Heating time already?

[noj]

I know we're a hardy bunch of jumper wearers but I actually lit a fire last night, anyone else succumbed yet?

Here in the freezing wastes of Greater London, obviously protected from global warming by the heat shield of the M25, the living room had dropped to 16c, upstairs felt colder and the study was a bracing 14.5c.

Naturally I claim it was only a test to check that logs do still burn before we actually need heating. I may need to double-check the results again tonight...

 

[Feltwell]

Yep, getting a bit chilly up here too. Heating has cut in briefly in odd rooms a couple of times.

 

[malcolm]

My heating is on and it's a nice cosy 19C in places here. I figure it is reasonably cheap to raise the temperature by 2 or 3 degrees while I start getting used to the colder temperatures. It's raising temperatures by near 20 degrees in mid winter that gets expensive.

I was really cold last night. Time to have a second duvet on hand. Must get the secondary glazing done on the big bay window, and then maybe the bedroom.

 

[Lacan07]

About 5 years ago when I was renting a cold, damp flat in an old converted house I discovered the joys of a hot water bottle during the worst of the winter.. Thinking it was something only reserved for old biddies I'm now fully converted. A hot water bottle and a winter duvet combined with your own body heat will keep you snug until morning no matter how cold it is outside.

 

[Cassie]

I’ll be lighting the fire tonight, more out of love than absolute necessity although it is definitely getting chillier. Wouldn’t want things to get cold and damp, let the house breathe (that’s my excuse anyway!)

 

[Drayton]

My heating is on and it's a nice cosy 19C in places here. I figure it is reasonably cheap to raise the temperature by 2 or 3 degrees while I start getting used to the colder temperatures. It's raising temperatures by near 20 degrees in mid winter that gets expensive.

I was really cold last night. Time to have a second duvet on hand. Must get the secondary glazing done on the big bay window, and then maybe the bedroom.

You definitely need a hot water bottle! I am now an old biddie but hotties are not ageist.

More period-correct would be a brick heated in the range and wrapped in an old jumper - but as I know from my childhood, you are then in danger of stubbing your toes. Hotwater bottles are more user-friendly (as long as you screw the top in properly...).

 

[CliffordPope]

I tested the open fire in the sitting room yesterday evening, just to check it was drawing nicely. I'd been trying to convince myself for a while that 15 degrees was perfectly fine, but it isn't really. The next stage is when the weather gets stovey - we light the stove in time to cook supper, heat the hot water, and "take the chill off the house".
Finally, it gets actually cold, and we light the stove first thing in the morning to clear the patterns left by Jack Frost so we can see through the windows.
It's all part of the timeless changing of the seasons, until global warming comes round again next summer

 

[Zebra]

More period-correct would be a brick heated in the range and wrapped in an old jumper - but as I know from my childhood, you are then in danger of stubbing your toes.

I tried this a few years ago when I only had the woodburner for heat, and lots of bricks lying around. Quite cosy.

 

[noj]

The other advantage of 'testing' the woodburner at this time of year is that in daylight I can see if there's any smoke and adjust the airflow accordingly.

The next two years will by pretty much exclusively sycamore, the end of last year was a mix of leylandii and eucalyptus plus some apple - appears to need a little more air now there's no resin rocket fuel in there...

 

[TudorCottage]

This being our 1st winter living in an old dwelling, even at this early stage 2 things are obviously apparent. The heating system is 100% better than my last 1960’s abode, whilst the cottages ability to insulate is 100% worse.

The conclusion being that to maintain a consistent ambience this winter is not going to be cheap or put us at the top of ‘the green’ league table.

 

[Cubist]

In this old place, and many others like it, the upper floor was reserved for the family while the ground floor was used for live-stock; the body heat generated by the animals rising through the house making a big contribution to the families winter warming. Whilst I see the logic I'm not advocating a return to such methods as these contributions were also accompanied by the inevitable, and potentially explosive, pong.

 

[paulc]

Lit the fire a couple of times last weekend just to take the chill off in the evening (had a quest staying). Need to sweep the flue before I start using it in anger, and also have a cracked firebrick that needs replacing.
The furry hot water bottle (a.k.a. fat cat) has been crawling under the duvet for snuggles that last few nights.

 

[BlindPete]

We only have one working radiator in the bathroom at the moment. Our old central heating was removed a few months ago. All the plaster has been knocked off the external walls ready for new lime.
When the new radiators are installed after the plastering is finished. I’ll be nervous about turning them on. Cost will be one reason with the other being the plaster drying too quickly.

 

[a twig]

Interesting @BlindPete - did the windows used to be taller / have seats?

 

[a twig]

We are on our 9th or 10th stove lighting of the season already and smart heating has been kicking on and off intermittently over the last month already.

Since the heat of the summer I have really been feeling the cold!

 

[noj]

@Cubist: I appreciate your reluctance to animal odour, just spent all day skimming a bedroom wall with a mix of lime, chalk and goat hair - the whole cottage now stinks of something between wet dog and farmyard.

The fortunate thing though is that we can only smell it now if we go out for a bit and return - no idea what a visitor would experience!

 

[Jblakes]

Do you all have gas central heating? We currently have solid fuel, which is now becoming a pain to keep going, and will be even worse when we have baby number 2 in November.

I want sure if gas central heating will have any detrimental effects on a old stone cottage?

Kind regards
James

 

[Cubist]

Do you all have gas central heating? We currently have solid fuel, which is now becoming a pain to keep going, and will be even worse when we have baby number 2 in November.

I want sure if gas central heating will have any detrimental effects on a old stone cottage?

Kind regards
James

Nope. Our CH is driven by a large Wood-burner - so I get to be warmed twice and stay fit at the same time.

Can't see why a gas CH system would be any better or worse than any other for any kind of building.

 

[Cubist]

wall with a mix of lime, chalk and goat hair

Goat hair? While its considerably tougher than most I suspect its also the smelliest. I do hope, for your families sake, it has a very short half-life.

 

[TudorCottage]

Gas central heating upstairs.The boiler is fairly new and so far seems to be super efficient, when the radiator thermostats are on high they are too hot to touch.

Downstairs is electric underfloor heating and once I’ve learned how to use it I’m sure it will be very good
Its split into four zones and so far I’ve just used the heating in the living room. Once it warms up it does radiate a pleasant heat. There will be a bit of trial and error to get the correct usage and I’ll keep a close eye on the meter as I don’t think it will be cheap to use.

To keep a place at a nice consistent temperature can only help rather than hinder I would have thought.