Saving energy: turning heaters off in unused rooms…

I think, in retrospect, that the problem was caused, not by turning the heating off in certain rooms but the fact I keep the curtains closed and there is no ventilation. Other people in my family have filled in the air vents in their windows but, in the two windows I’ve had replaced I’m keeping the vents open. And I’m going to replace more windows asap although it will be difficult at the back of the house because the wasps are still very actively coming and going through the wall, especially round the windows!

I dry my washing in our small bedroom when the weather is poor. We have a dehumidifier running 24/7 on the landing. Yesterday it needed emptying twice. They are definately a good buy

My heating is on all the time - I turn the thermostat down when I go up to bed at night and turn them back on in the morning - I have lung problems. I’d rather cut back on something else , like new clothes and shoes.

I am frugal with the oil fired central heating and hate heating in bedrooms (bedroom windows always open slightly even here in the chilly north). When I do switch the heating in (probably in next week or so) it will only be on for an hour in the morning in hall, shower room, large kitchen and utility room and for an hour late afternoon in the hall, bathroom, large sitting room and utility room. Woodburner which is huge will be lit in the sitting room in the evening. Windows all opened for 30 min each morning. Simply couldn't afford to have the central heating in any more than that but will see how it goes as have only recently moved to this house and know the very dated utility room is damp and needs gutted. Although it has been freezing here recently I am fine as I wear lots of layers and snuggle up with heated fleecy throw in the evening. However if any mould appears the heating will be going on as couldn't put up with living in a house with mould. Getting utility room revamp as soon as possible.

Lived in an ancient little house built directly on clay for 40 years. The only time I felt well was when we went camping.

Dehumidifier helped quite a lot, but oh, those spores!

You might need to go right back to basics, with a serious DPM at base and some way up the walls. Then maybe do the decontamination thing.

It depends, really, on how much you love your home. I know I loved mine, especially my garden, but I had to leave eventually or die.

Well, it was summer so I did assume I wouldn’t need any heating on anyway!

Whoever suggested turning heating OFF to save money?

I do realise that British energy prices are indecently high and that proper heating is probably beyond people who are not in the absolute uppermost income bracket, but really!

If your heating suppliers or energy companies suggested this, they need their heads examined.

Everyone should know that not heating rooms leads to mould, dry rot and wet rot and if you get any of these it will cost you far more to get rid of it again than keeping all rooms at the lowest constant heat you can afford and airing them properly every day would have done.

I only have a small house and I have the heating on for 1 hour on the the mornings. I can boost it in the living room during the day if I need to. I live in north east Scotland. It's on in the evening for 3 hours.

You can dig out the old putty and replace it quite easily. This will also tighten up any gaps between the glass and the frames, adding to the warmth of your house a bit!
Worth doing, and cheaper than replacing old for new windows!

Thankfully the walls are ok. It’s just the furniture and the wooden windows ( the putty in the windows is old and is always mouldy). The dresser is very old and the wood inside is very rough and unfinished. It was the first piece of furniture we bought when we got married. However even the piano has mould on it and that has a gloss finish. It’s obviously all down to lack of ventilation. I think my new front door hasn’t helped because before that the hallway was draughty. Can’t win! I’ve washed everything with bleach.

Our housing manager told us to open the windows for a 10 mins or so every day and to have the heating on for half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening. If you can afford to then keep the heating on low for longer.

You'll have to treat the walls though. We got this from Amazon.
www.amazon.co.uk/HG-Mould-Remover-Foam-Spray/dp/B01CRBEUVO/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=hg+mould+remover+spray%2C+effective+mould+spray&tag=gransnetforum-21&qid=1698079644&sr=8-6

You spray it on. Leave it for half an hour then wipe over with clean water. It's quick and easy.

I keep the heating on low in unused rooms. Fortunately we also have a dehumidifier fitted in the ceiling of the landing which runs constantly on very low.