Winter is quickly creeping upon us! It’s time to put behind us the warm sunny winter days and prepare for frosty winds, ice, and darker evenings. When colder days approach us, we change our lifestyles to adapt and cope with the colder conditions. An example of this is people during the winter using public transport or driving to get around alternatively to walking or cycling, and people wearing thicker clothes when out in public to stay warm. There is a multitude of lifestyle changes we make during the winter to adapt and cope with the colder conditions. Besides the necessities such as staying warm and travelling, the way we spend our free time also changes. Instead of soaking up the sun and spending a lot of time outdoors as we do in the winter, we indulge in being wrapped in blankets, watching films, and drinking hot chocolate… how winter should be spent! But image if in the winter our homes could not be as warm as we would like? What keeps us warm within our homes is central heating, and without central heating in our homes and other properties, life would be dramatically different. This post is a brief breakdown of what life would be like without central heating in our homes.
Under the UK government’s ECO scheme homeowners apply for a central heating grant. Check the guide of Warma UK who qualifies for a free central heating grant for the first time.
When Did We First Start Using Central Heating?
Since humans first started walking the planet, we have relied on heat to help us survive by staying warm. Scientifically, humans are essentially tropical animals and are not physically equipped to deal with even mild cold temperatures. Humans can only live in colder climates now due to a result of behavioural adaptations such as wearing warmer clothes, building shelters, and of course, the invention of central heating. Before the invention of central heating, humans relied on fires to keep warm when they needed to, an experimented with fires with methods such as fanning the flames to keep structures warm. It wasn’t until the era of the Romans that central heating was first introduced. The Romans found that by creating hollow spaces between stone walls and floors and connecting the hollow spaces to a furnace below, it could quickly heat buildings. The Romans also used this heating technique to warm public baths, which were popular during the Roman era. It is likely that if the Romans did not invent central heating that somebody else would have, however, if nobody had then we would have to rely on other sources for heat.
Hot Water
Without a functioning central heating system in our homes or if central heating didn’t exist at all, our homes would be short of a direct flow of hot water available for use. Hot water from our taps is used for washing dishes, clothes, ourselves, our hands, and much more. Without central heating, we would still be able to have hot water, however, we would have to create it ourselves from hot water by boiling it in a kettle or over a hob. This would mean a longer process each time hot water was required. If we wanted to bathe or have a shower, we would have to boil the water to the required temperature and use it all at once. Without instant hot water, it would mean we would have to wake up earlier to shower before work, and we would be at risk of showering with water that is far too hot. That is why we are lucky to have a constant flow of hot water in our homes. Imagine coming home from standing in the cold rain and not being able to get straight into a hot bath or shower? Hot water is a key part of our lives and benefits our lifestyles in a multitude of ways.
Keeping Warm
Keeping warm is a vital part of every person on earth’s survival, and not having central heating in countries that face colder temperatures can potentially be dangerous. Thankfully, besides central heating, our homes are equipped with multiple layers of insulation to keep us warm and prevent heat from escaping our home. Without central heating, we would rely on insulation to keep warm. Although insulation is effective, sometimes it won’t be enough. At much colder times, we would have to rely on numerous blankets and thicker clothes to stay warm in our homes. If central heating didn’t exist at all, we would also have the same problem in offices or in other properties. Meaning at work we would have to wear thicker clothes to remain warm. These issues would very likely only be prominent during the winter months. In the summer, our homes would likely remain warm, as of other properties. It would only really be during the winter months that the colder weather would be noticeably affecting the temperature of our properties.
Plumber Bristol
Life would be completely different without a central heating system in your home. That’s why a central heating system is vital in every home. If your home has any problems with its central heating system or plumber, requires a new central heating system, or a boiler, we can send you a fully trained and experienced plumber in Bristol or one of our expert heating engineers.