How to live without heating - save £000s

Effician

Might be of interest to some for working out RH & dewpoint  https://www.calculator.net/dew-point-calculator.html  

Ildhund

This interactive chart makes it possible to see the effect of changing several different parameters: Interactive Psychrometric Chart 



It's an impressive bit of web design, but spoilt IMO to some extent by imposing a subjective element (a green 'comfort zone'). Who says ambient temperatures below 20°C or above 26°C are uncomfortable?

The red spot shows my indoor situation this morning: 13.3°C, 78% RH. I wonder what would be the least expensive way of moving me into the green zone before nightfall using electricity alone. I have the choice of dehumidifier or fan heater. If the dehumidifier only moved me in a SSE-direction, I'd never get there. Its heating effect might make my path a bit more SE, but I'd be lucky to clip the bottom corner of the comfort zone. The fan heater would presumably transport me due E, so that looks like the best bet. Is it?

TIL: psychrometry is the science of measuring coldness, now often more loosely applied to studies of humidity. Nothing to do with spirit (psyche) or colour (chroma).

HertsLad

Humidity is an interesting aspect but not something I've noticed or paid much attention to, if I'm honest. Before I stopped using mains electricity, but after I stopped heating my house, I bought a couple of half-decent dehumidifiers. My idea was to use one in a bedroom to reduce the humidity, in order to protect anything which could get damaged, e.g. some documents and photos. It's a dessicant dehumidifer because the normal models don't work well in cold conditions.The other one  was put inside a wardrobe, where it still sits, but is no longer powered up. It worked a treat for drying damp laundry. I tend to deal with problems as they arise and mould isn't an issue. The one thing I often wonder about is any risk from breathing cold air. However, after 14 years of surviving winters without heating, and no apparent ill effects, I may be living proof there's not much to worry about.

luvchocolate

A doctor was speaking last winter about the problem with breathing in cold air....her view was particularly for older people the heart and lungs have to work much harder 

Ildhund

luvchocolate said:

A doctor was speaking last winter about the problem with breathing in cold air....her view was particularly for older people the heart and lungs have to work much harder 

This is the sort of pronouncement that tells me nothing much. Harder than what? Harder than for younger people? If so, why? Or harder than at higher temperatures? So older people should be shipped off to somewhere with a consistent temperature of 30 or 40º? Older people are also bombarded with advice about getting regular exercise, brisk walking at least and weight-lifting for most. Surely this sort of activity also makes hearts and lungs work harder than usual, but in this case it's a good thing. So why is it sometimes good and sometimes not?

I really get the impression that many pundits make statements based almost solely on subjective assessments with little scientific basis. Thank you @luvchocolate for making it clear that this was only the doctor's view, not established fact.

bob2302

masonic said:

Ildhund said:

wrf12345 said:

... empty and unheated houses can end up with a lot of mould ...

I'm aware of some of the dangers of cold, damp conditions indoors. What I don't understand is why we're told it feels colder if the humidity is high in Lancashire, but hotter in Louisiana.

At low temperatures, high humidity tends to make clothing moist and therefore reduces its insulating properties. 

This seems implausible to me - unless one is actually soaking the clothes through sweating. The obvious explanation is the increased volumetric heat capacity. I think it is small though, and unlikely to be noticed if wearing the right cloths. 

Green_hopeful

@bob2302 damp materials conduct heat more easily than dry materials. Damp walls make houses cold. 

RavingMad

Ildhund said:

luvchocolate said:

A doctor was speaking last winter about the problem with breathing in cold air....her view was particularly for older people the heart and lungs have to work much harder 

This is the sort of pronouncement that tells me nothing much. Harder than what? Harder than for younger people? If so, why? Or harder than at higher temperatures? So older people should be shipped off to somewhere with a consistent temperature of 30 or 40º? Older people are also bombarded with advice about getting regular exercise, brisk walking at least and weight-lifting for most. Surely this sort of activity also makes hearts and lungs work harder than usual, but in this case it's a good thing. So why is it sometimes good and sometimes not?

I really get the impression that many pundits make statements based almost solely on subjective assessments with little scientific basis. Thank you @luvchocolate for making it clear that this was only the doctor's view, not established fact.

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2025/01/03/what-cold-weather-does-to-the-body-and-how-to-protect-yourself-this-winter

People have different tolerances and preferences but the science is the same for everyone.  Breathing in cold air makes the body work harder to maintain core body temperature than someone breathing in warm air. 

masonic

bob2302 said:

masonic said:

Ildhund said:

wrf12345 said:

... empty and unheated houses can end up with a lot of mould ...

I'm aware of some of the dangers of cold, damp conditions indoors. What I don't understand is why we're told it feels colder if the humidity is high in Lancashire, but hotter in Louisiana.

At low temperatures, high humidity tends to make clothing moist and therefore reduces its insulating properties. 

This seems implausible to me - unless one is actually soaking the clothes through sweating. The obvious explanation is the increased volumetric heat capacity. I think it is small though, and unlikely to be noticed if wearing the right cloths. 

Increasing heat capacity creates an initial sink into which heat must flow, but once clothing has been on for a few minutes, it is heat transfer to the external environment rather than heat capacity that matters. I don't disagree that the effect is small, in fact, in the very same post I said "I think the effect of the former is exaggerated though", but you chose not to quote that for some reason. The difference is pretty much imperceptible to me (I said that also), but apparently some people feel it, and perhaps that is down to what they are wearing.

masonic

Ildhund said:

luvchocolate said:

A doctor was speaking last winter about the problem with breathing in cold air....her view was particularly for older people the heart and lungs have to work much harder 

This is the sort of pronouncement that tells me nothing much. Harder than what? Harder than for younger people? If so, why? Or harder than at higher temperatures? So older people should be shipped off to somewhere with a consistent temperature of 30 or 40º? Older people are also bombarded with advice about getting regular exercise, brisk walking at least and weight-lifting for most. Surely this sort of activity also makes hearts and lungs work harder than usual, but in this case it's a good thing. So why is it sometimes good and sometimes not?

It becomes a problem when the individual's lung and cardiovascular function is sufficiently compromised. It is a fact that heart attacks are more common in winter, and the association between blood pressure/heart rate and cold due to vasoconstriction is well evidenced. There is also an uptick in GP and hospital visits from those with respiratory conditions, reporting that their symptoms are aggravated. These individuals are more numerous within the elderly population, but that is not to say that all elderly people are susceptible to these problems.

A doctor on the telly is unlikely to have much time to get their messages across, and will take a very cautious stance and consider the most frail of the audience tuned in.