When did you turn your heating on?

[Owl-Light]

Well it is now 10th October and the days are getting a little chilly. It occured to me it might be interesting to create a poll to monitor when we felt it nesessary to turn the heating on at home this year? I don't mean just for a few minutes but when you get the central heating running or start to use the fire regularly.

It's something we could perhaps do again next year to then be able to compare any changes.

I'll set the poll up to cover quite a few weeks so you might need to dig this thread out again using a search when the time comes to add your details, if you're interested.

Right now I have to say I'm tempted to have that extra cozyness in the house but am resisting valiantly so far

Right lets see if I can get this poll function to work...

[Paul Slavin]

I'm not having the chimneys swept till November, so it won't be at least till then, will try to remember to add to the poll when I finally fire it up!

[medusa]

Well, I have to have one room heated for my snakes all the year round, but my own personal heating? Have an occasional fire on at the mo, but won't be lighting fires regularly till next month I shouldn't think.

[Paul mabbott]

When did we turn it one and when did it start working are different questions thanks to British Gas. We've now got it working but don't need it today ....
Reminds me that British Gas were telling people to put their central heating on occasionally during the summer - reasonable enough but their press release went out on the hottest day of the year ..

[Boddie]

Have I missed something. A member has opted for Between November 5th and November 11th.

How on earth do they know that? Do we have members that can predict one month ahead, or am I just being incredibly thick?

[Owl-Light]

Originally Posted by Boddie

Have I missed something. A member has opted for Between November 5th and November 11th.

How on earth do they know that? Do we have members that can predict one month ahead, or am I just being incredibly thick?

So they have. Maybe some people have a specific plan or a regular time each year they wait until to get the home fires burning.

The idea is to wait and see really, so that the results might tell us something about our climate changes over the next couple of years. If we have a mild Autumn most of us might not feel the need to get the home fires burning until into next month. Thats what I'm interested in seeing.

It's already interesting to see that some of us have found it cold enough to put the heating on already. I guess it will depend on where you are in the country. I hope to hang on a bit longer yet. Its actually a lovely mild day in Gloucestershire today but the nights are geting cooler to be sure. Extra jumper around the house first methinks.

[Earth Hart]

Thankfully, I live in a 1st. floor flat & the guy below me keeps the flat nice & warm when it's cold Even so, I have to have my windows open most of the time as he has his heating on most of the year, even in the hot weather which is a bit much as my flat becomes too hot to be in sometimes Last year I only had the heating on for the odd 5-10 mins during the whole winter.

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by Sheryl LaBouchardiere

So they have. Maybe some people have a specific plan or a regular time each year they wait until to get the home fires burning.

The idea is to wait and see really, so that the results might tell us something about our climate changes over the next couple of years. If we have a mild Autumn most of us might not feel the need to get the home fires burning until into next month. Thats what I'm interested in seeing.

It's already interesting to see that some of us have found it cold enough to put the heating on already. I guess it will depend on where you are in the country. I hope to hang on a bit longer yet. Its actually a lovely mild day in Gloucestershire today but the nights are geting cooler to be sure. Extra jumper around the house first methinks.

I doubt it as you could not possibly know that it isn't going to be extremely harsh next week for example.

One reason why I never trust polls

[Owl-Light]

Originally Posted by Boddie

I doubt it as you could not possibly know that it isn't going to be extremely harsh next week for example.

One reason why I never trust polls

I'm not ticking the box until I know for sure, just going to try to resist putting the heating on until it gets too uncomfortable not to.

Too many factors would have to be considered for a poll like this to be strictly accurate or representative but I'm hoping it will give a general idea and prove interesting, if nowt else

[Ollie]

We don't switch ours off and on for summer winter as such. The heating works on room thermostats and is on a timer, so if the temperature drops below a certain degree in any room summer or winter it will switch on and off as required. We just leave it alone, and although it may sound extravagrant it actually works out very economically in the long run.
I have noticed it has been coming on odd mornings this last week so I suppose you could say we have switched it on as now.
Roger

[rlchew]

I haven't turned my C/H on yet.

Apart from the fact that I am out most of the day, there are several layers of clothing (and a few wee or not so wee drams from the warming whisky bottle ) before I reach for the switch.

Interesting poll idea though to see what we all do and to compare year-to-year.

Richard

[eeyore]

I'm planning on leaving my heating off all year for financial reasons (again ) tho if it drops below freezing i might put a couple of rads on low just to stop the pies from freezing - its times like these thay you really appreciate the worth of a four season sleeping bag !!

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

I put ours on last week sometime it got a bit cold one night and that was it, been on since

At work we sell stoves, and they've been on all summer. Can get a wee bit warm

[Owl-Light]

So a wee dram and a four season sleeping bag, eh. Sounds like a plan to me

[GerryNick2]

I turn our heating on when I cannot take anymore of the complaints from wife and daughters that its cold.

Gerry

[Jonny]

Originally Posted by GerryNick2

I turn our heating on when I cannot take anymore of the complaints from wife and daughters that its cold.

Gerry

Yes, its like that here, we are lucky, in the respect that we live in a very well insulated house, so the heating does not come on before november, at least........
Some houses have poor insulation and those living there will need some warmth before us........

[Jon]

Originally Posted by Sheryl LaBouchardiere

Well it is now 10th October and the days are getting a little chilly. It occured to me it might be interesting to create a poll to monitor when we felt it nesessary to turn the heating on at home this year? I don't mean just for a few minutes but when you get the central heating running or start to use the fire regularly.

It's something we could perhaps do again next year to then be able to compare any changes.

I'll set the poll up to cover quite a few weeks so you might need to dig this thread out again using a search when the time comes to add your details, if you're interested.

Right now I have to say I'm tempted to have that extra cozyness in the house but am resisting valiantly so far

Right lets see if I can get this poll function to work...

I reckon mine will go on as soon as the pump is fixed - hopefully 6.30pm tonight!! Jon

[medusa]

Originally Posted by Boddie

Have I missed something. A member has opted for Between November 5th and November 11th.

How on earth do they know that? Do we have members that can predict one month ahead, or am I just being incredibly thick?

Lol, That was me and no; I ain't so organised that I know when the heating's going to be on so specifically. Far from it, I pressed the button for the date accidentally cos I misread the poll. Actually, November-ish is when I start to light the fire (I don't have central heating as such)fairly regularly, when I'm actually at home, at any rate.

[fbcpmike]

Originally Posted by Ollie

We don't switch ours off and on for summer winter as such. The heating works on room thermostats and is on a timer, so if the temperature drops below a certain degree in any room summer or winter it will switch on and off as required. We just leave it alone, and although it may sound extravagrant it actually works out very economically in the long run.
I have noticed it has been coming on odd mornings this last week so I suppose you could say we have switched it on as now.
Roger

Our house was built in 1909, no cavity walls, just some loft insulation and double glazing, however the side wall is South facing so it's a built in solar storage heater. A few years ago we did some tests between having the heating timed and on 24/7, results were identical usage of gas. So we now have the heating set to 24/7 and the thermostat at 18deg and let the heating regulate it'self, as of the 13th October it's still not come on. If we feel chilly we light the log fire (all wood from fallen trees not felled).

We have since installed under floor heating (as a DIY job, found all the bits on the web at £350 per room), the best thing we ever did, bills went down and our comfort factor went up, you feel so much warmer !.

[Owl-Light]

Originally Posted by fbcpmike

Our house was built in 1909, no cavity walls, just some loft insulation and double glazing, however the side wall is South facing so it's a built in solar storage heater. A few years ago we did some tests between having the heating timed and on 24/7, results were identical usage of gas. So we now have the heating set to 24/7 and the thermostat at 18deg and let the heating regulate it'self, as of the 13th October it's still not come on. If we feel chilly we light the log fire (all wood from fallen trees not felled).

We have since installed under floor heating (as a DIY job, found all the bits on the web at £350 per room), the best thing we ever did, bills went down and our comfort factor went up, you feel so much warmer !.

Sounds like its working well for you Ollie. Although the underfloor heating sounds toasty, its the log fire I envy you for. The magic and the scent of the wood, Ahhh.

Its cool today but I still have windows open and no heating on so far. Some lovely autumnal scents coming from the garden and the sound of birdsong clear as a bell is too nice to shut out, yet.

[littleT]

Originally Posted by fbcpmike

Our house was built in 1909, no cavity walls, just some loft insulation and double glazing, however the side wall is South facing so it's a built in solar storage heater. A few years ago we did some tests between having the heating timed and on 24/7, results were identical usage of gas. So we now have the heating set to 24/7 and the thermostat at 18deg and let the heating regulate it'self, as of the 13th October it's still not come on. If we feel chilly we light the log fire (all wood from fallen trees not felled).

We have since installed under floor heating (as a DIY job, found all the bits on the web at £350 per room), the best thing we ever did, bills went down and our comfort factor went up, you feel so much warmer !.

Interesting - Which underfloor heating? Water, cable or ribbon?
I'm glad that someone-else has high lighted the benefits, and that it can be reasonably priced too.

We're still on the gas unfortunately, but are looking into getting the underfloor soon.
We have a meter for the gas so only pay when it's needed. We put some in this week(first time since march), and have only put the heating on twice. Even though the weather has been dull it has been close, so it's been quite warm anyway.

[natterjack]

I don't think that I'm likely to for while, but it was cool enough today that I've hunted out a sweatshirt, and remembered this thread, so I thought I'd give it a bump.

[Owl-Light]

Hi natterjack

Kinda done the same myself with a light fleece but don't feel uncomfortably cold indoors so its still not on here either. Feel sure we had to get it going early on in October last year.