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Comfortable room temperatures

(54 Posts)
ExDancer Fri 04-Nov-22 14:56:35

Yesterday was a beautiful day here, blue sky and the sun shining through the windows. I took my coffee into the living room and noticed it was 19c.
I sat for almost an hour and read the paper.
Today its dull, dark and dismal. I took my coffee through to the living room and noticed it was 19c.
It was too cold to sit and read the newspaper, even my nose was cold.

How can 19c be pleasantly warm one day and unpleasantly cool the next?

Wyllow3 Sat 05-Nov-22 20:20:27

Its set at 17 in the day if I am in, and 12 at night till I get up (small house, heats rapidly). I have one of those soft electric blankets to drape over me if I am sitting downstairs watching TV.

karmalady Sat 05-Nov-22 20:17:22

no-one should be worrying about the heating bill. We have all had at least £900 towards that this winter

karmalady Sat 05-Nov-22 20:15:06

I recently the adjusted my thermostats, they all needed compensation to get to the actual real room temperature.

Upstairs is cooler, no heating through the night but set at 18 just in case as that is the safe sleeping temperature for seniors, for breathing. I have a 30 min slot at 22 at 7am, just to warm up for comfort for showering and changing

Downstairs is UFH and is never quick to change temperature, so is set to 21 degrees 24/7. Heating only kicks in when needed ie when the sun is not shining in.

Definitely my body temperature needs have changed as I have grown older. Btw it only takes 45 minutes for a chilly room to severely impact an elderly persons wellbeing

Jaffacake2 Sat 05-Nov-22 20:01:21

Relented and put heating on for first time as room thermostat saying 13 degs. Have layers on but realised breathing cold air is not good for an asthmatic. Worried about the bills.

biglouis Sat 05-Nov-22 19:29:31

20 degrees is a minimum for me if Im working on the computer or watching TV. However I keep it cooler in the bedroom - about 16 degrees.

VioletSky Sat 05-Nov-22 19:28:10

M0nica

VioletSky it is recommended that older people in particular should not have their heating set below 18 degrees.

The problem is that thermostats are not necessarily that accurate. We have a quite separate room thermostat that just measures the temperature in the room and, in our case, bvoth a gree, but it is worth checking.

I did just realise I'm daft and that if my thermostat is away from a radiator it probably is warmer than 17 degrees in rooms that have one.

It's in the downstairs hallway which doesn't have a radiator for some reason

M0nica Sat 05-Nov-22 19:25:35

VioletSky it is recommended that older people in particular should not have their heating set below 18 degrees.

The problem is that thermostats are not necessarily that accurate. We have a quite separate room thermostat that just measures the temperature in the room and, in our case, bvoth a gree, but it is worth checking.

VioletSky Sat 05-Nov-22 18:53:48

It's amazing how much difference a couple of degrees make, either that or my thermostat doesn't work but 15 is freezing and 17 is toasty according to mine and there are no radiators near it

Whiff Sat 05-Nov-22 18:47:01

My heating is set on 22° when I put it on. But never have it on overnight as I am cosy in bed. I have problems with my limbs and if they get cold they hurt more.

watermeadow Sat 05-Nov-22 18:42:34

My thermostat is set at 16 and I’m nice and warm under a double fleece throw. It’s been a cold wet day.
I’ve never had heating on at night, I turn it off as I go to bed and back on when I get up.
My house is old and cold, I notice a huge difference in well-insulated modern houses.

nanna8 Sat 05-Nov-22 10:32:54

I like it at 20 during the day . I can cope up to 35 but more than that and I hibernate.

henetha Sat 05-Nov-22 10:21:27

I like it around 20/21, but am trying to get used to 19 now in order to be economical.
This living room always feels warmer when the sun shines. Today is dull and rainy and it feels cold even though it isn't really.

HeavenLeigh Sat 05-Nov-22 10:14:53

I am always cold have hypothyroidism and have always liked the temp around 20, but the funny thing is I now wear one of those oodies our temp is 17 and I’m actually finding it really bearable, so I’m thinking power to the oodie!

BigBertha1 Fri 04-Nov-22 22:08:51

Our temp is set at 20 but I boost it to 21 if we are sitting still and I have a knee blanket. Always been a cold body and being arthritis makes it worse.

M0nica Fri 04-Nov-22 21:55:10

Even with the house at a steady temperature, I find I feel colder as the day goes by and really cold in the evening, regardless of the weather.

NotSpaghetti Fri 04-Nov-22 17:36:38

Fleurpepper - we don't heat our bedroom unless it's not only very cold but is damp in the air too - even then we always turn it off at bedtime and open the window.

Sitting room etc is different - 18 is ok during the day but in the evening I do like it a bit warmer.

Fleurpepper Fri 04-Nov-22 16:56:45

MiniMoon

It's been 15°c in our living room all day. I've just lit the log burner since it will soon be dark. Even if it doesn't get much warmer, it will look jollies.

15C is the normal temperature in winter for our bedroom. We like a cold bedroom, with a good quality duvet and a blanket on top if necessary, and the window always open. But 15C is too low for living room, really. Glad to hear you have lit the wood burner, yes cheery, but will hopefully raise to 18C and a bit above.

NotSpaghetti Fri 04-Nov-22 16:52:16

15.3 here. Brrr.
Like it at 18 really.

Nell8 Fri 04-Nov-22 16:49:57

Our thermostat says room temperature is 19⁰. The heating hasn't come on yet and my nose, hands and feet feel very cold. Mind you, I've been sitting in an armchair for an hour. If I'd been out gardening like yesterday I'd be peeling off layers. My circulation needs a boost.
I think there's a psychological effect too when gloom descends. DH's granny would cheer up and say "Oo, lovely and warm!" when her electric fire went on, even though it was just the log effect light and not the heating element!

Chestnut Fri 04-Nov-22 16:28:26

I have noticed this in the past and have wondered why. I think it has to do with the outside temperature. If it's warm outside you will feel warm, but if it's cold outside then it seems to creep through the walls. This chill is also more noticeable if you are on the ground floor. It comes up from the ground, but upstairs there is no ground chill. That's my theory anyway, that the outside temperature affects how you feel indoors.

M0nica Fri 04-Nov-22 16:27:59

We keep our heating on a comfortable 18.5, all over the house.

MiniMoon Fri 04-Nov-22 16:13:17

It's been 15°c in our living room all day. I've just lit the log burner since it will soon be dark. Even if it doesn't get much warmer, it will look jollies.

Norah Fri 04-Nov-22 16:10:52

We prefer 20-21, sun does make it seem nicer.

Fleurpepper Fri 04-Nov-22 16:05:56

19/20 C is the norm for us. Of course if the sun is shining in through the windows, it will feel warmer.

lovebeigecardigans1955 Fri 04-Nov-22 16:01:32

Could the sunshine have just made it feel different, ExDancer? I feel that 19/20c is warm enough for me, any higher and I'm struggling.