The cost of living... what can we do?

Surely that depends on your definition of 'not as good as a gas boiler'? Good in what respect? Efficiency, economy or simply the maximum temperature? Our system is based on the premise that we wouldn't want more than 23°C. In fact, we've discovered over the years that 21°C is quite enough as there are no cold spots or draughts

 

We don't open all our windows in winter! Main bathroom once a day has a blow through, at this time of year it's always after our daily showers, by then the heating is off . Then a quick change of air everywhere else...which rooms and for how long depends on the temps . I do like to get some fresh air into the house otherwise it just adds to the cooped up winter feeling imo.




Same here too Lori...no outdoor shoes worn inside. We both wear indoor slippers. That's a big bugbear with both hubs and I. We always automatically remove our shoes when visiting anyone in their home.

 

I rarely open the windows in the winter. Our furnace draws air both from the "cold" air duct returns throughout the house and fresh air from outside so there is constantly a fresh air mixture.

I do like to have things wide open in the warmer weather for all fresh air but that is when the furnace is not running. I cannot imagine trying to heat the great outdoors. It would be way too expensive!

 

I can remember my grandmother moving into a brand new council flat in the 60s and it had that fan type heating running on gas.
It warmed up to place really quickly.

Back in those days people were very set in their ways and she never used this "new fangled" thing and heated the place with paraffin.
Guess who had to go to see her every weekend and get the paraffin in.

 

one bedroom window always open about an inch even in the dead of winter for sleeping, I do close the bedroom door so the rest of the house does not get the cold. And always go barefooted even in the winter inside. 40 degrees today---put on my beach sandals to take mail down the driveway to the mail box. Yes, if deep snow, do put boots on for that walk.

 

One of my bosses moved to a 16th century farmhouse and had it completely refurbished even down to taking out old oak beams and repairing the rot and replacing them, not much fun.

Anyway he put a ground source heating system in, required miles of the garden being dug up.
I suppose if you move to somewhere new or build from new its viable, but not really as an after thought.

 

Me too, even less, 8 windows (2 in doors, I am counting our front door, which is two, as one*) and 2 bedrooms, but we do have 2 bathrooms.
*a Christmas pic of it ...