Pages

Sunday 16 October 2022

But, thankfully, experts have now revealed



Exact temperature you should set your thermostat to keep warm and save money

With cold weather setting in and the cost of living crisis in full swing, many householders are debating whether or not to turn on their central heating. With millions of families worried about their finances as energy prices continue to soar some are living in 'dangerous' conditions, it is claimed.

But, thankfully, experts have now revealed the temperature you should set your thermostat at to keep your house warm and also save money.

Charity Age UK says the elderly should heat their main living area to 21c, with the rest of their home at 18c. Low temperatures are a particular issue for older generations. If a room is less than 9c, it can cause hypothermia, according to British Gas.


So not exactly exact, but somewhere between 18 and 21 depending on age and what you can afford. One of the comments raised a smile.

Gaz Davies
They are oblivious to what you can afford on a pension. We are at the moment burning paper in a saucepan just to warm our feet. Luckily, we get plenty of leaflets from them funeral companies and those that want to steal the house.

7 comments:

Sam Vega said...

Years ago I was friendly with a couple who lived in Dagenham, in a high-rise block. Both of them could remember when their parents had moved into similar towers in the 1960s. The council assumed - probably with some accuracy - that nearly every man living there worked at the Ford factory, and most wives only had part time jobs. Accordingly, they decided centrally when your water would be heated up; you couldn't control it at all. A quick blast of power early in the morning gave you enough to get ready for the day, or to clean up if you were coming off night shift. Then there was a longer period mid-morning so women could do the washing. And a final session in the evening.

I guess it helped iron out any peaks and troughs, although tough luck if you were a single person or pensioner and paid for hot water you didn't need.

Why make the new heat pumps with controls on? People will only fiddle with them and get into difficulties. And standardised thermostats in sealed units will save a few quid.

James Higham said...

Here it’s liveable so far. Cost definitely up a lot but not impossible yet.

Tammly said...

Off topic, but on to a previous one, Jeremy Hunt, with a track record of failure in everything he's done, (another Chris Grayling), is the new chancellor! Incompetence wins again!!!

A K Haart said...

Sam - I'm sure one issue is that we have become too accustomed to relatively cheap warmth and haven't explored other possibilities in the design of houses. Could have been done decades ago.

James - no problems here either, but we've never had the heating on high.

Tammly - yes, Jeremy Hunt seems to be the establishment stooge who makes sure things go the establishment way. After Brexit, not even minor reforms are to be allowed.

dearieme said...

21 is too hot for me, I'd think. 21 outdoors is a delicious summer day, but I'll grant that I'd expect it to be a bit hotter in the sun - the reported 21 is (meant to be) a shade temperature.

18 sounds OK. Basically you want it hot enough to ensure you don't get condensation on or within the walls, I'd think, so you'd want both temperature and ventilation levels to be right. Maybe we should put the garden thermometer in the kitchen and see what we are actually experiencing.

A K Haart said...

dearieme - we have a few thermometers around the house. A background of about 18 is okay for us and 19-20 in the living room during the evening although it tends to drift upwards once the curtains are drawn. Much warmer once the wood burner is going in winter, sometimes too warm.

dearieme said...

I can now reveal that our hall is currently at 21. I am lightly dressed: I wear more in winter when it is colder.