My personal test-day for the end of Summer - the first day after August I have to put the heating on first thing. Soon it’ll be setting the timer again. Fucking hate winter.
Depends where you are, forecast for Saturday:
London: 25C and sunny
Inverness: 11C and pishing11c isn’t put the heating on weather. That’s at best, a blanket on the couch situation.
I know electric blanket gang are almost as annoying as air fryer gang, but seriously. Electric blanket changed my life.
Yeah I got a massive one last year when the utility suppliers decided it’d be fun to try and financially break us all. Unfortunately, due to afore-mentioned zero insulation and single pane windows and subsequent condensation I need to keep the place well-aired (all windows open for at least 30mins per day, every day) followed by at least an hours blast of the heating just to ensure I don’t get black mould :/
Ugh yeah I’ve lived in places like that, absolute nightmare
I’ve got single paned windows. I put that plastic storm shield plastic sheet across them. Keeps the condensation down to miniscule levels.
That sounds good! Have you got a link?
Just look for window insulation kit. It’s just plastic sheeting that you put on your window frame, stuck in place with double sided tape. You then get a hair dryer to tighten the plastic, so it holds tout. This process gives you an air gap between the window and your rooms warm air, so often cuts out condensation.
I use it every year, it makes a huge difference for me in wiping down windows alone in the morning and it’s deffo warmer sitting next to the window too.
Can you get them that turn on when the power is switched on anymore? I heard they stopped doing them as a safety feature, but I want to power mine via ZigBee smart plugs and a raspberry pi that powers my home automation.
Basically I want to make an automation that checks my bedroom temperature an hour before bed, and if it’s below the temperature, put it on for a bit to warm my bed up.
But if I have to physically walk up to my bedroom because of some safety feature, I’ll just not bother.
Edit: well I should have just had a fucking look myself instead of asking a stranger on the internet, found one on Amazon, and found “Smart Plug” in the reviews, yeah you can still get mechanical remotes for them.
Hah, good to know! Mine is for the couch so the switch is just within arm’s reach, but I have to admit if it was upstairs this one would also see a lot less use.
I just need to find one the right size now. Wifey has hot flushes due to chemical menopause she’s in to help a condition she has, so a full bed warming is out. I’m happy just having warm feet in bed, so I need to find one that will just go across the bottom of the bed.
I can cuddle her to warm my body, the bonus being more chance of that leading to sexy times.
I’m nearing my 40s and find myself getting excited by ideas now that would have bored me to tears 20 years ago. A fully automated foot warming electric blanket for my bed for example…
Considering electricity costs are through the roof these days (and they weren’t cheap to begin with), but I am interested in these blankets…, how many kWh do they use an hour, do you know? Or what wattage do they continuously run at? Thanks!
We don’t put the central heating on in our house any more literally at all, it’s just too expensive these days. I use a hot water bottle, they’re great in bed, stays hot all night long, great for my frozen feetsies ❤️
Mines 0.11 kWh. So that’s going to be 2-3p for an hours use.
Have to admit I can’t find the calculations now, but we got one each last year for exactly that reason and I’m pretty sure we worked out that each blanket was like 4p an hour or something in that ballpark. Plus of course, it’s just a nice weighty blanket even when it’s turned off which is all you need some nights!
Hmm, that’s not too bad especially if I only use it on the really super cold nights when the condensation freezes on the INSIDE of the window haha.
Thanks for the info! :-D
Hello from San Francisco,
It’s the first day of Indian Summer here. With some microclimatic variations, it’s been cool and foggy since June. I just woke up with all the windows open for the first time this year.
You lot are right in the hit-zone for El Nino variations aren’t you? I’d guess that can be a mixed blessing!
Yes, SF is generally at the northern edge of the major impact, so it really depends on how the fire hose wiggles. Some El-Niño years are really wet, but sometimes everything misses us.
The city also has epically diverse microclimates. I live close to the ocean, without any hills in the way, so the fog just doesn’t go away all summer. We might’ve had a combined total of 14 full-sun days since spring. Up until this week, I could count on my fingers, the days when I didn’t wear a light jacket and sweater to work.
Hello from New York; it’s about that time for us, too.
And I am similarly grumpy about it.
The only good thing about winter is watching it go by, from inside, in my blanket nest, surrounded by cats and tea.
What’s your heating set to?
It’s about to get warm af
Lol, if I see those numbers they’ll be acompanied by a yellow triangle with a snowflake in the middle…
And yes that means us Texans will get a cold weather warning if it hits 68F. Since people ain’t used to driving on asphalt that ain’t melted anymore.
17 - but my place has no insulation and single pane windows so I get inside condensation and it gets cold quick. Glad its warming up again though!
Ah, I grew up in houses like that. Frost on the inside!
I might get one of these sleeping bag suits this winter :)
You need to move. That place is unlivable.
i love this time of year–the electric bill is at its lowest. i try to hold off on turning on the heat until it stays below about 55F (13C) inside all day.
Midwest USA here. I heard about some housemates that had a contest every year to see how long they could wait to turn on the heat.
Piling on the layers on top of long underwear makes it possible.
I’ll just throw on my near-freezing weather motorcycle gear. I only rode once in the full getup at 35F and had to pull out a layer.
Wow. My limit for riding is 50f. That must be some great gear.
Though not intended as motorcycle gear, the insulated overalls are probbaly the biggest improvement.
Upper part of my body was a Sedici Aventura with all vents closed, water/wind proof liner, insulating liner, and I can’t remember what jacket I had on underneath but I think it was a Carhart. I ended up taking out the waterproof liner to get some breathability. Also keep in mind the coveralls insulate your core as well, just not shoulders or arms.
My face and neck were pretty cold though but I think I have a solution.
So that puts my cold weather ability in the 30s and hot weather at upper 80s, I can do 90s but it’s not that enjoyable. I need some actual motorcycle pants instead of just jeans, and also a mesh jacket would be nice.
I’m in mostly Texas so this temperature range lets me ride year round except for the hottest part of the summer when I have to do it early in the morning.
I’ve seen pictures of guys riding all winter in northern states. In a snowmobile suit. Seems crazy to me to even try to ride on snow and/or ice. I’ll pass on that.
Without studded tires I don’t see how it’s possible on ice. Snow, I feel like as long as it’s not transitioning surfaces (ex: asphalt->snow or snowy dirt->snowy asphalt) I might be able to figure it out.
I should clarify, that coldest time I went was still a beautiful clear day and it warmed up later.
Only time I was truly miserable was when it was about 40F, on top of a mountain, and started raining unexpectedly (so no waterproof liner). I went back to the cabin as quick as I could and took hot bath.
I think Mother Nature confused the UK with Australia. It’s supposed to be spring here but it’s been raining non-stop for 3 days and is freezing like winter. Heater has been blaring which is strange for this time of year…
Hmmm. Strange weather atm. I’m rocking both a woolly hat and shorts today.
The plan is to get triple-glazing installed soon - that should make a difference, hopefully.
That sucks. It’s 18 degrees and blue skies where I am currently.
Come to Australia with me! Their summer should be starting about now.
@[email protected] says its suspiciously chilly there at the moment.
Oh no. I plan on escaping there in a month. Hopefully it’ll be better by then.
