The Heat Is On

[sunskippy10]

OK dilemma.

I am in a flat share. I dont feel the cold. Flat mate reeeaaaly feels the cold. Have heating on a timer for an hour in morning and in evening for three hours. Reasonable? Trying to get happy medium. But am concerned about bills and have come in some nights and its been on for hours. Cant afford huge bills and dont want to fall out with flat mate. Plleasse any suggestions? Thanks :)

[silverfox]

Buy flatmate a slinky for Xmas and a couple of hot water bottles

(should that be slanket above?)

[Twirly]

silverfox Wrote:

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> Buy flatmate a slinky for Xmas and a couple of hot

> water bottles

>

> (should that be slanket above?)

I think so - not sure how a metal spring that slithers down the stairs would contribute to household warmth!

Sunskippy10, do you keep similar hours? If so, at the moment, that seems fairly reasonable with the heating. Although as it gets colder you might need it on for longer in the mornings as it can take an age to warm up. Also, how do you know the heating has been on for hours when you come in?

However, there is nothing more miserable than feeling permanently cold, so do talk to the flatmate about it, and if she or he needs to have it on a bit more than you can afford, see if they can chip in a little bit more to the bills. Also, do remember that once a place is warmed up, it's more efficient to have the heating on low than let it get cold and then have it warm up again.

Oh, and a good Christmas present for the flatmate might be an electric blanket!

[Kalamiphile]

There is a heated chocolate coloured throw on amazon, brillaint, have hardly put heating on at all at night and in day, just an hour in morning:))

[Damian H]

Twirly Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> silverfox Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Buy flatmate a slinky for Xmas and a couple of

> hot

> > water bottles

> >

> > (should that be slanket above?)

>

> I think so - not sure how a metal spring that

> slithers down the stairs would contribute to

> household warmth!

>

> Sunskippy10, do you keep similar hours? If so, at

> the moment, that seems fairly reasonable with the

> heating. Although as it gets colder you might need

> it on for longer in the mornings as it can take an

> age to warm up. Also, how do you know the heating

> has been on for hours when you come in?

>

> However, there is nothing more miserable than

> feeling permanently cold, so do talk to the

> flatmate about it, and if she or he needs to have

> it on a bit more than you can afford, see if they

> can chip in a little bit more to the bills. Also,

> do remember that once a place is warmed up, it's

> more efficient to have the heating on low than let

> it get cold and then have it warm up again.

>

> Oh, and a good Christmas present for the flatmate

> might be an electric blanket!

Leccie blankets are the dog's b****ks.

[sunskippy10]

Kalamiphile many thanks. Will check that out.

Twirly thank you too. Its on a timer so when I got in it was still on few hours later. inspector Clueso strikes again ;)

Yes I dont feel the cold but appreciate that other people do. But at same time not wanting to pay an arm and a leg for something I dont want when I am cutting down in other areas to buy christmas gifts etc. Bit tricky to work out how to break up the bill if it came to that..

Silver fox , ah a slinky and a couple of hot water bottles... generous indeedy ;)

[Anna Howard]

Kalamiphile Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> There is a heated chocolate coloured throw on

> amazon, brillaint, have hardly put heating on at

> all at night and in day, just an hour in

> morning:))

Hahahahahaha, surely a great sense of humor...... :)) Well done.....

[sheilarose]

We used to keep our heating on low for the entire winter and found our bills were lower than having it on intermittently. That was in a 3-bed terrace. I'm not sure if the same applies to a flat -- it certainly doesn't to our current home which is bigger and draughtier.

[Sue]

I have a slanket and I don't find it very warm at all.

In particular I'm only 5'4" yet it doesn't cover my feet properly if I'm lounging on the sofa. Plus it's an absolute pain to take on and off, but if you keep it on, you trip over it when you try to go anywhere.

Also it's a really bulky thing to store when you're not wearing it (ie most of the time :)) )

If you're going down the clothes route, tights under everything plus thermal undies plus several layers of clothing including socks, and including wearing a woolly hat around the house and possibly in bed :)) does it for me.

Of course your flatmate may not wish to risk others seeing her looking like a baglady :))

Re the heating, as mentioned above, better (I think) in terms of cost and comfort to keep the place at a reasonable temperature always rather than have it get really cold then the heating kick in high for just a short time.

ETA: Re the bill, you could always read the gas/electric meter (depending on type of heating) before and after you go out or whatever, and keep a record of who has used what. Then split the bill accordingly. Not sure if this would work.

Or, if electric, you can get devices you clip round the meter and once you've input your tariff it tells you how much you are spending.

I have a spare one you can have if you PM me.

Edited again to add: Is your place draught-proofed? Do you have thermally lined curtains? Are there draughts coming through floorboards? Draughts can mean you have to turn the heating up much higher than you'd have to if you sorted out the draughts.

[womanofdulwich]

i think you have to have an open conversation about this asap, as its just turned cold, it will get worse. its tough if someone gets home at 6pm and you get in at 8pm- maybe you have to encourage them not to come home til later................

[Lu]

I can sympathise. I had a flatmate who used to walk around in next to nothing clothing but had the heating on full blast all the time and left lights on all over the house, the oven on with nothing cooking etc. She was the home owner too so very tricky trying to point out that I was subsidising her lifestyle as we split the bills. Do you have individual thermostats on your radiators so at least you can turn off/down the radiator in your bedroom and any areas of the house that don't really need it? Might be worth getting them fitted.

[zeban]

At the same time, I used to live with someone who screamed at me for ever putting the heating on because she had it on a timer to literally come on for two hours a day so she could save money. I couldn't live in such a house where someone was so controlling and ended up moving out. Mind you, she was an all out bully and you don't seem that way at all.

I think Twirly's post is the most sensible.

I have to say though, from my perspective I'd rather not buy xmas presents and keep warm. I think there's nothing more miserable than being cold at home and houses in London are so ill equipped in terms of draught proofing and keeping out the cold. It is hard when we all have different priorities but I am someone that doesn't consider heating to be a luxury in the winter- it's an essential really. I'd never leave it on overnight though- consider that to be a waste but when I come home from work it goes on straight away as has not been on at all during the day. And stays on until I go to bed.

However if you really are worried just have an open discussion with your flatmate and I'm sure they'll be willing to chip in abit more towards the bill. Try not to be too pedantic about it though- like trying to measure who uses who- it can quickly turn nasty in those circumstances and realistically it rather petty.

[Kalamiphile]

Cant sit in the lounge with a leccy blanket tho'. Get her this for Christmas!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Homefront-Luxury-Washable-Electric-Chocolate/dp/B001IRYFJG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323345696&sr=8-1

She will be warm as toast and cosy too.

[sunskippy10]

Thanks guys . Its good to get everyones perspectives :)

Can be tricky so good to get opinion from both sides. Loving the humour too ;)Slanket lady and womanofdulwich tee hee.

I have an electric blanket too. Best thing ever although maybe someone could invent pjs which could contain heat that way you could just flounce about in all evening with a hidden glow about you? Any inventors listening? Its a money spinner ;) Obviously a gap in the market.

[Salsaboy]

From my understanding of the way central heating a house works, it's better to keep it on for a lower temperature all the time than a high temp for short periods of time. Having it on a lower but constant temp allows the actual fabric of the house, the bricks etc to warm up, thus getting a radiating effect. It also pays to check for draughts from windows, doors, floorboards etc and try to block these up although not all as a house needs to breath to allow moisture to escape otherwise you end up with condensation problems.

[KidKruger]

Seems like it's a money issue, heating is the side issue.

have a talk about money, ahree a way to split he costs and apply that agreed method. ie. you'll share the service charge because you both live in the property. However there will be some times when you are benefitting from a warm abode (and appreciating it, having just come in form the bitter cold) but having chosen not to/been able to set the heating going - in these instances you need to consider whether a black/white split is reasonable (unless the radiator in your bedroom is set to off).

It's a resource that costs so has to be discussed. Build a rota of when the heating is on and for how long and who benefits. One method could be get your flat mate to try a week under your idea of heating then you try your flat mate's approach - then agree where tweaks are necessary, or additional costs for the greater consumer.

[peterstorm1985]

Just a thought but perhaps you could agree to keep the heating on for longer if your flatmate agrees to turn the thermostat down one degree. It's amazing what difference that makes to the bill. As others have said above, there is an increase in efficiency if the building doesn't cool down completely, so having the heating on for longer may not be such a bad thing.

Otherwise, have you got all the free kit from Southwark - see other thread for energy saving (Ring Dennis direct). If you have any radiators against an outside wall, the reflectors are well worth having.

If your flatmate is wearing jumpers, woolly socks and slippers, but still cold, then I think it's fair to provide a little more heat but if it's T shirts and bare feet then I think you should stand your ground.

[jollybaby]

A tough one. You need to tread carefully. It could become a real issue and the next thing you know you'll be timing showers. This is from experience.

It doesn't sound like you have the heating on for very long - though I suppose I don't know your working hours. We have the heating on for 2 hours in the morning - our system would barely have heated up after 1 hour and 4.5 hours in the evening. My mother who seems to be quite financially savvy is a firm believer in the low and constant theory. I'd never be able to convince mr jb though - he turns the heating off if we go out and then we get home to a freezing house.

Anyone know anything about oil filled radiators and how efficient they are? Might be an option for their room?

[sunskippy10]

Exactly jollybaby I dont want it to become an issue. I really dont want any bad feeling in the flat from me or my flat mate.

Low and constant I see.. However this evening she asked if I would mind if she turned it up as she was really cold. I dont want her being cold but its not falling into the low and constant now :( more like roasting and constant :(

Yes thermostat in my room good idea.

Really appreciate all the ideas. Love this ED Forum :)

[Sue]

Kalamiphile Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Cant sit in the lounge with a leccy blanket tho'.

> Get her this for Christmas!

> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Homefront-Luxury-Washable-

> Electric-Chocolate/dp/B001IRYFJG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF

> 8&qid=1323345696&sr=8-1

>

> She will be warm as toast and cosy too.

xxxxxxxxx

I really really really want one of these, but why is it such a hideous colour?

Or are we back to seventies retro and somehow I missed it?

[womanofdulwich]

What was she wearing when she was really cold? If she was wrapped up well then I think you have to leave it. But if she just sits on the sofa all night watching tv/ reading she will get cold- I think you have to get her up playing twister/ ironing while she watches tv/ baking christmas gifts etc! give it a go !