WFH in extreme cold: how do you handle 'always on camera' expectations?

I've been fully remote for about a year and recently moved to a place where winter is no joke. The house is older and I'm still figuring out basics like keeping drafts out, preventing frozen pipes, and which rooms are worth heating during the day.

My team is drifting toward a new norm that feels like an unwritten rule: camera on for most meetings, and staying on video during longer work sessions 'for collaboration'. No one has said it's mandatory, but the vibe is definitely that you're less trusted if you're not visible.

The problem is that during cold snaps I end up working in the warmest spot, which is not my tidy home office. Sometimes I'm parked by a space heater, sometimes the background is a pile of stuff from winter-proofing, and sometimes I'm in layers because the thermostat is set low to keep bills down. I'm getting my work done and my numbers are fine, but I hate feeling like I have to maintain a constant WFH aesthetic.

I'm not trying to avoid meetings. I just don't want constant video to become an unspoken requirement.

For people who have dealt with this, what actually worked?

- Did you set a clear boundary (camera on for scheduled meetings only)?

- Did you frame it as privacy, bandwidth, mental energy, or something else?

- Any scripts you used that didn't make you sound defensive?

Curious how others are navigating this as remote norms keep shifting. Thanks.