How to live without heating - save £000s

QrizB

wrf12345 said:

THe Octopus solar quote only works with a minimum of 1000kw total usage in a year if you input actual usage, which is roughly twenty quid a month, so if you take that off your estimated monthly saving, you should be able to work through the pay-back time. "Balcony" solar - a much less complex install, albeit smaller sized - should also be an option later this year.

I don't see balcony solar being any use at all to HertsLad, since the only payback will be a reduction in your electricity import costs.

HertsLad isn't importing, so there's no payback.

HertsLad

Swipe said:

@HertsLad What's your current indoor temperature after these recent sub zero nights? My spare room is down to 4C this morning.

My thermometers vary a bit but I reckon it was probably down to the lowest it ever gets, this morning, at around 1C. It's amazing it has still never frozen water in my house - I mean in dishes and perhaps even in the toilet bowl. Last night, one indoor/outdoor device reported 2.5C and 3C for the same area near my font door. This morning the same unit was down to 0.5C and 1C. I am coping perfectly well. I am definitely finding it easier each year as I improve what I wear. There was no obvious change after I reached 65 years. I will be 70 years, later this year.Today, I am wearing 1 layer type 100 and 1 layer 500, both Decathlon, top and bottom, plus a type 500 mid layer (not currently sold, I fear). Above that, on top, a pure wool jumper, a relatively thin Peter Storm down jacket and a relatively thick '800 fill' down jacket from Decathlon which I bought in a recent sale for £100, down from £150. Plus a fleece over the top to keep everything clean. My interest was their claim it keeps you warm at -20C if you are active and -5C if you are not moving around much. Reviews seem to support these claims but, after a week, I am not convinced. Even with my mass of base layers and other garments, the Decathlon down jacket was not warm enough until I added the Peter Storm jacket. Plus, of course, the massive difference made by insulating your legs. Above the two base layers, I am wearing down filled 'Mobi Garden' down trousers from ali express, with insulated ski trousers over the top. I will contact Decathlon to ask what they assume you are wearing in addition to the down jacket to be warm at -5C. I may then apply to return it for being 'not as described'. £100 is still expensive, compared to pre owned down jackets which I have bought on ebay for a fraction of that price, and which keep me just as warm.

Are you living in your spare room? I doubt it!

Swipe

HertsLad said:

Swipe said:

@HertsLad What's your current indoor temperature after these recent sub zero nights? My spare room is down to 4C this morning.

My thermometers vary a bit but I reckon it was probably down to the lowest it ever gets, this morning, at around 1C. It's amazing it has still never frozen water in my house - I mean in dishes and perhaps even in the toilet bowl. Last night, one indoor/outdoor device reported 2.5C and 3C for the same area near my font door. This morning the same unit was down to 0.5C and 1C. I am coping perfectly well. I am definitely finding it easier each year as I improve what I wear. There was no obvious change after I reached 65 years. I will be 70 years, later this year.Today, I am wearing 1 layer type 100 and 1 layer 500, both Decathlon, top and bottom, plus a type 500 mid layer (not currently sold, I fear). Above that, on top, a pure wool jumper, a relatively thin Peter Storm down jacket and a relatively thick '800 fill' down jacket from Decathlon which I bought in a recent sale for £100, down from £150. Plus a fleece over the top to keep everything clean. My interest was their claim it keeps you warm at -20C if you are active and -5C if you are not moving around much. Reviews seem to support these claims but, after a week, I am not convinced. Even with my mass of base layers and other garments, the Decathlon down jacket was not warm enough until I added the Peter Storm jacket. Plus, of course, the massive difference made by insulating your legs. Above the two base layers, I am wearing down filled 'Mobi Garden' down trousers from ali express, with insulated ski trousers over the top. I will contact Decathlon to ask what they assume you are wearing in addition to the down jacket to be warm at -5C. I may then apply to return it for being 'not as described'. £100 is still expensive, compared to pre owned down jackets which I have bought on ebay for a fraction of that price, and which keep me just as warm.

Are you living in your spare room? I doubt it!

No, it's full of junk. It's one of two unheated rooms in the house. The other is an extension onto the kitchen which got down to 2C but has large and very draughty patio windows.

matt_drummer

It sounds like quite a lot of money on clothes each year?

OK for one person I suppose, it saves something.

What happens if there were more people living in the house?

The costs of clothing four people in this manner might even exceed the heating costs?

bristolleedsfan

matt_drummer said:

It sounds like quite a lot of money on clothes each year?

I was thinking same thing, last winter I spent £50ish on Gas, just layered existing clothes, very warm socks, warm hat.and neck fleece.

matt_drummer

I can't imagine what it would be like with my eleven year old son.

Instead of put your coat on, you're going to school, it would be take some clothes off, you're going to school!

Alnat1

It seems those that go without heating their homes live alone and don't have anyone visiting.

HedgehogRulez

I wonder why ….

wrf12345

I am mildly layered up and have spent a fiver on gas over the past week with negative temperatures outside and below 9 degrees inside, going to 14 degrees with the CH on. Yesterday I had to use my Aliexpress heated shirt for a couple of hours and then have my halogen heater on for half an hour as well. Will probably be repeated again today and then going forward above zero outside for a week so should have adapted to the cold a bit more by then. Also nearly seventy but have very little body fat so do feel the cold, though I did an hour's ride on my motorcycle ten days ago when it was a sunny 8 degrees outside (so far south that I would need to live on a boat to get more southern). If it was a couple of months below zero I would probably be in trouble but short periods I can get through.

Eldi_Dos

@wrf12345 & HertsLad plus any others who have adopted this unorthodox lifestyle can I ask what allowances or changes to your diets you make as I would imagine you would need higher calories, more warming higher nutrient food than someone living in more comfortable accommodation.

Especially during the cold spell many of us are experiencing.