Is your heating ON or OFF?

azureblue_2

Good evening folks. I was wondering what sort of heat setting you generally use? I have mine set to 20 degrees currently.
Our house is a 3 storey victorian so no cavity wall insulation possible and an open chimney with gas fire fitted (which we try not to use as well as CH). At the moment the timer is for 7.30 - 10.30am then 4.30 - 8pm, but being retired, if we are at home we need to put it on rather than get ill.
It really is a struggle to get the most heat for the least expense now. I was wondering whether to go for a multi-fuel stove in the dining room? Would it heat the house through reasonably? Are they expensive to buy and fit? I'm not sure what's involved so anyone with experience I would be glad to hear from.
Many thanks.

BitterAndTwisted

I'd get rid of that gas fire and see about getting a wood-burning stove if you can where you live. Think about all that free wood waiting to be collected on your daily walks, never mind pallets and whatnot to be dragged out of skips.

I gave in and putting the gas central-heating on this afternoon, the thermo was showing 8 degrees centigrade and it was just too cold to bear any longer but maybe I'm a wuss. I turned it off when it got to 14 degrees and that's not particularly high but it felt balmy in comparison.

HGLTsuperstar

I am about to open a bottle of Coffee Baileys (on offer at Morrisons) to warm me up!

Skye_Dancer

I've had my heating on for weeks now, it is so cold in my house even with it on.:rolleyes:

mardatha

We're sat round a glowing red hot stove full of coal, with a thick wool carpet underfoot, looking out at the blizzard which hasnt stopped since 1 o'clock.
I put coal first before everything else and at times like this I am sooo glad ! --
but I'd still swap for a beach house in Barbados if anybody wants to !

SarahNeedle1872

Back on here again, and turned up a bit too! Will turn it back down when the cold snap ends.... I can see my £50 credit slowly being eaten though

Sx

tori.k

Our's still off but then we dont have any heating at the moment ,its amazing tho how much just putting lagging down in the loft has kept the house warmer, tho the condensation is worse since we had it done.

gettingready

Had my heating on since.... September :rolleyes:

I need to see that 23 degrees on my thermometer indoor or I feel cold.

Looking at this thread - I truly admire people who cope well with anything lower indoors - brrrrrr

But then, your gas bills must be something to smile about... I am dreading mine.. always.

But I pay my gas and electric monthly (EDF), got a card for that - I am not on a prepayment meter as this was more expensive to use but just pay on the card monthly. Managed to save a bit over the summer and py in "up front" this year so.... 23 degrees it stays

jackieb

My heating's on and it's still freezing. I'm sitting with a scarf and jacket on! The gas in my portable heater in the kitchen ran out earlier this morning and the shop's closed cos it's a Sunday, so won't get another gas bottle until tomorrow. It's persishing in that kitchen, 15C with no heating on, 18C with central heating, but a lovely 21C (I put the fire off if it reaches 24C) when the portable gas fire's on too. I can't do cold. It's not a warm house as it is but with no heating on it'd be unbearable. It must have been unbearable in the winter beforehand.

greenbee

azureblue wrote: »

Good evening folks. I was wondering what sort of heat setting you generally use? I have mine set to 20 degrees currently.
Our house is a 3 storey victorian so no cavity wall insulation possible and an open chimney with gas fire fitted (which we try not to use as well as CH). At the moment the timer is for 7.30 - 10.30am then 4.30 - 8pm, but being retired, if we are at home we need to put it on rather than get ill.
It really is a struggle to get the most heat for the least expense now. I was wondering whether to go for a multi-fuel stove in the dining room? Would it heat the house through reasonably? Are they expensive to buy and fit? I'm not sure what's involved so anyone with experience I would be glad to hear from.
Many thanks.

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

I'd get rid of that gas fire and see about getting a wood-burning stove if you can where you live. Think about all that free wood waiting to be collected on your daily walks, never mind pallets and whatnot to be dragged out of skips.

I gave in and putting the gas central-heating on this afternoon, the thermo was showing 8 degrees centigrade and it was just too cold to bear any longer but maybe I'm a wuss. I turned it off when it got to 14 degrees and that's not particularly high but it felt balmy in comparison.

I've just had a stove installed in my fireplace. It certainly stops the draught coming down the chimney! As its only a small room, I have a tiny (3.5kw) stove, but it can chuck out a lot of heat if you get it going properly.

Remember though, that you need to use decent wood in it. I ran out of seasoned wood, and the logs from the garage are NOT burning well (it went out overnight last night) as although I've dried them out, they're clearly not dry enough.

I've got a multi-fuel stove, which does at least allow me to keep my options open so I can use smokeless fuel in emergencies!

However, I don't for a moment believe that the stove will be cheaper to run that gas central heating, unless you can get good quality fuel free (even if a tree falls down in your garden it can take a lot of effort and up to three years for it to be ready for burning). You need a lot of storage, and you have to deal with chimney cleaning etc. too.

The stove is going to come into its own at those times of year when you don't really need the heating on, but just want a fire in the evenings, or in the autumn/spring when you don't want the heating on, but need gentle heat to keep the chill and damp off. My chimney is in the centre of the house, so it has warmed the core of the house - it took a while to start working properly as the chimney had been unused and was cold and damp!

Don't forget that stoves are hard work with the fuel and the ash - and you get a lot more dust and dirt burning solid fuel.

Having said that, sometimes a few flames or glowing coals in the grate makes you feel warmer than any tropical central heating can!

My thermostat is set at 16... but its not that accurate, so I suspect it's probably generally keeping warmer than that. I close the doors between rooms at this time of year anyway and heat them individually.