How to live without heating - save £000s

HertsLad

I am sorry to read Martin Lewis say he fears people will die because a lot of people cannot afford heating. I agree but regard it as sad. The Government, Councils, charities and other public bodies could do a lot more to advise people on what to wear so many of those people should be able to stay perfectly warm without any heating at all. For me, the choice between eating and heating is a no-brainer. The priority should be eating because it's essential to keep warm. But the main message from these bodies and organisations is to warm your home to 20C, as if everyone can afford it.

I haven’t heated my house for more than 11 years. My approach is to keep myself warm, rather than heat the house - not even a single room. I estimate I have saved up to £1000 per year.  As prices are now rising more sharply than ever, I estimate the saving will soon increase to £1500 per year. My house typically goes down to 2C during any cold spells between December and February. Today, on 10 February in Hertfordshire, it is 11C. The normal range over winter is around 4C - 8C. I am perfectly comfortable and toasty warm because I am wearing enough clothes with good insulation properties. The more clothes you wear, the lower the temperature you can withstand. It should be obvious but is it?

The common suggestion to put on a jumper is nowhere near enough.I had to work out for myself what I need to wear. It didn't seem wholly intuitive. For example it's important to insulate legs as much as one's torso. I learned from hearing and reading what polar scientists and explorers wear to withstand temperatures down to -30C or colder. I figured 2C in my house is relatively warm, and so it proved to be. The colder it gets, the more layers I wear. None of the clothing is restrictive so I can move around almost as freely as when wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the summer.My favourite clothes are two polyester base layers (one over the top of the other, for both legs and top), a pure wool jumper, and a thinsulate jacket plus a thinsulate lined hat and down-insulated trousers. Everything needs to be long sleeve so I regard 'body warmer' gilets as a joke, together with anything made of acrylic. Nothing I wear is very expensive at all, especially when compared to the cost of heating. It would almost certainly be cheaper for the Government to hand out packs of clothing, rather than make cold weather payments.I never need to wear gloves indoors, even at 2C. Neither do I need an electrically heated foot warmer, all night electric blanket or anything like that.The inside of my house has never reached freezing point. I sometimes leave out small dishes with water, to check if they freeze over. It's never happened.Special measures may be needed to prevent burst water pipes in the loft.

I tried heating one room originally but discovered zero heating is far more convenient because whenever you leave a heated room, you start to get cold, e.g. to go to the kitchen.

I make only two exceptions: (1) I use an electric blanket to pre-warm the bedding for 20 minutes and (2) I use a fan heater in the bathroom but only for about 10 minutes at a time. I sleep under two 13.5 tog duvets, one on top of the other. 

Government backed studies suggest low temperatures can lead to increased blood pressure, strokes and heart attacks. My core temperature is perfectly normal so I hope I'm not at risk. Neither do I seem to have suffered any ill effects from breathing in cold air. I can't possibly say if my approach will be right for you. Probably not, if you have children or suffer from certain medical conditions, for example. Only you can decide.

Gerry1

HertsLad said:

I make only two exceptions: (1) I use an electric blanket to pre-warm the bedding for 20 minutes and (2) I use a fan heater in the bathroom but only for about 10 minutes at a time.

I trust that it's a wall mounted fan heater operated by a pull cord, otherwise you may "Ride The Lightnin'" as they say across the pond...

comeandgo

Do you get many visitors?  

schnegge_london

If you are happy with it and it saves you money, fine, but this should be no environment for example a child should grow up.

I know a lot of people are saying: we haven't had this or that back then - this is true, but shouldn't everyone be entitled to a minimum standard of living in the year 2022? Nobody should have to choose between heating and eating, but unfortunately a lot of people will have to. Yes, I expect people to watch their energy consumption, and also a lot of people don't do that, but with these prices even middle class families will take a hard hit. And the support being revealed is simply not enough. 

And don't forget that due to the poor insulation of a lot of UK homes will then suffer from mould - which is really bad for your health. 

EssexHebridean

This is a shockingly ableist post IMO. This "advice" could kill someone elderly, frail or poorly. If you can't afford to heat your home, then help is undoubtedly available - I get the feeling though that you are simply choosing not to - playing at it if you like. I just hope this is a home you own rather than one you rent as you will certainly be doing the building little good! 

Astria

I'm glad it works for you, but it wouldn't work for a lot of people, including myself. I have a condition that, even at 18c my extremities go white then blue and then start to burn, so I have to keep the environment warm and use gloves and hat when I go outside.

wild666

I only have the heating on when family are down otherwise I use a hot water bottle. The thermals I wear under fleeced jogging pants keep the lower half warm on the thermal top with a T-Shirt over it and a fleeced dressing gown is all I need to keep warm. 

GingerTim

Has Ray Mears just given away his MSE username?

EssexHebridean

I'd hope Ray Mears would at least be sensible and responsible enough to understand that just because HE chooses to do something, it's not a good thing to give as general advice to everyone! 

markin

A bit extreme, you must have a well insulated home for it to always be +2c, If you didn't cut the gas off you could just use the frost setting at 6c and be far more comfortable, and as you get older you could even go up to 12c!

GingerTim

EssexHebridean said:

I'd hope Ray Mears would at least be sensible and responsible enough to understand that just because HE chooses to do something, it's not a good thing to give as general advice to everyone! 

Amen to that! More seriously, this sort of 'advice' is actively dangerous to some people and I'd be inclined to delete it.