Heat in the home

[simonineaston]

One of the most ironicule things I've heard recently is the chucklesome news that the global powers are busy revving up to stake a claim in the Arctic for rights to drill for oil & gas, as soon as the sea ice has stopped being such a nuisance and melted away... hahahahahahahahaha !!

[Biospace]

One of the most ironicule things I've heard recently is the chucklesome news that the global powers are busy revving up to stake a claim in the Arctic for rights to drill for oil & gas, as soon as the sea ice has stopped being such a nuisance and melted away... hahahahahahahahaha !!

Well, there are billions of heat pumps and solar panels to be made, the factories are mostly in countries powered by fossil fuel

Then there's all the not-so-green stuff we fill our lives with, much of which comes in large part or entirely from the same nations

[Biospace]

Now we're well into May, I was wondering how many are still having to heat their homes to feel comfortable?

[[XAP]Bob]

Just checked the system... we last called for heat on star wars day.
Though the storage heater in my office is still getting a little energy each (week)night.

Prior to that it had ramped down to just two quick boosts, one in the morning and one in the early afternoon, where it had been for a couple of weeks.


The standing charge now makes up a significant proportion of my current gas bills.

I have a set of propane jets for our gas hob - so if/when I replace the boiler (which is on limited parts availability) with a heat pump I can drop the mains gas in favour of a propane cylinder or two. Yes, it's more expensive per kWh, but it doesn't have the standing charge - and if the hob is the only device needing the gas, then it'll be worth it to switch.

[rjb]

im in the same position. Our gas boiler is 26 years old so when it dies its likely to be a heat pump to replace it. Our lounge gas fire will then be run from bottled gas to avoid the standing charge. At this time of year we are only importing 2 to 3 units of electric a day. Battery storage at current prices will never pay their way, as we are still on the fit scheme for the next 11 years.

[Phileas]

Now we're well into May, I was wondering how many are still having to heat their homes to feel comfortable?

I switched my heating off when May began, which I ritually do.

My boiler is also old, it was in the house when I moved in 16 years ago so I’m assuming 20+ years. I’m about to undertake a diverter valve replacement to fix a longstanding hot water problem, and each winter I wonder if something else will break - I don’t want to spend much money keeping it running.

So I too am thinking about heat pumps. Perhaps the installation costs will come down significantly before I have to make the switch.

[Jon in Sweden]

So I too am thinking about heat pumps. Perhaps the installation costs will come down significantly before I have to make the switch.

They really only need to come down to the level that they are in the Nordics and they'll be affordable. The UK seems to have a have a premium attached to the installation of green tech.

[francovendee]

I think prices in France are also high, is the Swedish price well below the norm?

[853]

Now we're well into May, I was wondering how many are still having to heat their homes to feel comfortable?

I turned off my storage heater on April 1 (not a joke), and I haven't had any heat in my home since.

Was a bit chilly for a couple of days when it turned cold (and we had a frost), but I put a second fleece on

[Jon in Sweden]

I think prices in France are also high, is the Swedish price well below the norm?

I'm not sure. Perhaps the price is lower here because they're so popular?

Electricity bill for April was £95. That was for heat too. We were away in the UK for 10 days, and we left the heating set at 10c.

Temperature stats were:

Average high: 11.5c
Average low: -0.8c
Max high: 21.4c
Min low: -5.5c

Our heating is now switched off as it's very warm and sunny at the moment. 24c forecast for the weekend. Close to 20c now.

[Biospace]

Our heating is now switched off as it's very warm and sunny at the moment. 24c forecast for the weekend. Close to 20c now.

So, at least a 3 or 4 week gap between switching the heat off and putting the air conditioning on?

I'm saying this to make the point that for many, this will be the case - I'm sure it's not so for you. We've become so dependable on energy, particularly electricity over the last few decades, it will be increasingly difficult for generations who've grown up with this mindset to accept that life can be just as comfortable without this dependency.

[Jon in Sweden]

Our heating is now switched off as it's very warm and sunny at the moment. 24c forecast for the weekend. Close to 20c now.

So, at least a 3 or 4 week gap between switching the heat off and putting the air conditioning on?

I'm saying this to make the point that for many, this will be the case - I'm sure it's not so for you. We've become so dependable on energy, particularly electricity over the last few decades, it will be increasingly difficult for generations who've grown up with this mindset to accept that life can be just as comfortable without this dependency.

I'd like to think we can get to July without switching the AC on!

Spring was apparently a bit late here this year. It went quite quickly from overnight frosts and 10c daily highs to frost-free nights and 20c plus.

I take your point on energy dependency. It is very hot here in summer here though, even if the humidity is lower. Today was 22c with 30% humidity. It was extremely pleasant.

[Biospace]

It's all about money, I suppose - improve quality of life to allow us more time and we're more likely to generate more money for The Treasury, or so they believe. We've a lot to learn from how our ancestors lived - if we could combine their levels of knowledge and understanding with modern know-how there would be a better quality of life.

An early example would be the automatic washing machine, so often exemplified as how modern technology has improved our lot. Except that instead of beating clothes on stones by the river bank, or using the twin tub, we now answer emails from work while cooking dinner (or putting a plastic pot in the microwave) for the children.

It's more difficult to explain how windscreen wipers which come on automatically improve things for us, but try and suggest modern 'conveniences' might be over the top and people grow very concerned.

[[XAP]Bob]

It's more difficult to explain how windscreen wipers which come on automatically improve things for us, but try and suggest modern 'conveniences' might be over the top and people grow very concerned.

It's fairly easy to look at the benefits of most driver assist functions. Auto dipping headlights are now good enough that I am actually fairly rarely left in full beams for any length of time - and yes I know that *you* used to see lights coming round a corner and dip preemptively... but that hasn't been normal behaviour for ages. Heck even traffic lights are left at a dazzling intensity nowadays.

Automatic wipers are there as much for the other features of a modern vehicle as they are for the nut behind the wheel - and they tend to do a decent job.

[francovendee]

I'm sure all the things that come on automatically make some improvement to safety, as long as they continue to work.

I wonder if it brought the cost down there would be a market for a very basic version of a model with minimum gadgets?
Or for the same price you could get the model with a bigger battery?