When did you get central heating?

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This morning I woke up with a cold nose and realised the Central Heating had not come on.

There was lots of grumbling from the kids as they wandered round with duvets wrapped around them as I furtled with re-pressurising the system to bring it back to life and then stared maleovelently at the thermometer until the temperature reached a point where I could function.

I then mused on how used to central heating I'd become and thought back to when I didn't have it. In fact I didn't buy a house with central heating until I was in my thirties. I was brought up in a house with 1 coal fire, moved to one with two gas fires, then moved to the luxury of storage heaters which for some reason got ripped out, so back to two gas fires, more gas fires and then finally central heating: No more mad dashes from duvet to shower and using the gas cooker to heat the kitchen.

I've become soft......................
 

dan_bo

How much does it cost to Oldham?
We are indeed getting soft- I grew up in a huge edwardian high-ceilinged thing with two gas fires and nothing else. I used to leave my bedroom window open from march till november and think nothing of it. We only had an outdoor toilet until i was eleven.


The boiler packed in the other day. I nearly decamped us all to the nearest travelodge on the spot.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
In December I stayed 3 nights in a flat in Tunisia with no heating. The HW was solar as well so the shower was just on the tepid side of cold. It was uncomfortable, I was given one thin blanket so I slept in my piley, but I survived. At least it cost me nothing!

And people think export sales is all beaches and air-conditioned hotels....
 

freakhatz

New Member
My first house had a single gas fire and an immersion heater.

The first winter it snowed then blew a NE gale for 3 weeks whilst the frozen snow remained on the ground. A curtain over the front door was blown aside by the draught even blowing over a chair I backed against it.

Those were great days!
 

Fnaar

Smutmaster General
Location
Thumberland
We never had it when i was a kid/teenager (1960s/70s) ...coal fire which also did the hot water (immersion heater as back up) then storage heaters. The Mother had it fitted in 1986, after the old man shuffled off...
Was telling the kids the other day about ice on the inside of your bedroom window when you woke up, and realised I sounded like an old git!
 

wafflycat

New Member
The house I grew up in had a coal fire in the living room. In later years this was changed to a gas fire. No CH. When I first left home as a young adult, none of the houses/flats I lived in had CH. I didn't live in a house/flat with CH until I moved in with my DH and the places we've lived in have all had CH.

Took a delivery of heating oil yesterday. Prior to that we'd run out of oil for several days. Brrrr.... I've become a softie-southerner! :angry:
 

Paulus

Started young, and still going.
Location
Barnet,
First got central heating in 1986 when we moved into our present house. As a kid we had a coal fire in the front room and that was that. On cold mornings my mum would have the oven on and the door open for some extra heat in the kitchen. It was a regular occurence for ice to be on the inside of my bedroom window during the winter. Ah, the memories.
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
I think we got central heating out in our house when I was in my late to mid teens. MY current flat only has a storage heater fitted, and it just heats the flat while I'm out, so I've reverted to a fan heater switched on and blowing hot air at me when I need it, and getting into bed in the evenings for warmth.
 
I grew up with GCH, so I suppose I was spoilt...my current flat has partial central heating, but no radiators in the bedroom or study - couldn't afford my gas bill, so for the past 2 winters I haven't had it on at all. Fortunately I'm in an upstairs flat, so benefit from my downstair's neighbours heating a bit...Anyway, it's all going to get ripped out on tuesday and full central heating will be put in, i.e. 6 radiators instead of 3 and more efficient system. Still not decided if I'm going to turn it on, but the option is there... :angry:
 

Blue

Legendary Member
Location
N Ireland
I didn't have central heating until late 20's. Even now, in my 50's, we only heat the living room as neither Mrs Blue nor myself like overheated buildings.

Our bedroom isn't heated and we leave the window open all year round.

We don't consider ourselves hard or mean; we just hate overheated buildings of any sort - or maybe we are sensitive to global warming!!
 

domtyler

Über Member
Blue said:
I didn't have central heating until late 20's. Even now, in my 50's, we only heat the living room as neither Mrs Blue nor myself like overheated buildings.

Our bedroom isn't heated and we leave the window open all year round.

We don't consider ourselves hard or mean; we just hate overheated buildings of any sort - or maybe we are sensitive to global warming!!

Yeah yeah pikey! :angry:
 

Speicher

Vice Admiral
Moderator
Arch said:
I think we got central heating out in our house when I was in my late to mid teens. MY current flat only has a storage heater fitted, and it just heats the flat while I'm out, so I've reverted to a fan heater switched on and blowing hot air at me when I need it, and getting into bed in the evenings for warmth.

My apologies, Arch, if I am "teaching my grandmother to suck eggs" :angry: but has your storage heater got two controls on the top. You should be able to lower the Output for during the day, and then put it on something called "late boost" to increase the heat put out in the evening. I am sure one of our more technologicallly minded boys might be able to clarify this further - Mickle springs to mind, followed closely by Spandex.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Grew up with it I'm afraid - and I'm 38 - think we may not have had it as a young child, but can't remember. Over the last few years my CH has been on 24/7 in the winter - new(ish) house so it's just ticking over - radiators luke warm. Although, with the kids back at school and wife out at work, it's back on timed these days !!
 
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