Have you turned your heating on yet?

[Scarlett]

I am trying to avoid putting mine on, but it is chilly now and I'm concerned about damp in the house..

[~max~]

Yes, I have to at night, it's absolutely freezing here in NI! I'm dreading the cost though.

[sleepyj]

yes mines been on and off for the last month

[Eve]

Yes, I don't feel the cold so much but have it on low for the cat and hamster so they don't get cold.

Am feeling it more this year than others though, am renowed for not feeling it, still not wearing a coat to go out as I get too hot though was cold at work yesterday which is unusual for me.

[smudge]

Our central heating pump packed up two days ago & it was freezing in this house! Fortunately, we had a new pump fitted this afternoon, so now nice & warm.

We only have the heating on for a couple of hours in the morning & again late afternoon - it really makes a difference, 'specially warm bath towels.

Not looking forward to the winter bills though - ours have gone up 29%!

[Buenchico]

I told myself that I'd be good to my bank account (and also to the planet) by not turning my heating on I really needed it this year. (I've managed to get through to Christmas week without any heating before now).

However, I was watching the late night weather forecast on 30 September when the presenter said something along the lines of "I was always brought up to believe that you turned the heating on on the 1st of October, and it seems to hold true because you might well need it for the next few days". That reminded me that I was also brought up with the 'no heating until October rule' I also remembered that my last electricity bill was �407 in credit so, at exactly midnight, I turned my fan heater on.

I only use a single fan heater to heat my tiny house. It's only been used intermittently since 1 October and never on the full power (2kW) setting. 1 kW now and then has been sufficient up until now, and I'd expect it to remain so until around about Christmas.

Chris

[Ice.Maiden]

Very thrifty Chris! Bet you wouldn't be able to manage it here though! : )

[Buenchico]

PS: I've just read through the previous posts more closely than before. I smiled when I read Jenna1978's post about keeping the pets warm. I've not got any pets at the minute but I used to have a cat who'd sit in front of the fan heater and miaow vociferously until I turned it on. That cat cost me a fortune in electricity bills ;-)

[Buenchico]

Icey: With your username, I thought that you'd melt if you turned the heating on ;-)

[Petal~flower]

put mine on today brrrrr

[annie0000]

My heating has rarely been off - we were away for a few days during the week, so I switched it off and it took hours when we got back to get the house properly warm again.

[Ice.Maiden]

Lol. I'm quite warm-blooded really, and don't care for a lot of heat, but I have to admit, starting to use the rads a bit more often now!

[pinktwink]

pur mine on too its freezing here in ireland but hey am off to sunny australia in two weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ice.Maiden]

You lucky devil, but you'll probs get more heat than you bargained for. It's the start of their summer now, isn't it? x

[pinktwink]

sure is roll on the sun!!!!

have settled for new york in feb in the end booking tomorrow

[ELVIS68]

First thing I do when I get in is turn all the lights off over the house which the "ghost" left on cos the missus and kids swear blind they never left them on and then turn the heating off

Might switch it on at xmas........ if it snows lol

[Poppetchops]

Central heating incubates germs so we only put ours on in very cold weather, otherwise we just put on more clothes. We do have an electric blanket on the bed though.

[welshlibranr]

Mine's on, but barely, just taking the chill of in the evening, afraid to have it on any more because of the bill!!!

[pusspuss]

had the gas fire on 1 flame for the cat, after a couple of hours the cat wanted the backdoor open to get some fresh air.

[shaneystar2]

The bills are a big worry especially on a fixed income and when you are at home most of the time .But you can't sit in the cold can you ?
It's bearable at the moment we just put warm things on and have it on the morning for ablutions and then perhaps an hour or so in the evening depending on which room we are in to warm the place through .
We have an open fire in the sitting room so I've had the old chimney swept and we'll be using it lot more this winter.
I've turned the radiators off in places like the hall ,landing and spare bedroom .We just heat the rooms we use most .

[landscaper2]

No CH yet. Have had the log burner ticking over for three of four weeks tho! At this time, I think we underestimate how cold it gets Dec-Feb! Mind you, I was bought up in a house with just a coal fire and oil stoves, where you had to scrape the frost off the inside of the windows in winter and really dont remember the cold being a problem. We are softies now aren't we?!