Spies said:

Has nobody seen this? https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63602501 

Yes it was interesting that 18 seems to be a turning point.  Our home is currently 16 and starting to feel chilly in thick socks and a massive jumper… or at least my hands feel chilly.  Washing is taking longer to dry indoors too.

Wfh and definitely need to be able to type and think, so am expecting to hit the button fairly shortly.  Might get out the hot water bottle to warm my feet tonight.

Primrose

newlywed said:

Spies said:

Has nobody seen this? https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63602501 

Yes it was interesting that 18 seems to be a turning point.  Our home is currently 16 and starting to feel chilly in thick socks and a massive jumper… or at least my hands feel chilly.  Washing is taking longer to dry indoors too.

Wfh and definitely need to be able to type and think, so am expecting to hit the button fairly shortly.  Might get out the hot water bottle to warm my feet tonight.

Definitely invest in a pair of Thinsulate fingerless gloves.  The fingers are partly covered so you can type, turn pages of paper etc but help keep the wrists and hands wamer.   I think it's the body extremities which start to feel the cold first.