Energy costs, the way we were, and how we might cope today.

I have no choice but to cut back. My DD has gone up from £133 pm to £190 pm . I have lung problems and can’t afford to get cold, but there you go …..

No, I think you're right but I also think weaning ourselves back to lower temperatures and extra (or even one in many cases) woollies should be gradual. I'm having my heating down .5 every fortnight or so and I'm doing layering of clothes. Working absolutely fine apart from my hands so far.

I was only talking to my son about this today, strangely, and telling him about having just one open fireplace in the house when I was young, and having a tin bath in front of the fire, etc.and no other kind of heating at all. We certainly were tougher in those days, but was it healthier? I can remember ice on the inside of my bedroom window quite often.
Maybe there is a middle road, and the rising fuel costs, and danger to the planet, might make us all have to review our heating systems.

There isn’t any choice for many poorer people other than to cut back or to do without, be they old, young or sick. We already have 4.3 million children in poverty and 2 million older people according to CPAG and Age Concern.

Radical action needs to be taken but I doubt that this government will do anything. After all, they have no interest in looking after the general population.

I also remember having just one coal fire in our house when we where young,coats on the bed to keep us warm with frost and ice inside the windows in the mornings.
We thought we had gone to heaven when we got a Council house with central heating which we thought was too hot at the time.
Now I am worried about the increase in my heating bill this year my monthly energy bill is £80+ and I am using it as sparingly as possible with layering up every day some days I have not put the heating on and worn a fleece dressing gown over my day clothes to keep warm I feel so sorry for families with young children they must be terrified when the bill comes in.

I remember my nan’s house. She had a coal fired glass fronted stove in the living room, which was a back boiler to heat the water. No central heating as such but I do remember that when the fire was on, the chimney breast acted as a heat conduit and her bedroom was always warmer.

I began married life 40 odd years ago with no central heating - we bought a new build and the mortgage provider wouldn’t allow what it would have cost to install heating with the build. We were 24 years in that house with just a gas heater in the hall and on the landing, and a gas fire in the living room. We’ve had central heating in the houses we’ve had since then, and I was amazed at how quickly we got used to the luxury of central heating.

Worked out that I’m now paying more per month for energy than we used to pay per quarter in 2004 when we moved to a slightly larger house than the one we’re in now.

henetha

I was only talking to my son about this today, strangely, and telling him about having just one open fireplace in the house when I was young, and having a tin bath in front of the fire, etc.and no other kind of heating at all. We certainly were tougher in those days, but was it healthier? I can remember ice on the inside of my bedroom window quite often.
Maybe there is a middle road, and the rising fuel costs, and danger to the planet, might make us all have to review our heating systems.

Yes, let’s review our heating systems, the trouble is that those who can afford to do that are not the people who will be unable to pay their fuel bills.

Still, it’s a great way to reduce our carbon emissions and meet those targets.

I too remember ice and frost patterns on the bedroom windows and the layers of woollen vests, knickers, jumpers, dresses and heavy overcoats. Today buying pure wool clothes is an expensive business and again those in most need will be unable to afford these purchases.

Inequalities in this country are appalling and worsen every year.

I don’t have any source of heat other than central heating, no fire place for a gas fire, but I was wondering about buying an electric heater so I could top up the heat in my lounge without turning up the thermostat. I guess I need to do some sums!

I’m lucky though that although not really rich, I do have enough money in savings and investments to be able to afford the anticipated increases in energy bills, food and other things. My income alone is not sufficient but when I retired I decided not to take one of my additional pensions as an annuity but to use drawdown instead. The plan is to use those funds as and when needed for maintaining my house, buying large items such as a new car and having holidays but obviously I will now use some of it to pay increased bills.

I worry about my children, in their 30’s, they are both single but managed to buy their first houses in 2019 so have quite steep mortgages from just one income. I know neither of them overstretched themselves and they both have well paid jobs but these increases will have an impact especially if interest rates go up as well. There will be a lot of people like them who will struggle, it’s not just older people.

Yes, ayse, you are right. I would very much like to get rid of my gas boiler aand have a modern heat exchanger, but there is no way I can possibly afford to. I suppose we can all only do our best in a small way.

Whilst I agree that we all need to review our fuel consumption for climate change purposes, the inequalities in housing is going to be even more obvious as the forecast fuel prices start kicking in. I can, and have, made lots of improvements to my home firstly because I own it, and secondly, because I could afford to do so. This is not an option to the less well off in society who are living in poor quality rented properties. I certainly don't think that a return to our childhoods with one heated room, coats on beds, and ice inside windows is to be either welcomed or seen as some kind of mark of how 'soft' younger generations are.

I wholeheartedly agree with the principle of trying to reduce our energy consumption particularly for those who are reasonably mobile, fit and well.
While we do not all want to look like grannies huddled over our single bar fire in blankets and shawls, it is sad that for those who need help most, it is often hardest to access.
Heated throws for those who cannot move about much, hot water bottles and bedsocks (I love mine!) and warm pj’s, thermal underwear, wear an extra layer, that’s why God invented cardis , wear wool instead of synthetics (which do not keep you warm) , a hot lunch - eg soup, keeping a thermos of boiling water/tea or coffee instead of boiling the kettle every time, cutting down on heating underused parts of the house (but maintain ventilation to reduce the risk of damp) drawing the curtains at dusk - even with double glazing it can make a difference - and if your heating is on a timer, have it go off an hour earlier (and have an early night) and set it to come on a bit later., turn lights off when you leave a room but don’t skimp on potentially dangerous areas like stairs, and if you have a draughty front door, try a curtain behind it- remember those heavy curtains on a pole which went up and back when you opened the door?
We have most of us become accustomed to a higher ambient temperature in our homes and while I am not advocating this for the very young or the very old, I think back to the early months of our marriage when we had a coin in the slot meter and I was horrified at how much it cost to boil a kettle or use the iron.
If all else fails
“Throw another dog on the bed”.

henetha

Yes, ayse, you are right. I would very much like to get rid of my gas boiler aand have a modern heat exchanger, but there is no way I can possibly afford to. I suppose we can all only do our best in a small way.

Not sure of the details without googling but I saw something online a while back about a scheme for help with the cost of exchanging a boiler for a heat exchanger. A survey is done and if your property is suitable for a heat exchanger they will then assess the cost and what proportion you have to pay yourself.

I believe there are less people being found dead of hypothermia these days. I would prefer to keep it that way.

Teacheranne

I don’t have any source of heat other than central heating, no fire place for a gas fire, but I was wondering about buying an electric heater so I could top up the heat in my lounge without turning up the thermostat. I guess I need to do some sums!

I’m lucky though that although not really rich, I do have enough money in savings and investments to be able to afford the anticipated increases in energy bills, food and other things. My income alone is not sufficient but when I retired I decided not to take one of my additional pensions as an annuity but to use drawdown instead. The plan is to use those funds as and when needed for maintaining my house, buying large items such as a new car and having holidays but obviously I will now use some of it to pay increased bills.

I worry about my children, in their 30’s, they are both single but managed to buy their first houses in 2019 so have quite steep mortgages from just one income. I know neither of them overstretched themselves and they both have well paid jobs but these increases will have an impact especially if interest rates go up as well. There will be a lot of people like them who will struggle, it’s not just older people.

We bought an oil filled plug in heater - the type with ‘fins’ - for mum’s bedroom. So far so good, doesn’t seem to be adding much to the overall costs and has a built in timer so you don’t forget it.

Along with others, yes, we had just the one coal fire in the ‘kitchen’, which was actually the living room. There were fireplaces in the two bedrooms and the front room. The latter was lit at Christmas and that was it. We maybe had our bedroom fire lit if we were ill in bed, the mumps outbreak comes to mind.

Later on, we had an electric wall heater in the bathroom, probably switched on just before our weekly bath, and switched off pretty quickly.

We wore vests, wool jumpers and socks, had hot water bottles in our bed at night. The winters must have been long and cold, but somehow we managed.

Realistically this isn’t going to happen, younger people know nothing else, and won’t go back to non centrally heated houses, particularly now home working is on the permanent increase. New homes don’t even have chimneys usually. I think most will scrimp on other things instead, I can see a rise in home grown produce, one car families, use of food banks, etc. before them being cold.

I've never had my heating on in the daytime and switch on about 5 or 6pm when the place is at its coldest as I have windows open every day, all day.
You can get too accustomed to constant warmth so much so that you feel you can't, or don't function without warmth and that's not good if you're reasonably healthy.

I do have a circulatory problem but providing I don't sit for too long I'm okay as blood doesn't reach the extremities ( hands and feet ) but it could be worse
Anyone with real health problems will suffer greatly in more ways than one because in many cases it's vital to have warmth.

Personally I think the situation is appalling !

My kids already think it odd that I don't keep the whole place at tropical temperatures.

Downstairs (where I live) is 18 degrees (16 at night) and the shower room is toasty with a heated floor. Radiators are at maximum in the living rooms, kitchen and downstairs loo.

Upstairs, they're set at 2, just to keep the chill off. I heat my bed with the electric blanket before I get in - and leave the foot/leg section on low if it's chilly.

I really don't want to spend a fortune on heat and I dislike stuffy rooms. I'd rather wear layers, slipper boots - and a hat if necessary. Of course, I ramp up the heat if I have guests!

I'm really worried, though, about anyone who's poorly or has reduced mobility. Many will die from cold this winter - unacceptable in this day and age.

I wear a couple of layers, always natural fibres too, and pop a hot water bottle in at night, don't heat unused rooms, etc., but I absolutely will not wear a dressing gown/coat/hat during the day, I think it is disgraceful that people have to do so. My adult children are used to living in poor quality housing after years of shoddy, rip off student accommodation and are very good at using throws, blankets on the sofas and keep their houses at a far lower temperature than we do.

If you have a normal boiler i.e. one with a tank for hot water take a look at the thermostats fitted on the front of the tank it should be at 60/65* I checked mine ages ago and it was set at 80* so I turned it down to 60* which is fine for everything I need to use it for. Apparently some plumbers just set it higher for no good reason when they are installing it.
It might save a little bit off your bill and we really don’t need hot water to be 80+*.

I can still hear my mother saying "You're nesh" if I complained I was cold.

There was always a coal fire in the sitting room but everywhere else was chilly.

Great post MBM, full of practicalities and compassion. Just great.

tanith

If you have a normal boiler i.e. one with a tank for hot water take a look at the thermostats fitted on the front of the tank it should be at 60/65* I checked mine ages ago and it was set at 80* so I turned it down to 60* which is fine for everything I need to use it for. Apparently some plumbers just set it higher for no good reason when they are installing it.
It might save a little bit off your bill and we really don’t need hot water to be 80+*.

We had a new condensing boiler fitted 2 years ago and I used to turn the thermostat up in winter. This year I’ve left both the heating and the hot water settings on eco, and there’s no appreciable difference in the heating. The hot water is also fine - the only difference is that the water in the bathroom is slightly lower in temperature because it’s furthest away from the boiler. I can live with that.