Just because temperatures are dropping doesn’t mean you need to turn on the heating. In any case, that’s what Catherine thinks, who has figured out how to do without a radiator without feeling cold.
Every winter, it’s the same puzzle: how to stay warm without blowing your budget? In France, heating represents on average 60% of the energy consumption of a home, according to Ademe. Between the increase in the price of electricity, gas and fuel oil, the bill weighs heavily on household spending. Many seek to postpone the fateful moment when we finally turn the radiator knob. Some lower the temperature by a degree or two, others limit themselves to a single heated room. Already in 2023, almost a third of French people said they would lower the thermostat to save money, according to INSEE.
But a British woman went further, according to iNews. Catherine Renton, tenant of an apartment, made a radical decision: never to turn on her heating again. She has been spending her winters without radiators for three years now. The reason? An electricity bill that had tripled in a few months, from 40 to 120 pounds per month. For her, paying even more during the winter was simply not possible.
She then explains that she is lucky to live on the second floor, and that the heat from the accommodations above and below helps her keep a bearable temperature. In good health, she does not particularly suffer from the cold, despite the 16°C displayed by the thermometer in the middle of winter. To keep warm, she relies on simple solutions: several layers of clothing, hot drinks and above all an electric blanket, which she describes as her “best friend”. She learned to insulate her windows, made door draft excluders and adopted a dog, a cocker spaniel, who follows her everywhere and keeps her warm.
To avoid being cold, experts recommend installing glazing film or installing thermal curtains. Letting the sun in naturally warms the rooms. They also advise concentrating on one room to be heated and closing the doors, and adding rugs. Preheating the bed with a blanket or hot water bottle also helps maintain a pleasant temperature without turning on the heating.
But be careful: living in a cold interior for a long time carries risks. Health authorities recommend maintaining at least 18°C in living rooms to avoid humidity, fatigue and cardiovascular problems. For those looking to save money without putting themselves in danger, it is better to aim for a balance: insulate, heat moderately, and target essential spaces rather than turning everything off.
