How to live without heating - save £000s

Scot_39

HertsLad said:

Scot_39 said:

HertsLad said:

 

HertsLad said: Is there anyone else here who lives at temperatures as low as that ...?
...If that's the top layer, what are you wearing underneath, exactly?

Ildhund said:

You really don't need much underneath for it to keep you snug, even when the indoor temperature dips below 10°. 

I wouldn't say I live at those temperatures. It's not unusual for it to be that cold when I get up, but unless it gets warmer by itself, I'll chicken out and light the fire. This was last January:
  
As to what I wear underneath - that may be TMI. It varied, but a normal arrangement would be a microfibre polyester long-sleeved base layer with a merino wool polo-necked jumper to keep my neck warm. 
I wouldn't dream of appearing in public in this garb, but delivery drivers don't bat an eyelid when I answer the door, so I'm probably not that much of a rarity. When I apologized for my dress to one of them, she replied "I've got one like that. Great, aren't they!"
 

It's one of the rare times on here where it sounds like you wear high quality gear which is known for good insulation. I refer to your long sleeved base layer and merino wool jumper. Have you tried adding base layer long pants? If not, I recommend it. Perhaps you could then delay lighting the fire! Better still, double up on everything, i.e. two base layer tops, 2 base layer bottoms and two merino wool jumpers. I am confident you could then 'go a lot lower' in terms of temperature, if it makes sense for other reasons, such as water pipes freezing up.

I wear 1 set cotton leggings - under trousers - to live at 16 or so in lr 14 elsewhere - they do feel like they make a real difference to the heat loss and so improve heat getting to my feet when sitting long time at computor or sofa  - without feeling like dressed for the ski slopes 

Cold hands or even more so cold feet just make me feel cold and miserable all over. 

Cotton is excellent in many ways, e.g. for summer clothes. But it's not a very good insulator at all. Polyester and merino wool are much better fabrics for base layers. 

Be careful if you have cold hands or feet. I have never suffered from that at home, even at a temperature just 1C above freezing. I used to have a problem with cold hands and feet when skiing, before I increased the amount I wear on my body, following things I learned at home. I think it's primarily a message from the body that your core temperature is too low. As I have said before, if my hands ever become cold, I normally realise I am not wearing enough on my body, especially my legs. I never  wear gloves at home.

Yes sorry - just checked the label on new pair bought for this winter last month - the leggings / t-shirts for house are mainly cotton (50%) / polyester (25%) / viscose - and says brushed to improve performance.

Signs of new problems that might be ciruclation related - not something I take lightly - given health issues in immediate family.

lilac_dawn

HertsLad said:

lilac_dawn said:

HertsLad said:

Will the loss of the winter heating allowance (£300 in my case) lead to more people getting cold or even dying this winter? See here:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/a-bad-winter-would-finish-me-off-the-pensioners-facing-fuel-poverty/ar-AA1pm2Wh?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=d5ebe278ac524058a6d52463f6d069b5&ei=19

Anyone familiar with this thread will probably guess my opinion. For a relatively small outlay on some base layers, plus down or Thinsulate insulated clothes on top, nobody needs to get cold at all. That's provided they are reasonably fit and healthy without underlying medical conditions. Basic message: don't waste money heating the home or even a single room but be sure to keep your core body temperature at a safe temperature.

That depends on the person though. In very cold weather, my heating has previously struggled to get above 16 degrees at full pelt (old storage heaters).It's down to 8 at night.  I wear heatgens as a matter of course, and I do find it patronising when someone says just put on another layer, especially if I have on heatgens, under the thermals, then normal layer, then wool jumper (as they are warmer) 2 layers on feet plus slippers, then top it off with a throw or an Oodie. Thermal curtain linings at windows, thick curtains, electric blanket... we all know these things but the bottom line is that some people feel the cold more than others and suffer more. 

I'm sorry if you find any of the suggestions patronising, I woudn't use a simplistic phrase like 'putting on an extra layer' because it's nowhere near as simple as that if you want to keep warm at lower temperatures. And how does it vary much between people if you leave out anyone who who has health issues?  I'm now almost 68 years old so I would probably be excluded by some 'experts'. It reads like you probably wear enough for 16C but you could probably cut back on heating if you added down or Thinsulate layers on top, and on your legs. Greater details and suggestions on specific products, with prices, were given further back in the thread. Throws or Oodies sound too loose and inconvenient, as well as having nowhere near the insulation qualities of down or Thinsulate.

Heatgens are thermal layers for legs and tops. Thermals are ski base layers. I have been known to wear ski-pants inside. Moving every 15 minutes. I don't need to cut back on my heating - it cuts back on it for me. I used to live in Canada so I know how to layer for cold weather. It varys between men and women due to core temperature, muscle mass, hormones etc. https://guysandstthomasspecialistcare.co.uk/news/why-do-women-feel-the-cold-more-than-men/ - some reading for you. 

Krakkkers

My warm house costing me £72 per month, FIT payments back £75 per month, you are cold for no good reason whatsoever, spend to save money. This whole thread is nonsense.
If you invest in batteries or have an EV then you can heat your house and make a profit on it.

matt_drummer

Krakkkers said:

My warm house costing me £72 per month, FIT payments back £75 per month, you are cold for no good reason whatsoever, spend to save money. This whole thread is nonsense.
If you invest in batteries or have an EV then you can heat your house and make a profit on it.

That is not true.

Anybody could do what you do and not heat their house too. They would keep all the income and not spend it on gas and/or electricity and make even more profit.

I also think the thread is kind of nonsense and not something I would choose to do.

Money is for spending, it has no other use.

But not spending on heating does save money wherever the money comes from.

masonic

Many people are not able to get FIT payments or current equivalent. One prerequisite is being a homeowner. The same comment could be posted into discussions around the Winter Fuel Allowance. I wonder what the response there would be...

Krakkkers

The future is that some will pay for their energy and others will be paid for their energy.
I accept that it is not a choice everyone can make but some can.
The grid is being upgraded right now to accept more power from solar/wind farms and homes that have solar and/or home batteries and EVs that can store cheap energy and sell it back to the grid later for a higher price.
Just because not everyone can do it does not mean that no one can.
The fact that some people think this is actually a serious thread is quite frightening.

wrf12345

A lot of people see energy companies as greedy ^^^^^^^ and simply don't want to hand over silly money to them, just because people aren't putting money into energy company coffers does not mean they have other enjoyable ways to spend their money. Many will have been brought up in cold bedrooms and aren't that bothered by wearing extra clothes. Compared to what the energy companies expect, the cost is almost zero. Keeping the house warm enough to avoid freezing pipes is another issue, though.

HertsLad

Krakkkers said:

The fact that some people think this is actually a serious thread is quite frightening.

Here we go again. At the outset of this thread, a few people were critical and/or thought it was a wind up. I was pleased the discussion calmed down for a couple of years, probably, until you have now started to stir up trouble again. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and makes decisions on how to spend money. As far as I know, the days of high paybacks on energy from Solar PV are over. Moreover, I paid peanuts, relatively for my solar panels, batteries, controllers and other gear. If I had gone for a grid tied system fitted by contractors, I could easily have paid 4x or 5x more. I obtained a couple of quotes which were silly money. But, even if I started receiving payments I would just spend it on more luxurious holidays. I now find it so easy and completely comfortable to live without heating, I am not interested in turning it back on.

masonic

Krakkkers said:

Just because not everyone can do it does not mean that no one can.
The fact that some people think this is actually a serious thread is quite frightening.

Totally agree with the first point, which is why the person who suggested to anyone who cuts down on heating "you are cold for no good reason whatsoever" was talking out of the proverbial. Also missing the point, as you don't need to be cold when cutting back.

This is a moneysaving forum, and people can choose what measures are worth it for them. Anyone who truly believed this wasn't a serious thread wouldn't waste their time here.

HertsLad

bob2302 said:

I concede my savings don't quite wipe out my entire energy bill because I still pay to use a little mains gas, just for my gas cooker. I have zero cost for electricity because 100% of my electricity comes from solar panels and a battery bank.

That's missing the point, the thread is about the money saved by living without heating. The point is that you can make almost almost all of the savings you claim to be making, without doing anything extreme.

I don't think you need to remind me what this thread is about. I started it.

How exactly could I make the same savings 'without doing anything extreme'? Have I missed something?