[Tia Maria]

Like the title suggests! Have you put your heating on yet?

Due to our lovely, put poorly insulated villa, I suspect we are one of the first!

So, April:

Auckland, Villa no insulation, oil filled rads

We're currently putting the radiators on in the kids rooms for about half an hour before they go to sleep to take the chill off. Also I'm putting the heater on when I'm having a shower in the morning, but the OH doesn't need to.

Go on tell me about your lovely double glazed, modern houses, which you only need to heat for 5 minutes 1 day of the year! :p

Cheers

Tia

[gil]

Putting jumpers on, not heating yet :p

Gil

[Moorf]

Inland mid-Canterbury, foothills - Oil rads on in bedroom before bedtime and electric blankets back on the beds. Open wood fire in lounge needed some nights but we are yet to put any other heating on in the house, not even the coal stove.

We have no double-glazing, have filled block walls and no attic space. Ceilings have layer of pink-batt between the inside and the tin outer!

We have lots of big windows so the current sunny weather is heating the rooms during the day, but once the clouds come the temps plummet.

I also need the hot air blower going in the bathroom in the morning before I can strip for shower :o

[dharder]

Heating? What heating? :no

We are getting gas kind of central heating, but are waiting for the gas people to switch us on... Before the fitters come and install it. So we may be in for a cold wait...

I really don't do cold very well.

Daniela

[ellenmelon]

heater at night (some kind of convection thingy? looks like a radiator but isnt and has two heat settings) in the lounge. we dont have one for the bedroom. today i could probably do with it on in the lounge but its just my feet that are cold which slippers sort. sun is shining in so it might not be as cold as i think lol.

[StevieD]

OMG!! Good one Tia :)

Put the heat pump on in the evening in the lounge for a while, have it set to come on for 15 mins in morning to take chill off room.

Bathrooms have those heat lamp things, I don't bother but dear wifey used it this morning for the first time for her shower :(

[Debbie]

This last week we've had the fire going in the lounge a few evenings but our Kiwi neighbours also have their fires on so I don't feel like a wimp. During the day the sun heats our place up. The kids are still flinging their windows open and leaving the ranch sliders open so they can run in and out all day, won't be long before I have to get them out of that habit. (Up side is we don't have damp problems due to all the ventilation!!). We have changed the quilts over to the winter ones and I put the rads on in the kids rooms for half hr before they got up. The next morning they were both complaining about being to hot. Why don't children feel the cold?
Debbie

[LesleyS]

What heating......?

Bay of Plenty new style rental with no I repeat NO form of heating at all. OH thinks Iam being a wuss, wonder if he'll think the same in 2 months time?
Put some heavy duty quilted bedcovers on last night that I brought from the UK (reluctantly) - so glad I did now.
Told OH that if I end up sittng in the lounge with my outdoor coat on at all this winter then.....adios NZ :(

[Jo Jo]

East coast Coromandel

We've had the woodburner going for the last two nights, and I am practically sitting on top of an oil-filled rad as I type. My friend is coming to visit in a couple of weeks time, and I have just ordered a few fleeces from M&S for her to bring over for me... Oh, and slippers.

My husband has just discovered he is the distributor in our area for underfloor insulation, so that's on my must-have list (although I suspect I'll end up like the cobbler's children...)

[holland]

Too stingy to put it on yet!

So wearing 2 jumpers!

Ha ha

Jx

[peebles16]

Canterbury, newish, double glazed house

Desperately trying to work out how heatpump works cos blooming chilly in the morning... Although once sun up it seems to heat at least one side of the house :yes Think I'm going to have to buy plug in heaters for further back in the house as kids rooms very cold and don't get me started on our room.. Hate the cold and I know being Scottish I should be used to it but just don't do it :(

Karenx

[Gemini]

Taranaki, old style house, pink batts in loft and woodburning stove. Lit most evenings and mornings and odd times in day portable gas heater ........ brrrrrrr

[benandclare]

Electric blanket on bed and gas fire was revved up for visitors last sat when we were having the hail.

No double glazing but thinking of getting a quote.

[cappuccino]

Wellington

The weather turned very cold at the weekend so I bought a 2kw oil filed heater. What I didn't realise was that the wiring in my rental house can't cope so I managed to overload the circuit! The fuse box happened to be ancient so now I know all about changing fuse wires (had the flick switch variety in the UK)

Warning to others - don't overload your electrical circuits and make sure you know where your fuse box is!!!

[jubjub]

Auckland 60's house no insulation

Heaters went on for the first time this weekend, and we have now got the timer set for DS room to keep his on all night at a low level.

Also had to use the dehumidifier a few mornings over the last week too....

[Sam B]

Cambridge - ancient drafty villa

As of 4 days ago we started lighting the woodburner (kitchen / dining room) in the evenings, and the oil filled rad in the lounge, and the towel heaters in the bathroom, and the big winter duvet, and I'm still FREEZING!!!

[Familyofmonkeys]

Auckland, 6 month old rental house with regulation insulation, but no heating or double glazing..


Halogen heater turned on it open plan kitchen/dining/lounge for first time Sunday morning for about 15 minutes. Put winter duvets on all beds and baby (well, 14 months now) been in proper bed with full sized duvet for over week now. Got thermometers in all bedrooms and last 3 mornings it has been about 16 degrees....so any colder and will need some night-time heating soon. Still a heck of a lot better than our last winter in an uninsulated 1980's house with huge windows all over the place.

Change of weather has got us back in the mood for checking out all the different heating options for our house build.....sooooo many choices here, and many of them mean you won't get hit by oil/gas price rises in future either :)

[shakyle2906]

Hastings


For last week we have put the woodburner on in the living area............so lovely!!!

Long sleeve pj's...........

Sharon
x

[wiki]

Deep, deep south. Rented 110-year-old wooden villa with insulation in very high ceilings and no wall insulation

Heat pump in hallway has been on for the past four weeks, and keeps office, lounge, den and bathroom a nice constant warmth. We don't tend to shut off these rooms as we're in and out all the time (bathroom has robocan in it so door needs to be open regardless of temp)
Heatpump comes on half an hour before anyone gets up.

Portable oil-filled fin heater has been on twice in last month for about 30mins each.

Not got round to buying coal yet for coal-range, but that will happen sometime in the next month.

Happily wearing flannelette PJs for past two weeks, but OH is still without.

No winter duvets yet, but got a mink throw for the bed which is a great insulator, and not too heavy on the bed.

Hot water bottles are preferred over electric blankets, but only used one twice in the last month - and that was for back ache!

Ugg boots have been on for the past two months - just working out how to get away with wearing them to work too :)

[marcia]

Palmerston North

Been having the fire on in the evenings since weekend, big drop in temperature. Kev even said there was a frost on his truck yesterday morning at 7.30 am when he went out. been taking a wheat bag to bag for my feet the last few nights!

He is also allowing us to have the GAS heating on during the day with the thermosat set higher than normal - not his usual 'scrooge' self - i can hear you saying - well theres a reason - we are changing gas bottle suppliers at the end of the month and still have a bottle which is at least 3/4 full - so he said get it used before they come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

Just seen on the news gail force winds due tonight/tomorrow morning high risk down south - so batten down the hatches you lot!! :(

[Marie P]

In our new nicely insulated house .......I am putting a cardigan on in the evening and a pair of socks ...must find my slippers . The kids watch TV with a little blanket each .

Still have summer quilt but Dave is rather hot :D so we never bother with a winter one ,I think we may throw another blanket over when it gets really cold.

Marie x

[M&J]

Pirongia in an old villa with some insulation and central heating!!!

Had the heating on for the last two mornings and lit the stove in the kitchen to keep us toasty. Electric blankets at the ready and thick duvet already on.

We are realy lucky as the previous owners insullated the roof and some walls, just need to do the floors. They also put the old cast iron radiators for the local school in on a diesel boiler, they stay warm for ages. :D

[Brijan]

Wellington
The central heating is on and working well, i'm still in shorts but the OH has water in her veins not Blood :laugh

[Milliemoo]

Auckland - Modern Apartment

We've never used the heating in this apartment and don't plan to this winter either. Still got the summer quilt on (only put on a couple of weeks ago) so will probably end up with the winter quilt in a few weeks. I am wearing bed socks and jammys though :p Kinda hoping the building work will finish soon, cause the half inch gap around all the windows is starting to get a bit drafty.

As soon as hubby gets a new job (just been made redundant :uhoh) I'll be ordering some Uggs and some sheepskin slippers :nice1

Milliemoo

[thezorbster]

Slightly inland Nelson bays

50yr old villa, floor, walls & ceiling insulated but very large windows.
Winter duvet & electric blankets on since last week but not needed much. Have to say it's been nice getting into a warn bed though, never used one before!

Fire been lit a few nights and used heat pump a couple of mornings for 1/2 hr just to take the chill off.

Spent the weekend stacking firewood - very therapeutic!

[CJ22]

I keep hearing references to a 'heat pump' but I've no idea what one is! Link please :)

[Moorf]

http://www.fujitsugeneral.co.nz/how-a-heat-pump-works.html

[chocolate cake]

Typical weatherboard rental house, Auckland, no form of insulation at all, wooden floor throughout and gaps in a couple of windows.

A couple of very chilly mornings recently, when it's felt warmer outside, I'll definitely be picking up some wood this weekend for the wood fire in the lounge, and be hoping it's heat spreads through the house.

[Carol]

Welly
Been on for daaaaaays!
:nice1

[nippa&pippa]

Canterbury, near Bank pennisula

A 7 years old house with breeze blocks wall and single grazed windows. Even in middle of nowhere with lands, but very well sheltered by several rows of trees around the house and lands. So didn't realise how cold till we leave our lands onto main road!
Got logburner in the lounge. Just starting to use oil-filled rad in baby's room at weekend. Been using logburner for last two weeks at nights, starting after 4-5pm, ready for kids coming out of bath (they love to sit on the front of logburner, naked:D )
Started to use wall heater last weekend in bathroom both morning and nighttime's bathtime.
Still using summer dvuet as still warm at night...will start use winter duvet when kids complain of colds at night...which is not yet as often found them still sleep on the top of duvet!!

[andy141]

I keep hearing references to a 'heat pump' but I've no idea what one is! Link please :)

Just another name for an air conditioning unit, except it's reversible and can heat a room as well as cool it.

[andy141]

Wellington
The central heating is on and working well, i'm still in shorts but the OH has water in her veins not Blood :laugh

CENTRAL HEATING:confused: Cripes, it must be a brand new house built by an ex-pat:D

[Brijan]

CENTRAL HEATING:confused: Cripes, it must be a brand new house built by an ex-pat:D

I wish, its a 1980's house and this ex-pat put the central htg in (gasfitter) after 1 winter with a pathetic wall furnace and a plug in gas heater, never again:D

[andy141]

Well done Brijan. Are you available for central heating installations on South Island? Might need your services if/when we get there:D

[suebeenz]

Getting vented heat pump (central heat of sort) installed right at this very moment. Cutting through bathroom tile and I can't hear a thing. Fingers crossed that they don't crack the tiles. Electrician having issues outside. Nervous ...

Assuming it's installed ok, don't think I'll be turning it on until outside temps drop below 10 again. Ah, who am i kidding, it's going to 22 in here tonight!

[shakyle2906]

Well, have had the woodburner on last few weeks, now oil heaters in bedrooms last week or so..........had to go out and buy some blankets today as froze last night!

Nearly froze at price too...............$69.99 for queen and $29.99 for single!
Not bad i suppose when you convert to UK £ but still.............Got two of those all in one fleeces for Kyle, looks so cute in them, remember him wearing them when he was a baby!

Know its not winter yet but by god its cold here in the night!

Sharon
xx

[sizzlingbadger]

This has to be the coldest May we've had since being here, 3 years this year. Last night I had the wool duvet, thick blanket, full winter pjs and socks in bed, wood burner ticking over in the next room and I was still frozen:exit

Never known it so cold :uhoh Usually we have the wood burner ticking over all night and just the duvet on and winter pjs but not this year it seems so far :exit

[Milliemoo]

Still got the summer duvet on, haven't filled up my hottie yet either and no heating.

Am wearing a rather fetching PJ and bed sock combo though :D

Milliemoo

[nippa&pippa]

*cleaning the computer screen* sorry i just spit tea out in shock :laugh
I thought last night was warmer than we had in last few weeks till I realise you live in North Island. Is anyone in canterbury areas agree with me? Also tonight seem to be warmer again.

[benandclare]

Yup agree with you there Sophia, no heating on tonight :clap:clap

[Carol]

Still got the summer duvet on, haven't filled up my hottie yet either and no heating.

Am wearing a rather fetching PJ and bed sock combo though :D

Milliemoo


You're just a hottie pet eh?
:nice1

[nippa&pippa]

Yup agree with you there Sophia, no heating on tonight :clap:clap

Good that I am not only one! :clap

[Carol]

Hey - it's May!
Heating is on the timer now!
On every day.
:nice1

[jubjub]

Hey - it's May!
Heating is on the timer now!
On every day.
:nice1

oooh, Get you with heating and a timer!:D

We got our wood arriving on thurs.... been using the offcuts from our trimmed down tree so far...

[Milliemoo]

You're just a hottie pet eh?
:nice1

I can't help it if Agent Provocateur don't do a thermal range :roll

Milliemoo

p.s I think I've just spotted a niche market :D

p.p.s If anyone mentions "possum fur nipple warmers' they'll get a slap :eek:

[Tia Maria]

Still got the summer duvet on, haven't filled up my hottie yet either and no heating.

Am wearing a rather fetching PJ and bed sock combo though :D

Milliemoo

Milliemoo - I reckon the people in the flats above, below and either side of you have probably got their heating up full blast and keeping you nice and cosy. Either that or that nice tarp they've wrapped your building in is the Kiwi equivalent of make-shift double glazing!

Cheers

Tia

[Jo Jo]

We've now had our wood-burner going almost non-stop for the last 3 weeks, and last weekend I bought an all-in-one fleece sleepsuit from The Warehouse.... Oooh, it's so cosy and toasty. HOWEVER, I told my MIL about the sleepsuit today, and she told me, in a slightly disapproving tone, that she hasn't worn pyjamas since she got married. So it seems kiwis keep warm in other ways....

[Carol]

MIL told me, in a slightly disapproving tone, that she hasn't worn pyjamas since she got married. So it seems kiwis keep warm in other ways....




Oh my!!!!

This made me laugh out loud!!!
Those 50s wives eh.....little tinkers!
:nice1

[JandM]

Well, here in the south of the UK, as spring blends into summer - we've just put our heating back on, as night-time temperatures dipped to 3 degrees centigrade. Brrr!

[Danny & Julie]

Te Pahu, just outside Hamilton
New house with double glazing & well insulated. We have a ducted heating system (heat pump) which is on every morning now for 1 1/2 hours and some times it's on in the evening.
I'm looking forward to a dry, warm winter:yes instead of a damp, cold one that we suffered in the rental. I would highly recommend a ducted heating system (expensive but worth it we saved money on the build by doing the decorating & electrics so the money we saved payed for it), the whole house is warm in about 5-10mins and there is no condensation.

[KerryS]

I still don't have any heating - other than an open fire in the living room. But I do have lots and lots of lovely thick insulation in my walls, which has made a huge difference from last year.
I haven't lit the fire yet, but I was wearing a very thick jersey and a pair of uggs last night to keep warm...

[bartons]

[B]Dunedin, [B]

15-year-old house, medium insulation: woodburner lit usually every other night. The sitting room/dining room/kitchen area is nice and warm (north-facing), so temperature might even go up to 20 degree C. Rest of the house is pretty cold (13 or on lucky days 15 degree C), but so what? Wooly-jumper-time!

[willsken]

It gets cold in the evenings and the mornings, so my wood burner is now lit round the clock. This causes OH and the boys to moan that it too hot! Don't care though because I hate being cold and if I light the burner when I get home from work it takes an age to heat the house. We have a heat transfer system to all the bedrooms and they stay warm too. Lovely. :yes

[James 1077]

We've got the heating on in the nursery all night now (although on a thermastat so it isn't actually going all night). The nursery has one wall with a long single glazed window alongside it and no insulation! We do have thermally lined curtains though.

Other than that I think that the OH puts the heating on in the lounge every now and again in the morning for 15 minutes but that is about it.

Oh, and we have a massive dehumidifier on all the time as well to try and get rid of some of the moisture - although it has a humidistat so stops once humidity reaches a certain level so again I'm not sure how long it actually runs for.

House is an old wooden villa-type place with roof insulation over parts of the house (but not in the newer extensions), no underfloor insulation, single glazed but with thermal curtains over most of the windows.

[Moorf]

We have now had to light the coalstove - that'll be on now until the end of winter and means we can turn off the electric water heater and go on to the wetback system.

Coal ordered: $140/ton
Wood delivered: $140 3m3

We do need to light the open fire in the lounge some evenings, but it still hasn't got to proper low temps yet here in inland Chch, a way to go yet!!

Leccy blankets on most nights now before bed.

[Pip]

Inland christchurch..

lit the woodburner here and there on the odd chilly evening - but not every day, oil filled radiator on for half an hour in the bedroom before we go to bed and get up. Electric blankets now on beds

Tip - its a bit drastic, but pregnancy is definitely the way forward when it comes to staying warm! normally I feel the cold, but all this extra padding means that I'm toasty and usually in a t-shirt while OH is getting an extra jumper. Suspect, I'll be in for a nasty shock once baby arrives if I start to feel the cold again!

[Tia Maria]

Tip - its a bit drastic, but pregnancy is definitely the way forward when it comes to staying warm! normally I feel the cold, but all this extra padding means that I'm toasty and usually in a t-shirt while OH is getting an extra jumper. Suspect, I'll be in for a nasty shock once baby arrives if I start to feel the cold again!

:laugh :laugh

Yes it is a bit drastic! But I totally agree with you being pregnant is a great way to stay warm. The worst thing is once the baby arrives and you have to do those night feeds and nappy changes - make sure you have a blanket big enough to wrap you both up!

Cheers

Tia

[shakyle2906]

really toasty with our new blankets last night............

Sharon
x

[LesleyS]

really toasty with our new blankets last night............

Sharon
x

You mean you've taken the plunge and bought 'Leccy' ones? I'm so envious :wah

[holland]

ok...last night I sat on the couch in:

2 jumpers
PJ bottoms
a hooded dressing gown
a blanket wrapped around me
and a single duvet wrapped around me
with a heater next to me!

I kid you not...I am cold ALL the time...first thing and last thing especially

[willsken]

ok...last night I sat on the couch in:

2 jumpers
PJ bottoms
a hooded dressing gown
a blanket wrapped around me
and a single duvet wrapped around me
with a heater next to me!

I kid you not...I am cold ALL the time...first thing and last thing especially

That was me last year, until we installed the biggest wood burner we could find. Horrible isn't it? :uhoh

[Carol]

The house we are living in is far too small - one loo and bathroom for the 5 of us - including 2 teenagers!
No cupboards at ALL (I kid you not)
no study/extra room so computer is in dining room
no deck/outside area to talk of
A horrible tandem garage
And a waterlogged back garden.


But.......

It has got gas central heating like Brian has installed ...... so....
I'm absolutely staying put!

:D

[Milliemoo]

Milliemoo - I reckon the people in the flats above, below and either side of you have probably got their heating up full blast and keeping you nice and cosy. Either that or that nice tarp they've wrapped your building in is the Kiwi equivalent of make-shift double glazing!

Cheers

Tia

Actually, I would have thought this to be one of the colder flats in the block. We've got the garage directly beneath us so I imagine a lot of the cold we feel in the winter comes from the floor.

Nobody in the block has their heating switched on at the moment.... the boiler hasn't been fired up yet.

Feels pretty cool tonight though...brrrr Not helped by all the gaps around the windows :uhoh

Milliemoo

[vijith]

yep .. using heaters for half n hour before going to sleep....