Turning Straw into Gold: Creating Long Term Security & A Solid Home

Chocolatefund

I swear we brits like to show off how cold we can tolerate it. Mine stays on at 18.5 constantly. I’ll turn it down to 15 if I’m out or away. I’ve got my log burner if I need it, but I tend to see it as a cosy treat rather than its heating purpose.

I’m currently also warming myself by having a dinner consisting of Pot Noodle and crumpets. Exciting times.

ArtyJ931

I can’t tolerate it cold at all lol

Rhyddid2026

Thermostat set at 18 all year around here (16 degrees from 11pm til 7am), but I turn it up to 21 if I'm lying on the sofa in the evening. Or light the log burner on a weekend. I learnt the hard way that if this house gets cold it costs hundreds to warm back up.

I am wondering if it's too soon to put the electric blanket on the bed though!

foxgloves

Neither of us are particularly chilly mortals & we can't bear being too hot in bed so those temperatures suit us. If it's a really cold spell, we'd light the stove or temporarily turn the thermostat up a notch, but we're mostly comfortable at 18.5 & the heating coming back on just before we get up in the mornings. I think everyone's different in terms of how hot they like to be.

MillQueen

When I got up this morning it was so cold I was nearly tempted to put the heating on, but I ended up doing myself another hot water bottle as that's pennies compared to heating the house. At the end of the month once I've paid my bill I'll put it on a low level just to take the edge off and keep it that way a few times a day. Then if we have any really cold spells I can increase it. I would like to finish the winter not in any energy debt, so I can then use the summer to build up for next winter.

Today I have to go into town to get wood filler, as I am still avoiding winter-proofing the front door because I don't enjoy DIY, but I need to sort it before too much wet weather sets in. I also have a lot of work tasks to catch up on and various things for the weekend re-set like laundry and food preparation. I've started the laundry and had crumpets for breakfast (these were yellow sticker ones I had in the freezer) and kefir.

@foxgloves, those sound like reasonable temperatures that won't break the bank. I think being toasty warm is a luxury I can't afford now, but being comfortable is ok, so I am going to start low with maybe 16 or 18 and see how it feels, and then go up incrementally from there if needed.

@ArtyJ931, 20 sounds lovely in the day, as I am a person who likes to be warm. However, I've discovered I actually sleep better at night when it's colder in the room. What a bargain breadmaker for it to be new as well. I would defintely consider a new one if it was cheap. I am going to keep my eyes open.

@Chocolatefund, I do have a strange sense of primitive pride at how hardy I am being about this. It's about sticking my fingers up to the energy companies that I won't give more of my money, as we are being robbed in all directions.

@Rhyddid2026, all year round heating has amazed me… the decadence and luxury of it! 😂

foxgloves

@MillQueen - When we first had gas CH installed in Autumn 2020, I had no clue what the cost would be, so we set the thermostat at 18° as that's generally the minimum temperature recommended for health. I was sometimes chilly during the day, but at night in bed, we were both way too hot. Then from the bills, I could see that we weren't spending as much as we had on our old heating system which was ancient electric storage heaters so we increased the daytime temp to 18.5. I know half a degree sounds like nothing, but I could feel the difference & as by then, we'd realised that we don't need it running at night, except as frost prevention, etc, we probably more than made up the extra daytime cost by rarely paying anything for overnight. Prices keep on rising, which is depressing, & still no sign of the illegal war ending, so further mitigations have been, as I mentioned, slightly adjusting thermostat timings. We are early to bed early to rise in the week so it goes off a little before bedtime....it doesn't sound like much but 15 mins of gas use saved every day from October through to the end of March does add up.

I've also noticed from the thermostat that the temperature of our house rises (as might be expected) when the oven is on (I bake most of our bread & leave the oven door open afterwards in Winter to let the residual heat pervade the kitchen & hall) & even the slow cooker seems to make that end of the kitchen seem warmer. I suppose it's going to be radiating a bit of heat over the 6-8 hrs it's usually on. The heated airer also just takes the edge off our cold conservatory too. If it really is very cold outside, we're not hair-shirt about it, we light our living room stove & like you, I love a hot water bottle tucked up behind my back on the sofa with a blanket & a good book (chocolate optional....or essential...depending on mood!)

F

P.S I am absolutely with you on the 2-fingered salute to the energy companies. And every time I have collected sufficient grey water for a free bucket-flush, I think 'Take THAT, you (expletive of choice) carpetbaggers!' as private water companies are also high on my list of usurers.

Dakota_Rose

I’m another that can’t stand the heating on during the night time - it feels suffocating and there’s rarely a night cold enough that a duvet and blankets can’t warm up! That being said, I love a hot water bottle and hate being cold. Last Christmas, I was gifted a heated blanket from my mum and it was a dream in January - March. Highly recommend one.

Rhyddid2026

I know, it sounds illogical, but my energy DD dropped from about £190 a month (combined) to about £90 a month once I left the thermostat on low. The old thick walls retain heat well. I do also have floor length thermal curtains in the living room.

MillQueen

@foxgloves, that's interesting that 18 is minumim recommended for health. I may need to look at putting it on sooner then, as it's currently showing 12.5. The process of going up half a degree until it's just right sounds like a helpful way to do it. I am going to programme it to come on in the morning for when I get up on weekdays, as I have to get up early and it's harder to get out of bed in the cold. I will then set it to come on a bit before I get home from work, then I'll leave it off at night and during the day while I'm out. I think I'll have it set low-ish but coming on more frequently throughout the day at weekends, as I'm likely to stay in. I'm going to switch radiators on in the parts of the building that I am using and close doors on the rest. The wind is blowing fiercely around the chimneys and I am wrapped in several blankets. I'm actually considering putting it on this weekend, for the laundry and relief of general coldness.

@Dakota_Rose, yes I would love a heated blanket, I am going to keep an eye on middle aisle bargains and get one if I see one in my price range. I have gone further into my overdraft this month as just the regular expenses seem to be taking everything I have, so there isn't much opportunity for buying extras. I did get a little thermal coat a while ago though for wearing indoors that was from the middle aisle for only £4.99, which I am loving. I also just discovered I can get free access through work to a platform for TV and film that has access to millions of shows and films, so I ought to try to get some use out of this.

@Rhyddid2026, that's clever that you were able to figure out a way to keep it on more whilst reducing the bill. I think my walls would probably retain heat but the windows, multiple floors, and room heights don't, as there are full length windows in all the downstairs rooms and double height ceilings, so there isn't really a way to keep those rooms warm that won't cost a bomb. I just sit in some of the warmer rooms in the cold weather and I am trying to use the central heating as little as I can get away with, as it needs various repairs around the building that I can't afford - trying to preserve it as much as possible.

I haven't actually gotten anything much done today other than a couple of loads of laundry as I have been asleep for most of the day. This was very money saving, as I've just had a rice and bean microwave meal from the freezer, which was a yellow sticker buy for only 62p. A 62p day is a success 👍️

Rhyddid2026

Are your chimneys blocked off @MillQueen ? That might help if they're not. Also the thermal foam backed curtains were from IKEA a few years ago and were 3 meters long. Not the prettiest but warm and were about £45 a pair, if that helps with your big windows?

I'm sure you'll figure out the best way to look after the home and yourself, but don't let your health suffer if you can help it.