Every year we have the same argument in our house, when should we put the heating on? It’s like a family tradition now. Some people visit pumpkin patches and go on autumn walks, we have thermostat wars.
I’m stubborn one and I always have been. I will hold out until I’m sat there, teeth chattering, wrapped in about three jumpers, a blanket covering me with thick socks on and a hot water bottle before I even think about flicking the heating on. I don’t know why but it feels like a challenge. How many days can I suffer before giving in? I like to think I’m saving a few pounds while slowly freezing to death.
My eldest, Becky would have the heating on at the start of September if she had her way. The first slightly chilly morning and she’s ready to whack it on full blast. If she even so much as feels a cold toe she’s asking to switch it on without even thinking of putting a pair of socks on. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to tell her. Eesh!
Then there’s my youngest who is the complete opposite! She moans when the heating is on. It’s too hot, I can’t breathe, I’m melting, we get it all. While I’m sat there finally thawing out my frozen fingers she’ll crack a window open just to make a point. It's madness that one kid wants it tropical, the other wants it arctic and I’m stuck somewhere in the middle trying not to start World War Three over the boiler.
You would think my fella would have some say in the argument but he really doesn’t care. If it’s on it's fine and if it’s off also fine. He just goes with the flow, sitting there with his cup of tea completely unbothered while the rest of us are almost fighting. Sometimes I look at him and think how can you be this calm about something so important? I swear if the boiler exploded he’d just say put a jumper on then. He is so calm about everything!
We’re not one of those households who just stick the heating on all day. It only ever goes on in the evening, once we’re all home and that proper chill has set in. We don't bother to set it to come on in the morning, none of us would want to get out of bed if we did. We have learned from experience. lol The only time it does go on during the day is when it's really, really cold. We might put it on for an hour just to take the edge off but that’s it. There’s no leaving it blasting from morning until night. When I put the heating on in the evening I do get comfy and take a layer off but there’s always that voice in the back of my head screaming Do you know how much this costs!!
No one in this house will ever admit they’re cold first it’s like an unspoken rule. We’ll all sit there pretending we’re fine, even my eldest who would have the heating on given the chance. Then someone finally snaps and says "Shall we just put the heating on for a bit?" Then suddenly everyone agrees like it’s the most obvious idea in the world.
So when is the right time to switch the heating on? I don’t think there is one. Some people say wait until the first frost, others do it as soon as the calendar flips to September. Me, I’ll keep holding out until I literally can’t feel my fingers, while my eldest is secretly plotting her next mission to sneakily put it on. My youngest will carry on complaining it’s too hot whenever it is on and my fella will just keep shrugging his way through it all.
When do you put your heating on??
Your post made me smile. I can just see you sitting there with chattering teeth but claiming you're nice and toasty ; ))
ReplyDeleteFor me October is the time I allow myself to put the heating on. But only in my office and only in the kitchen.
I'm like you in a lot of ways- I want to see how long I can wait. I think we've made it to November before but I could be wrong. My husband is much the same way as Stu. He's pretty go with the flo and will live with it fine on or off!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like it should be a new reality show - Thermostat Wars! Which family can last the longest? We have a programmable thermostat so once it gets to a certain temperature, it switches on in the morning. I've still got it set for when I was working so it goes off when I would be leaving the house and comes back on when I would be coming home from work. It goes off when we go to bed, can't stand to be hot when I'm sleeping. So far, the program is still working.
ReplyDeleteWe have a thermostat connected to the boiler that is set to 18 degrees C from 8 am in the morning so as soon as the house drops to below that at night the heating switches itself on. Then from 10 o'clock onward the temperature drops to 16 degrees for the rest of the day. In the evenings I manually adjust the temperature upwards if it is cold but only after extra layers have been put on,curtains drawen and the lounge door closed to keep any heat in the room.
ReplyDeleteJane
I chuckled all the way through your post, Kim! I can amost hear it all happening! Our thing here in central Florida isn't really about the heater, but about when to turn off the AC!! That might happen in November. As for the heater, I might put it on to take the chill off a really cold (for us) evening, but it goes off in the morning. I can't remember a time when the heat was on all day and all night. I do have a pile of blankets in the living room that get used in Nov, Dec, Jan, and maybe Feb. xo
ReplyDeleteHey Kim! I have to say, I am hot natured. I’ll let it go probably to November and set it and let it go as needed. My hubby is cold natured and he wants it all the time. But I am premenopausal and I would hurt someone. Lol
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting topic. We've had the heating on for 2 weeks or so, not every day, but when it's needed. We have a comfy 21-22 degrees. I see no reason to be cold, so I am like Becky.
ReplyDeleteSince our weather here is so up and down, we just adjust the thermostat accordingly depending on the day. Once the temp in the house dips below 67 when it gets chilly we will turn on the heat and set it to 68. And once it gets above 75 when it's hot, we turn on the air! That said, we have to run the A/C, like, 8 months out of the year because it's mostly hot here.
ReplyDeleteWe don't really have a set day (like my brother in law who will not turn on the heat until the 1st of November regardless of the temps!), but we also don't have any sort of battle over the heat either. Our temps are often all over the place in early fall so some days the heat goes on and others we have the air conditioning on instead.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the temps there now? We normally do not turn on the heat until December-ish here. And normally we just set it to come on once it dips below 66 at night. We like to sleep with it on the cooler side!
ReplyDeleteOur heating is set to come on if the temperature drops below a certain level so there isn't a set time - just when the weather gets colder. No arguments in this house though - neither Hubby or I like to be cold.
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