How to live without heating - save £000s

masonic

snowqueen555 said:

Do people heat their whole home or mainly the rooms they're in a lot? Kitchens are always cold and with open plan kitchen living rooms being the common choice in new builds I kinda expect them to be colder. I try to keep my bedroom warm as I am in there the most as I work from there for convenience.

I will at some point be moving into electric only so I'll probably follow the same routine to save £ 

I'm in an electric only house, and have decided on a minimum temperature of 14C in the living room when I am at home. I don't heat the rest of the house, which cooled to about 7C last night and remained at that temperature today. I don't think I want to let my bedroom get any colder overnight than it was last night, but thankfully we seem to be through the worst of this cold snap where I am.

comeandgo

snowqueen555 said:

Do people heat their whole home or mainly the rooms they're in a lot? Kitchens are always cold and with open plan kitchen living rooms being the common choice in new builds I kinda expect them to be colder. I try to keep my bedroom warm as I am in there the most as I work from there for convenience.

I will at some point be moving into electric only so I'll probably follow the same routine to save £ 

As it is minus 5 outside and getting colder I heat the whole house, needed to stop frozen pipes.  The rooms we are not using thermostats set low but I don’t like a cold kitchen, it’s a place I’m in a lot so it is comfortable.    Our bedroom is probably one of the colder rooms in the house.

drphila

dealyboy said:

@HertsLad said:

I have been on holiday in Egypt for the past week, enjoying a temperature around 28C, and perfectly warm sea for snorkeling and diving.

I see winter has arrived in the UK while I have been away so I can expect a temperature of about 3C when I return home. There is, of course, no heating to quickly warm my house up. And I didn't think ahead to get various clothes ready to dress something like in the photos I posted with multiple layers.

Recently, I have tended to prefer down to thinsulate insulation, if only because it feels more luxurious. I have been buying suitable clothes for many years, when I see things going cheap, so I have plenty of garments to choose from.

I have been wearing thermal long-johns and thermal long sleeved T-shirts off and on (definitely on at the moment) the past month. I have found that the 50% cotton 50% polyester (B&M) ones are fine but I have two 'Thermal Layer' T-shirts which are 50% cotton 25% polyester and 25% viscose (other high street store) that are quite itchy.

I've generally taken to wearing a cotton short sleeved T-shirt underneath as a base anyway, the ones I wear are 97% cotton 3% Elastane (George at Asda) and are quite soft.

Are you moving away from the 100% polyester base layers you've talked so much about in the past?

MultiFuelBurner

If I was on my own I know I could comfortably half the energy bill but most of us have to think of others and what their comfort levels are.

Especially this little dog that is on the lap now seeking warmth from the dressing gown despite the room being 21oC.......pfft

But I do like the regular updates and hope one of them isn't "my pipes have burst"

dealyboy

@drphila said:

dealyboy said:

@HertsLad said:

I have been on holiday in Egypt for the past week, enjoying a temperature around 28C, and perfectly warm sea for snorkeling and diving.

I see winter has arrived in the UK while I have been away so I can expect a temperature of about 3C when I return home. There is, of course, no heating to quickly warm my house up. And I didn't think ahead to get various clothes ready to dress something like in the photos I posted with multiple layers.

Recently, I have tended to prefer down to thinsulate insulation, if only because it feels more luxurious. I have been buying suitable clothes for many years, when I see things going cheap, so I have plenty of garments to choose from.

I have been wearing thermal long-johns and thermal long sleeved T-shirts off and on (definitely on at the moment) the past month. I have found that the 50% cotton 50% polyester (B&M) ones are fine but I have two 'Thermal Layer' T-shirts which are 50% cotton 25% polyester and 25% viscose (other high street store) that are quite itchy.

I've generally taken to wearing a cotton short sleeved T-shirt underneath as a base anyway, the ones I wear are 97% cotton 3% Elastane (George at Asda) and are quite soft.

Are you moving away from the 100% polyester base layers you've talked so much about in the past?

I think that's directed at @HertsLad who might well be on his way to Tunisia just now.

dealyboy

@MultiFuelBurner said:

If I was on my own I know I could comfortably half the energy bill but most of us have to think of others and what their comfort levels are.

Especially this little dog that is on the lap now seeking warmth from the dressing gown despite the room being 21oC.......pfft

But I do like the regular updates and hope one of them isn't "my pipes have burst"

Hi MFB ... and my not so little cat who's on my heated throw on my bed, whilst I'm just heating the human (me) ... cats ... pfft.

MultiFuelBurner

dealyboy said:

@MultiFuelBurner said:

If I was on my own I know I could comfortably half the energy bill but most of us have to think of others and what their comfort levels are.

Especially this little dog that is on the lap now seeking warmth from the dressing gown despite the room being 21oC.......pfft

But I do like the regular updates and hope one of them isn't "my pipes have burst"

Hi MFB ... and my not so little cat who's on my heated throw on my bed, whilst I'm just heating the human (me) ... cats ... pfft.

Superb   👍

HertsLad

dealyboy said:

@drphila said:

dealyboy said:

@HertsLad said:

I have been on holiday in Egypt for the past week, enjoying a temperature around 28C, and perfectly warm sea for snorkeling and diving.

I see winter has arrived in the UK while I have been away so I can expect a temperature of about 3C when I return home. There is, of course, no heating to quickly warm my house up. And I didn't think ahead to get various clothes ready to dress something like in the photos I posted with multiple layers.

Recently, I have tended to prefer down to thinsulate insulation, if only because it feels more luxurious. I have been buying suitable clothes for many years, when I see things going cheap, so I have plenty of garments to choose from.

I have been wearing thermal long-johns and thermal long sleeved T-shirts off and on (definitely on at the moment) the past month. I have found that the 50% cotton 50% polyester (B&M) ones are fine but I have two 'Thermal Layer' T-shirts which are 50% cotton 25% polyester and 25% viscose (other high street store) that are quite itchy.

I've generally taken to wearing a cotton short sleeved T-shirt underneath as a base anyway, the ones I wear are 97% cotton 3% Elastane (George at Asda) and are quite soft.

Are you moving away from the 100% polyester base layers you've talked so much about in the past?

I think that's directed at @HertsLad who might well be on his way to Tunisia just now.

I'm not leaving for Tunisia for another 5 or 6 hours. Ahead of the flight tomorrow morning, I will sleep in the car yet again. I've done it so many times now, I have lost count. All in the spirit of significant money saving. It looks like the temperature might be around +6C. I must say it's preferable to it being more like -6C but I hope to stay warm regardless. I use a 4 seasons sleeping bag. The label says the comfort zone is -11C to -4C. So at +6C I may overheat. But I know their figures are not to be trusted.

Yes, I still use 100% polyester base layers and am wearing two layers as I type. I swear by them. Cotton has many qualities but I don't think it provides very good insulation. I treat myself to a bit of luxury when I go skiing and wear merino wool base layers. They are supposed to be far superior but I can't say I notice much difference in terms of warmth, so called moisture-wicking or anything. What is certain is that they are  far more expensive, like £20 each at Aldi and usually far more at other retailers. 

Netexporter

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63602501

masonic

Netexporter said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63602501

Shows the importance of dressing appropriately. An undone shirt and shorts is not appropriate attire for 10C. I actually saw someone walking home from a night out wearing not much more than that in the early hours one morning last week. The mind boggles! They were looking a bit impaired, but I'm putting that down to things they had imbibed rather than the cold itself.

Cold hands and feet are a good warning sign. Also some good tips on keeping warm:

That said, even layered up with sherpa-lined gear, I'm too cold if sitting around at 10C. It's ok if I'm moving about, but I need it a bit warmer if not.