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AIBU?

to not put the heating on as much as everyone else?

146 replies

elmobaggins · 26/03/2013 16:34

I grew up on a farm, in a very draft-prone house where the boiler was more broken than not, so am used to living in cold houses. I make sure we all wrap up warm at all times (i.e. appropriate thermals, multiple layers and very sturdy footwear, etc) and DH never seems to feel the cold - he works outside all day anyway.

However, now that DCs are getting to that age where they start to invite newly-made friends around, I've noticed a couple of comments from the other children/parents about how cold our house is - I've genuinely never noticed it before now... but I've just spotted a heating oil thread where someone commented they put their heating on all day when it's very cold outside Shock I don't think I've had the heating on for more than 3 or 4 hours in the whole time we've lived in our house, and it's not on a timer or anything. I think we normally turn it on for the first time in late Nov/early Dec, and only on the occasional day it's very cold.

I'm starting to think that IABU for basically using the "can you feel your feet in thermals? if no, time to stick the heating on" as the threshold for if the heating gets popped on, and perhaps my level of use isn't quite normal for a family.

(Just wanted to add, DD doesn't complain of the cold - seems to have inherited DH's warm blood too.)

So, AIBU?

What's a normal "trigger" threshold for putting the heating on?

OP posts:
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MajaBiene · 26/03/2013 16:37

YANBU to keep your house as cold as you want, but YABU to invite people over but then make your home inhospitable/uncomfortable for them.

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KellyElly · 26/03/2013 16:39

You should put it on when you have guests as they may not favour the Arctic conditions you do.

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mummymeister · 26/03/2013 16:39

agree with maja. we keep our house colder than most other people preferring to put on extra layers. however if my parents are coming to visit or if the kids have friends to stay then we put the heating on and keep it to a comfortable 22. ok to have it as you want it when it is just you but not so if people are visiting and it makes them not feel comfortable.

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secretscwirrels · 26/03/2013 16:41

DCs refuse to visit their friend who lives in a big draughty unheated farmhouse. He comes here a lot though Wink.

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LaurieFairyCake · 26/03/2013 16:42

Do you know how cold your house is?

I think some people have their house really warm now (I have a friend who has it set at 26 and she walks round in her pants) but anything below 16/17 is really quite chilly.

I wear thick socks and thermals everyday and I still get cold in 16/17 degrees.

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cozietoesie · 26/03/2013 16:44

.....a comfortable 22..... ?

Blimey - I think I'm going my dinger if I raise it to 18!

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squeakytoy · 26/03/2013 16:47

I would rather have the heating on in my house and be able to sit in comfortable lightweight clothes and have barefeet than need to be swaddled up in layers of thermals and jumpers. I grew up in a house with no central heating, ice on the inside of the windows and draughts... I vowed never to live like that as an adult.

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secretscwirrels · 26/03/2013 16:47

I understand that fuel is expensive and many people have to economise, but if you can afford it why not heat your house? You wouldn't choose to live on bread and water if you could afford proper food or dress in rags or would you?

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specialsubject · 26/03/2013 16:49

after a lot of time in New Zealand. I can't bear hot houses any more and expect to wear a jumper or two in winter. We do put more heat on when guests are coming, though.

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DreamsTurnToGoldDust · 26/03/2013 16:50

Same as squeaky, memories of the cold when I was young have never left me, no way will I go back there, it was miserable.

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MajaBiene · 26/03/2013 16:51

I usually have the heating set to 18c, and that's socks and jumpers temperature. If it's really chilly/we have guests it goes up to 20c.

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cozietoesie · 26/03/2013 16:51

The thing is that your body adjusts to lower temperatures. If we were to have the house at 22 degrees I'd need to strip off and have iced drinks. For me, 16-18 is quite comfortable.

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BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 26/03/2013 16:53

I have my heating on 25 plus ....most of the time.

I am a chilly morsel - 16-18 to be would be cold!

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Robininred · 26/03/2013 16:54

DP and I don't have the heating on as much as some people - on a work day we only have it on for a couple of hours in the evening (in the morning we just grin and bear the cold). We have it on more at weekends if we are in a lot, perhaps a couple of hours in the morning and again in the evening. We certainly never have it on all day though. Like you we are both very outdoorsy/countryside folk and don't really mind the cold and we both own lots of warm, practical clothes.

However, when family or friends are coming over I always stick the heating on as appreciate some people do like it much warmer.

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Iggly · 26/03/2013 16:54

Our heating is set to between 18-20 depending on how cold it is outside.

I don't think it's good for your health to have it too cold eg below 16/17C especially young ones and elderly people.

If your guests aren't comfy then that is rude! It must be bad if they mention it.

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GwendolineMaryLacey · 26/03/2013 16:54

I've cranked mine up again today. I can sit in a blanket but when my 14mo's hands are blue then something needs to be done.

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HumphreyCobbler · 26/03/2013 16:56

We have a warm downstairs and a freezing upstairs. I would always make sure I had both woodburners going if I had guests, and when we have people to stay I make sure that the upstairs is a bit warmer than usual - there is only so much I can do with no central heating, but I put plug in heaters in their bedrooms.

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Cantbelieveitsnotbutter · 26/03/2013 16:56

I struggle to get mine to 16, with every heater on! (No central heating)
But if I've guests coming over I do try to get it up to said 16 and warn them to wrap up!

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NaturalBaby · 26/03/2013 16:58

YANBU as it's your home and your family seem happy with the temperature but if friends are commenting then I would turn it on/up.
I have to make sure my house is warm enough when my mum babysits - I often come back to find her huddled in the corner with her coat on but she does sit by the cold window!

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chrome100 · 26/03/2013 16:58

I put the heating on as soon as I get home from work and turn it off when I go to bed. I sleep in a hoodie, fleecie trousers and a bobble hat so god knows how I would manage without heating. I am a very cold person, always have ice cold extremities and my home is my sanctuary so I want to be warm in it.

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wannabeEostregoddess · 26/03/2013 16:59

The temp on our nursery thermometer card thingy is reading 10C in the bedrooms and 13C in the living room if the fire is lit Blush

I am freezing all the bloody time. I should be used to it as I grew up in a house with no heating but its really awful.

So if you can afford it YABU.

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thekidsrule · 26/03/2013 17:04

if as a family it really is not an issue than leave it as it is when your about

but

if you have guests yes turn it on,i avoid a friends house in the cold as its so miserable there with no heating on but would never tell her that

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ThingummyBob · 26/03/2013 17:05

YABU. DD won't visit one of her friends anymore due to the lack of heating and the forced jollity of the friends mum who like to be competetively cold Grin
She sometimes goes on about how they don't have their heating on to 'toughen up' the dc's Hmm and her dh is one of those muppets who likes to make a statement and reach for the shorts when the snow starts.

I just don't geddit!

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ShatnersBassoon · 26/03/2013 17:07

If you're happier bundled up then please yourself, but don't expect unprepared guests in regular indoor clothing to put up with the cold. Unless you offer guests thermal foundation garments as they arrive that is.

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KnottedAnchorChief · 26/03/2013 17:08

My parents house is always cold, my mum grew up in a farmhouse with no heating upstairs, just the aga downstairs, and she grew up used to cold. It's funny, the family were looking at old photos of us all there when we were little and even in the winter their front door was always open! They put the heating on now when we go and visit so that the DC's aren't cold.

We live in an old house and don't have the heating on during the day at all so it does get chilly. However we do heat it if visitors come over. Most people's houses are very warm and so you WBU to expect them to shiver in thin clothes when yours isn't.

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