Winter Energy Savings Tips

Mstty

Now more than ever most people will need to consider how they are going to cut their energy bills.

I know there have been various posts about energy saving but what can we do specifically in Winter to make a big difference to the bills

We have one thought that we are going to go to families for Christmas and stay as long as is comfortable. Putting the heating on holiday frost setting whilst away😅 we might get 2 weeks that way 🤣🤣

Joking aside we have purchased the following for winter

1) usb charges house boots

2) 2 electric chair blankets

3) top electric blanket for duvet

This is so we can run the house at 18oC and no higher.

markin

Your family will have to charge you rent in these difficult times, And you can clearly afford it, 18c! You must be rolling in it.

I have the hot water down to 45c, 40c was pushing it too far and felt too cool to me, But 45c still feels as hot as 50c.

Marvel1

I wore a oodie. - comfy too.

In winter my house was about 17 degrees, got low as 14 degrees in evening, but oodie on didn't feel it, my heating was on in mornings for short of periods to keep pipes from freezing.

May get another oddie ready, before the prices of them go up.

Forever31

My strategy is to:

- try to minimise how much I put the heating on.  I know below 18, I start to feel pretty cold, but I wfh so I'll have to see what I can bear/live with without it impacting my work.
- wear an oodie, and generally wrap up warm
- watch TV in the evenings in bed
- put 2 or 3 duvets on the bed
- have a blanket over me when working from home during the day.  May wear scarf, hat and fingerless gloves too.
- use a hot water bottle
- maybe use door draught excluders (the material long rolls) on main doors. I would like to do this internally, but the downside is that I usually have all the doors open as I have a cat.  

Other than that, I may be burning stuff in the garden to help keep warm <joking>

Jyana

I spent a few years in a large, drafty house I couldn't afford to heat at all, around 4/5 winters nearly a decade ago. I grew up in house without CH, so layering up, using a leccy blanket in bed, and hot water bottles wasn't a new thing but it wasn't exactly fun either. I firmly believe that those few years pushing through those cold spells caused, or at least made a lot worse, several autoimmune disorders I have since developed, including permanent heart/eye damage and loss of one limb. 

However, I do now find that I can't be comfortable in a very warm house now that I have CH either, I feel stifled if the air if too hot. I'm also on an oil boiler so have to ration myself depending on how much I've been able to afford in any given year, but I usually do okay. My thermostat generally sits around 16 during the day, and I turn it down to 12 or so overnight.

I do feel a bit chilly at times through the day but don't really find myself layering up like I used to. One extra covering of natural fibre (wool, esp reclaimed cashmere/merino) is enough; wrist warmers and a large wrap that I knit, or sew from old clothes I've bought. I find they keep me a lot warmer than a lot of other, thicker fabrics do. I was given a USB heat up jacket last year which I used a few times too when I did get a bit colder, so can recommend them too.

I've been very fortunate to have the whole house reinsulated and double glazed this summer so I am hoping that will be making the biggest difference to my overall bills. If I can keep it on par (or lower if it's another mild year like last year) with last winter's level then I'll be happy.

FreeBear

Mstty said: 2) 2 electric chair

An electric chair would go some way to dissuade visitors that overstay their welcome...

As for energy saving, I could do more overtime - I don't have to heat the house whilst at work, and I get a bit more money. Downside is having to spend more time in the viper's nest... Could also shower at the work's gym. That would save a few more pounds.

Alnat1

Thicker curtains will help keep the heat in.

If you have eyelet type and new ones or linings are too expensive you could always use an old pair (or cheap 2nd hand) and put them back to back on the pole.

fergie_

Those turning their water storage below 60 degrees, remember there is a huge risk of legionaries etc due to bacteria build up.

I'm planning to turn the heating right down and generally heat people or a single room.

We also plan to go into work and work from home on the same days so again less heating is needed.

Has anyone got any good links for smart tech such as heated clothes - even better if charged via solar.

Alnat1

Are you sure the risk is huge? Have you anything to back that up?

Mstty

fergie_ said:

Those turning their water storage below 60 degrees, remember there is a huge risk of legionaries etc due to bacteria build up.

I'm planning to turn the heating right down and generally heat people or a single room.

We also plan to go into work and work from home on the same days so again less heating is needed.

Has anyone got any good links for smart tech such as heated clothes - even better if charged via solar.

Hugely exagerated?

maisie_cat

We have our thermostat set to 16-17 degrees, and wear layers of clothes to keep warm.
The biggest thing I found last year is to go outside without a coat, just a fleece for 15 minutes, it feels really warm when you come into the house again.
I don't like socks so I have a pair of fur lined boot for when my bare feet get cold, we have no carpets so the slate floors can get cold. We have a number of fleecy throws that are backup if we or the cat get cold.
Our largest use items last year were tumble dryer/washing machine and cooking. We don't use the tumble dryer now, the washing is larger loads, lower temperature and wearing stuff longer. We barely use the oven now, doing virtually all our cooking in a multicooker, making a 8 portion pasta sauce costs about 10p in electric. Pasta itself is 1-2 minutes under pressure. and a chicken can be cooked in minutes. 
To be honest, although these costs are due to increase, our electric bill is still only a 1/10th of our council tax bill, that in itself is a 1/6th of our income, about the same as food.