General Chat

I have had no central heating since last march - long story. I glanced at my room thermometer on Monday night - 13.5 degrees celcius! Pooooooor meeeeee....... OC

i have no bl***y heating or hot water.......boiler decided to play up on sunday so we had neither since then.......just as it gets freezing!!! Karen

I have no idea what heat mines set at as I have useless storage heaters on E7, I do have a thermometer on the inside wall of my lounge, no its not over the heater, it says 85, I can't be doing with a cold house, it makes me feel really ill to be colder,I am home all day on my own most of the time, I used to have a wood burner and open fire which made it beautifully warm but had to have it taken out due to chimney problems, I walk around in a jumper in doors, I miss my heat from an open fire or woodburner, storage heaters dont actually make you feel warm even when you stand in front of them, not like an open fire, the house always feels colder during the evening when I have people in and out of the doors, kids have there mates round, it soon cools the house down even though they all know it's get in quick and shut the door! I have double glazing and a decent front and back door, new loft insulation this summer and cavity wall insulation. Gillie xx

Maz I would say that you don't want to overheat, or else the heat loss is increased. I should think put it on when you need it at a comfortable temperature and turn it off an hour or so before you have finished with it, as the house will retain the heat for a time, depending on the location and amount of insulation. Ours is set at 20 degrees celcius and during the week comes on at 5.30. We are up from about 6.10. It goes off at 7.00 and we leave the house by about 8.10. In the evening it come on about 3.30 and the first person is in about 4.15. It goes off at 9.00 or 9.30 and the last to bed is about 11.00.

I want to ask a question on here please! Is it better (ie more cost effective) to .... have a lower temperature and keep the heating on for longer ?? or have a higher temperature and turn it off when it gets too hot and on again when it cools down ?? I need to know whether to turn up or not! Like Pilgrim, mine is at about 60 :-) Maz. XX

Ours is at 15 most of the time. Put it down to 11 or 12 overnight. I don't have any exposed north facing walls (neighbour on that one) and have double glazing and upvc/double glazed exterior doors.

Not so many years ago the suggested temperature was 18 degrees but now seems to be 20/21, 25 is way too warm and expensive too, as well as environmentally unfriendly, too much fuel being used etc. I am always amazed at the students in the houses I manage, they sit around in t shirts or skimpy clothes and turn the heating up and up, when they would be much healthier living in a slightly lower temperature and wearing more suitable and seasonal clothing. It can't be that good for older houses to get so hot inside, dries the plaster out, the student houses have ceilings that are cracking all way round the edges and the builder said it is due to the extremes of temperature, drying out the plaster. And all the germs breeding in the heat too, lovely! lol

we have thermostatic radiator valves so have no idea what the temperature actually is.. Bob 20 deg c is about 70 f......16 is 61

Ours is set at 20. The heating usually only comes on for a couple of hours in the morning and then again for most of the evening. It's a well insulated semi-detached house with cavity wall filling and good loft insulation. We left the secondary double glazing in when we had new sealed double glazed units installed so it's triple glazing for a number of windows and a conservatory makes our living room effectively quadruple glazed on one side. I hadn't realised how efficient it was until the heating broke down a short while ago while my husband was in hospital. I had two full days without central heating before the repairman could come and in all that time the house only went down eventually to 16 degrees. We also have solar heating for the hot water when it's a bright day and that saves a lot of money. We'd like a wind turbine but they are a bit pricey at the moment. Sue

Like Len we are O A P 's ours is set at 20-21 and is on from 7am -11pm The house keeps warm.and we have no need for thermals etc Bren

We are on gas and I keep it set at 21-22 all year round. I don't mind the heating coming on in the summer, if it gets chilly. Hope the Russians don't cut our supply. I may be your elderly neighbour - so please drop in and check up on me. len

thermostat is set at 17 only radiator on upstairs is bathroom and none on downstairs at moment as wsolid fuel burner in front room is on

20/21 is the 'norm' for an average 3 bedroomed house in Winter. Please watch out for your elderly neighbours at this time of year ....... especially with the weather as it is at present.

Good grief - it's time we updated. Ours is set at 60.

25 plus.....this is a large cold house and we need the heating on HIGH!! And I shall keep it on all night, turned down to 20. Dee x

Mine is also on 25

Joan, if you are in the UK do you have any other heating on? gas fire/electric fire? 14 is quite low I would be freezing. Ann Glos

Tropical....

Are you in the UK Joan?

Very high!! The council may have changed the boiler, but the radiators have been here at least 25 years and must have a wonderful coating of chalk - if the kettle (less than 6 months old) is anything to go by!!! maggie