How to live without heating - save £000s

HertsLad

Sea_Shell said:

I hope the OP is OK, as they haven't logged in since the 9th.   

I'm fine thanks, especially given the ambient temperature where I have been for the past week, visiting  Tunisia, is 28C. Incidentally, the cost of the trip is a very small fraction of the stated average energy bill of £2500 for the average home. My comparable figure is £50. Tonight I return and have a freezing cold house to look forward to. No problem, of course.

Qyburn

I've been monitoring my home office which is essentially unheated.  I find when I'm working I'm OK down to 12 deg or a bit lower.  Once it gets down to 8 deg or so I start to really feel it.

Sea_Shell

HertsLad said:

Sea_Shell said:

I hope the OP is OK, as they haven't logged in since the 9th.   

I'm fine thanks, especially given the ambient temperature where I have been for the past week, visiting  Tunisia, is 28C. Incidentally, the cost of the trip is a very small fraction of the stated average energy bill of £2500 for the average home. My comparable figure is £50. Tonight I return and have a freezing cold house to look forward to. No problem, of course.

28⁰ seems like paradise ATM.


Now be honest here...

Would you ever admit it if your plan was getting tiresome and that you were throwing in the towel and cranking up the heating.

What's your breaking point?   Would you stop if your health did start to be effected?

Do you think you'll still be doing this as you age (further), and will you continue even if prices drop? 

Under what circumstances would you change tack?

HertsLad

Sea_Shell said:

HertsLad said:

Sea_Shell said:

I hope the OP is OK, as they haven't logged in since the 9th.   

I'm fine thanks, especially given the ambient temperature where I have been for the past week, visiting  Tunisia, is 28C. Incidentally, the cost of the trip is a very small fraction of the stated average energy bill of £2500 for the average home. My comparable figure is £50. Tonight I return and have a freezing cold house to look forward to. No problem, of course.

28⁰ seems like paradise ATM.


Now be honest here...

Would you ever admit it if your plan was getting tiresome and that you were throwing in the towel and cranking up the heating.

What's your breaking point?   Would you stop if your health did start to be effected?

Do you think you'll still be doing this as you age (further), and will you continue even if prices drop? 

Under what circumstances would you change tack?

Everything I have said so far is the whole truth. I would, of course, let you all know if my approach, attitude or situation changes. I did experience a bit of a wobble at around 9C a couple of weeks ago, when I thought I wasn't as warm as I expected to be. I warmed up by walking a few hundred metres to a local shop, and was then fine. I guess I would stop if I had some respiratory or other issue, if breathing in cold air was deemed bad for me. 

I will continue if prices drop, unless energy became almost free. I really don't know if I will be able to continue as I approach 70 and then 80. But, at present, it's so easy and effortless (apart from the occasional wobble) I see no reason to change.

Martin Lewis' idea of wearing electrically heated pads seems bonkers to me. I have tried it and found it so restrictive and not as warm as wearing half decent layers of insulating materials.

jvjack

and have you got backup source for heating in case of anything/the unknown. 

HertsLad

jvjack said:

and have you got backup source for heating in case of anything/the unknown. 

I guess I could plug in a convector heater to heat one room but I would be very reluctant to abandon my aim to go a whole year without using any mains electricity. In April I will apply to have the standing charge refunded and stopped. I also have a small butane heater which I bought for potential use in the bathroom. There is also the mains gas powered warm air heating. You have reminded me it hasn't been fired up for a brief test for a few years. Maybe it no longer works! I need to find out.

jvjack

You just made my day

Swipe

HertsLad said:

Sea_Shell said:

I hope the OP is OK, as they haven't logged in since the 9th.   

Tonight I return and have a freezing cold house to look forward to. No problem, of course.

I hope you are not returning to frozen pipes. It has been very cold here overnight these last few days and has barely made it above freezing during the day. One of my bathroom taps iced up a little last night, was hard to turn but free flowing once it finally opened.

HertsLad

Swipe said:

HertsLad said:

Sea_Shell said:

I hope the OP is OK, as they haven't logged in since the 9th.   

Tonight I return and have a freezing cold house to look forward to. No problem, of course.

I hope you are not returning to frozen pipes. It has been very cold here overnight these last few days and has barely made it above freezing during the day. One of my bathroom taps iced up a little last night, was hard to turn but free flowing once it finally opened.

Unlikely. I removed all water from the loft a decade ago. The house has never cooled as far as freezing point as far as I know.

I will drive home tomorrow morning. Tonight I will sleep in the car. 

Dizee123

HertsLad, the thermal base layers I bought from Sports Direct on your recommendation (2 for £12 at the moment) have been a great addition to my winter tennis wardrobe. Thank you, would never has considered them otherwise.  The last few days I have been wearing them around the house and haven't needed the heating on in the mornings after the initial warm up when I have been doing housework, outdoor tasks etc.  Indoor temperature has been 12-15.  

I have put the heating on after the afternoon dog walk as I tend to suffer from chesty colds, bronchitis etc.  However, limiting the amount of heating needed has definitely helped the consumption figures during the week when it is only me in the house.