Does the possibility of a cold winter this year worry you?

[Frost HoIIow]

Just now, sundog said:

I am worried about the coming winter with regards to energy bills. But still would like at least one decent cold spell.  Anger is more my emotion then fear though.  Anger at greedy energy companies who think they can hold us all to ransom.  How the hell  they are getting away with it is beyond me. Blatant robbery.....

Mass disobedience is needed and non payment of bills. People on lower incomes I'd support them if they did that and I'm sure debt collectors would also be sympathetic if the momentum starts going. Only then will the energy companies take notice, problem is most people don't want to go that far. Most of the energy bosses and their stakeholders have likely never worried about paying bills, they live in another world in their ivory towers and flying in private jets.

[sundog]

7 minutes ago, Frost HoIIow said:

Mass disobedience is needed and non payment of bills. People on lower incomes I'd support them if they did that and I'm sure debt collectors would also be sympathetic if the momentum starts going. Only then will the energy companies take notice, problem is most people don't want to go that far. Most of the energy bosses and their stakeholders have likely never worried about paying bills, they live in another world in their ivory towers and flying in private jets.

People power is the only way. I believe there is a group in the UK called don't pay uk with 75000 people so far saying they won't pay their energy bills when prices increase again this autumn. 

I don't want to derail the thread but the fact that there is even a thread for this shows the seriousness of the situation and what we are facing this winter. Here   In ireland the energy companies are recording record profits and I presume its the same with energy companies in the UK.

[Sunny76]

37 minutes ago, ThunderAthlete said:

I'm not the sort of person to worry, but I won't be too pleased if it's a cold winter with these ridiculous prices, and will nonetheless use as little heating as possible. 

It will be Sod’s law if we get a 1978/79, but I can guarantee that won’t happen. 
 

If however, we end up with something like January 1987, feb 1991 or December 2010, it’s probably going to be more dangerous than the recent heatwave.

Edited August 8, 2022 by Sunny76

[Bristawl Si]

1 hour ago, damianslaw said:

Mmm major severe flooding vs higher energy bills.. i'd rather not have  a Dec 15 happened again.

For lower energy bills and a mild quiet winter can't do much better than a 16-17 repeat. Last winter in the south as well.

I dont think Dec 15 was particularly wet down here, but i could be wrong.

My stand out moment from that time was standing outside a club at midnight after our office Xmas party, whilst a couple of pals were having a smoke, and i was in a shirt and trousers, and there was no chill whatsoever.

Edited August 8, 2022 by Bristle Si

[AWD]

Trouble is with not paying your energy bill is your spiting yourself by damaging your credit portfolio.  I'm looking to get a mortgage and a first buy in the next couple of years, so damaging my credit portfolio isn't really an option for me.

[sundog]

Another problem in not having a house heated properly even in a relatively mild winter is that it doesn't take long for dampness and mould to set in. Houses need heating in winter. Breathing in damp mouldy air wouldn't be good either for a person's health .

[Earthshine]

35 minutes ago, Bristle Si said:

I dont think Dec 15 was particularly wet down here, but i could be wrong.

My stand out moment from that time was standing outside a club at midnight after our office Xmas party, whilst a couple of pals were having a smoke, and i was in a shirt and trousers, and there was no chill whatsoever.

Freakishly warm month.  16°C in December is seriously warm, I remember sweating in a shirt walking to school.

[damianslaw]

39 minutes ago, Bristle Si said:

I dont think Dec 15 was particularly wet down here, but i could be wrong.

My stand out moment from that time was standing outside a club at midnight after our office Xmas party, whilst a couple of pals were having a smoke, and i was in a shirt and trousers, and there was no chill whatsoever.

Dec 15 wettest month on record here. Also record warm month. Super El Nino influence.

[Bristawl Si]

8 minutes ago, Earthshine said:

Freakishly warm month.  16°C in December is seriously warm, I remember sweating in a shirt walking to school.

Yes, i think that on the night i mentioned it was 16c at midnight.

[Weather Enthusiast91]

Not really. If anything, I find that mild and wet is more uncomfortable than cold, dry and sunny. We don't have our heating on all day anyway, and even then only two rooms are being heated.

If needs must, then I can resort to other ways of keeping warm; such as heated throws or hot water bottles.

 

[Don]

1 hour ago, Sunny76 said:

It will be Sod’s law if we get a 1978/79, but I can guarantee that won’t happen. 

Really?! 

[Wold Topper]

Not really, only have a multi-fuel stove for heating anyway, building a new additional log store on Saturday that should give me the extra storage for a full 'Cold' winter, if it's mild the wood will keep for the following year!

[hillbilly]

I managed to get through 1978/79  with single glazing ,draughty doors,nearest gas 2 miles away and frozen pipes in the house living at 340 metres in the Pennines  so it will not worry me!

[Sunny76]

1 hour ago, sundog said:

Another problem in not having a house heated properly even in a relatively mild winter is that it doesn't take long for dampness and mould to set in. Houses need heating in winter. Breathing in damp mouldy air wouldn't be good either for a person's health .

Yeah this is the problem isn’t it. Once daytime temps drop below 16c, the damp will take hold. 

[Sunny76]

1 hour ago, Bristle Si said:

Yes, i think that on the night i mentioned it was 16c at midnight.

I just don’t remember much about that December. Think it was a boring month.

[Sunny76]

1 hour ago, Don said:

Really?! 

It won’t happen, definitely.

[damianslaw]

22 minutes ago, Sunny76 said:

I just don’t remember much about that December. Think it was a boring month.

Gosh certainly wasn't in the Lake District!

[*Stormforce~beka*]

Not in the slightest. Doesn't get that freezing cold down South. Snow please!! That said I'm always cold in winter so my heating will be on by October I'm sure 

[TheMoonman]

I've built up a fair bit of credit already, so I'm hoping that, plus the grant will see me through. 

The house I rent is so poorly insulated that itl have to be a seriously mild winter for me to not need the heating. 

Ideally, it would be 15+ all winter, apart from Xmas Eve to 2nd January, when it snows 

[reef]

Funnily enough its more how windy it is that determines the amount of energy I use. A month like December 2010 was exceptionally cold, but the majority of the time it was completely calm so once the house was warm it stayed that way a lot longer. Even if its 10C, if its blowing a 50mph gale then we tend to use more heating.

December 2015 was the absolute pits. So mild you rarely needed the heating, but so damp you had to run a dehumidifier constantly, not to mention the tumble dryer as it was never good drying weather outside.

[Don]

2 hours ago, Sunny76 said:

It won’t happen, definitely.

Right I'll save this post until March 1st, just in case lol!  In the meantime, can you advise the next winning lottery numbers please?! 

[Wold Topper]

2 hours ago, Sunny76 said:

It won’t happen, definitely.

Pretty bold statement and you maybe right but however..... we shall see....

[al78]

14 hours ago, MP-R said:

As many people as possible should just keep their heating off for as long as possible and hit the energy companies where it hurts!

I tried that once, set the thermostat to 10C and compensated by wearing extra layers. It was uncomfortable but it did make a big difference to my energy bills.

11 hours ago, sundog said:

Another problem in not having a house heated properly even in a relatively mild winter is that it doesn't take long for dampness and mould to set in. Houses need heating in winter. Breathing in damp mouldy air wouldn't be good either for a person's health .

That is why the house should be ventilated properly.

[al78]

10 hours ago, hillbilly said:

I managed to get through 1978/79  with single glazing ,draughty doors,nearest gas 2 miles away and frozen pipes in the house living at 340 metres in the Pennines  so it will not worry me!

What you can cope with 45 years ago is not necessarily the same as what you will be able to cope with now, hence why it is elderly people who tend to cop it first during extreme heat or extreme cold.

[Radiating Dendrite]

15 hours ago, damianslaw said:

Mild and wet in winter can feel every bit as cold as freezing weather.. given lack of any solar input it makes little difference really. Key issue isn't the weather, its the terrible insulation most of our homes have and consequently poor energy efficiency levels. 

True, but then a home insulated like an electric blanket is not the best thing come our ever warming summers.