Living without heating

Inigo_Montoya

Im trying an experiment this winter & not turning the central heating or gas fire on - Im not cash strapped, just frugal by nature

As a caveat I suspect I can only really do this as I live alone & don't have other family members to be worried about

So far Ive been perfectly comfortable by just

a) putting on extra layers of clothing including a fur trappers hat - yes i do look silly but no one can see me

b) when sitting for a while using usb heated insoles in my fur boot slippers (as my feet can get uncomfortably cold otherwise)

c) using an electric blanket in bed

From my experience so far I think if you are a reasonably fit young to middle aged adult then not having the air heated up in your house isnt really a problem at all

Will be interesting to see if can do this for the whole winter period

Anybody else mad enough to be trying this

spiro

When I was young houses didn't have central heating or double glazing etc so on a cold winters morning you woke up to ice on the inside of the windows. That generation survived on that. I've know meter reader hear customers complain about their bills but they are walking around the house in shorts and a t shirt in the winter. Good luck with your experiment.

spot3

Good luck, it can be quite miserable after a while. I've lived without heating for the past 2 winters. This year i've given in and put the 2 night storage heaters in my high ceilinged, leaky window, drafty flat on. Its still only 13 degrees in most of the flat and 8 degrees in my bathroom.

I spend a lot of time in bed in winter. I see your fur trappers hat and raise you a balaclava (it keeps my nose warm too, its sort of lucky i'm single in winter!).

Good luck with your challenge, its definitely possible, just make sure your house doesn't start to get damp without heating.

YORKSHIRELASS

Our heating broke during one of those winters when it was down to -10 overnight. Even with a coal fire, a woodburner and an electric heater the house became absolutely unbearable after a few days. I would also have worries about damp too.

And yes we didnt have central heating until we moved into our current house in 2002 but we did have heating. Living without heating altogether is different.

Good luck to you. I could live with the heating on a lot less if I had to but I feel the cold and it would be pretty miserable.

lemontart

My central heating broke yrs ago and have not been in position to repair - have gas fire in front room and couple of electric rads, I loathe putting heating on when on my own due to cost - so extra layers. thermals. and lovely teddy bear throws too which really do help keep you warm if sitting still - which reminds me must get some more thermal bed socks

Tiffany_Aching

You will be able to do it, but I don't think it will be much fun! When it gets very cold and the room feels damp, it can feel like quite a miserable existence.

Rely on all the usual tricks - plenty of layers, fleeces stashed all around the house and single duvets used as throws on the sofas. There is a Preparing for winter thread on here somewhere that is worth a read as there are loads of good ideas on there.

We have no central heating - we are rural an have no gas supply. We only have a coal fire in one room and a storage heater in my sons bedroom -the storage heater is on as he is disabled and needs a warm room. The coal fire is lit in the evening but during the day it is freezing. I tend to not light the fire during the day as once it is lit you are committed to staying in for the rest of the day - no way will I go out and leave it unattended! I grew up and spent most of my life in houses similar to this and so should be used to it, but two years renting a house with central heating has spoiled me and I hate being so cold!

Good luck OP

Pincher

Long bath robe is really good for keeping warm. Quick to take off when you answer the door. Well, I don't, just in case it's a cold caller, so it's a good excuse to say you got me out of bed, sod off.

Andy_WSM

The Op may not freeze, although as said above, being cold is miserable and for the sake of being frugal and saving for a rainy day...why?!

I'd also be worried about my house freezing up as much as me. In the really cold Winter a few years ago I had frozen pipes in my (then unheated) kitchen. That was an absolutely expensive nightmare to put right. Units out etc. The previous owners had obviously decided to "save money" by not heating the kitchen and it cost me hundreds of £s repairing the damage it caused.

Just be careful! Being frugal doesn't always lead to saving money!

Cardew

Seems the internet is more important than heating for some people!

cashbag

As a single household on low income I put the heating on for 1-2 hours most days - otherwise the house starts to become damp & musty at this time of year with all doors & windows shut. But otherwise I am also learning to live with minimal use of heating. When watching TV I snuggle up inside an old sleeping bag with a hot water bottle against my back - very cosy!! Also from the generation who grew up in a house with an Aga in the living room/kitchen but otherwise no heating. Well remember the icy patterns on the insides of the windows & trying to get dressed under the eiderdown!

Andy_WSM

cashbag wrote: »

Also from the generation who grew up in a house with an Aga in the living room/kitchen but otherwise no heating. Well remember the icy patterns on the insides of the windows & trying to get dressed under the eiderdown!

Yes, but at least that generation had a VERY cosy living room / kitchen. The Op is talking about NO heating. Seems to be a great way to wreck your health to me. Even cave men had fires...