Not going to put the heating on this winter. How to keep warm

[ClementineKelandra]

I will have the heating on for one hour a day in the evening so the kids can shower but then after that the heating and hit water will be completely off.

I just need to get some ideas for keeping the house warmer once the weather turns.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Wear extra layers, put draft excluders at every internal door.
Pile into one bed altogether (depends how many, how old and how big the bed is)at night.

Bake so the heat from the oven heats up the place a bit.

Have heavy lined curtains on windows.

Could you get a small heater and stay in one room keeping it warm?

Won't work if it snows.

[Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme]

Keep doors shut to rooms you don't use much.

Make sure loft, if you have one, is well insulated with anything you can find. Polystyrene, old clothes, suitcases, anything to stop the heat rising out of the roof.

Cling film on the inside of your windows. I know someone who does this and he swears it helps keep the heat in.

Keep curtains closed if you can.

Is this an experiment or do you have to do it?

[WafflyVersatile]

you can get window insulation film.

you may be able to pick up cheap heavy curtains in charity shops.

fleecy onesies or dressing gowns, slankets etc.

[PilgrimSoul]

I think bubblewrap is better than cling film on windows. Do you have an open fire? Hot water bottles.

[Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme]

Can you keep the oven on for a bit when you're not actually cooking?

When you've run a bath, leave the water in instead of emptying it out. Whenever we do this it's always a bit warmer upstairs with all the steam.

[MrsMinkBernardLundy]

I have an oil filled heater in the living room. so only heat that room most of the time.

And I sit with a blanket over my legs.

This is actually because the upstairs gets too hot if the heating is on too long.

You do need to open the windows at some point during the day to air the house or the damp will make it colder- you will get condensation if the heating is rarely on.

Get a dehumidifier.

[MrsMinkBernardLundy]

Also you get rolls of silver bubble wrap style stuff from screfwfx. it is good for insulating your loft hatch etc.

[stemstitch]

Shit, I really feel for you only being able to have the heating on for an hour a day. I hope you will be OK.

My advice would also be layers. Also, some of those cheap fleecey blankets from Primark etc. are really warm and can go over duvets/bed covers.

Also hot water bottles are great.

I guess you don't have an open fire, else you could gather fallen wood and dry it out inside before burning.

[poppingin1]

I am trying to do this too this winter so watching with interest.

I started a thread about lining curtains and got some really good advice about insulation including looking for every nook and cranny in the house that can allow draughts and using something to fill them. Sounds simple enough but didn't realise just how many draught points there are in my home until I really looked beyond the obvious.

I read that wall rugs were traditionally used to keep rooms warm and that full bookshelves also help insulate rooms. I'm going to hang a blanket on the coldest wall in the coldest bedroom. I'm investing in door curtains and have found some fairly cheap thermal curtains on Ebay.

I have made sure the front door is draught proofed, including using a keyhole with a cover, and I'm combining that with the door curtain as well as using draught proofing foam strips for internal doors.

[Creeping]

Well, I've turned on the heating on today in our new home (edwardian semi) which has new underfloor heating, and all I can say is it's great to have warm feet! Good luck with the bubble wrap, blankets and layers, I'm not doing it anymore!

[MrsCakesPremonition]

We have lots of blankets (some cheapy fleecy ones plus some heavy duty ones I got second hand or inherited from family) - over beds when we sleep and also for snuggling under on the sofa.
We have those microwaveable wheat bags instead of hot water bottles - same principle and definitely help when getting into bed.
Proper slippers are good too - keeps feet away from cold floors and draughts coming under doors.
Bed socks and woolly hats for bedtime too - only when it is really bad though - it's quite funny.
Lots of layers.
Limit people to as few rooms as possible, make sure internal doors are shut etc. Make one room as cosy as possible, keeping people together makes the room warmer. Get ready for bath/bed in the warm room (bedtime stories etc.) and then just do a made dash for bed and under the covers pronto.
Hot breakfasts (readybrek, porridge, hot chocolate, tea etc.) help on the really cold mornings.

[lavenderbongo]

Wear woolly hats in bed. Im in NZ where apparently it doesn't get cold in winter!
It bloody well does! And the houses often have little or no insulation. I used to wake up with a freezing old head and nose. So in the depths of winter stuck a woolly hat on. Works a treat!

[burberryqueen]

sounds miserable tbh

[Monty27]

What an indictment on our government that this thread is even real. Oh fgs, how sad and miserable.

OP, is there any other cut backs you could make to keep your home warm? :(

[LisaMedicus]

Candles can make a difference. Hot drinks. Keep active during the day. Eat warm food with plenty of nutrition in.

You can get halogen heaters like this that are not too expensive to buy and will heat the room cheaply.

Watch out for the air going stale, you will need to air the rooms now and then, but then back to lock down. hth

[seasalt]

I would say try to open the windows for a while every day because rooms can get a bit damp when they are not being heated and get a musty smell.

[seasalt]

oops I didn't read the whole thing and now I see MrsMink has already said this!

[angelinterceptor]

Our heating is always broken for some reason the boiler is rubbish and as we are renting it doesnt seem that the landlord wants to fix it properly.

we are out during the day, but in the mornings I think it helps me and the DC to get ready a bit quicker as you are so desparate to get warm and dressed.

in the evenings we wear extra layers, even sitting indoors with a hood on, to keep my neck warm! Warm socks or slippers and defininately hot water bottles.

Draft excluders and curtains are necessary too

Oh, and if its possible, go out for a walk or activity of some sort and it will warm you up and youre not just sitting in front of TV shivering.

works for me anyway

[worldgonecrazy]

We did this pre-baby. We did have to put the heating on for a few minutes a day, to stop the house smelling damp. We also spent quite a few evenings outside sat next to our chiminea. If you're wrapped up it's quite cosy.

Silk thermals are very efficient, and Aldi/Lidl often have good thermal underwear for very reasonable prices. Morally, if wearing animal skins don't bother you, then sheepskin footwear and fur coats are really snuggly and enure that you don't get too hot and sweaty.

If you also want to look at saving money, then a small fridge costs about £10 a month to run in electricity. Now we are in the colder weather, if you plan your shopping, then a pot-in-pot cooler may be a better option, or an outdoor cool area. We found milk didn't keep well, but just about everything else did.

Fortunately we were able to do both of these as money saving experiments, not due to financial need.

[MrsMinkBernardLundy]

I would put in a word of caution about wall hangings and candles. you can set fire to your house very easily. candles are a major cause of accidental fires a d vertical wall hangings and curtains burn very nicely. so keep the two well apart.

Plus this may and up costing more than heating.

You can usually get the council to do wall and loft insulation at a reduced rate.

Also be wary of blocking all drafts- you may get dry rot which will cost far more than heating.

I only have my heating on for about 2.5 hours per day in winter. Use a heater and dehumidifier. i find this quite comfy but I am used to it. other people find my house cold.
but I don't block all drafts as the condensation is bad enough already.

[ShimmeringInTheSun]

www.getgeared.co.uk/Finance
www.betterlifehealthcare.com
www.win-health.com

I ride a motorbike and find heated bodywarmers absolutely fab for keeping me warm. I've put some links above....have a look and see what you think. It might not be feasible to buy one for every member of the family, but if/when on your own at any time it would keep you going till the heating goes on.
I also live in a very high ceilinged/draughty/haunted house type place, so mine doubles up in here too!

[ShimmeringInTheSun]

//www.getgeared.co.uk/Finance
//www.betterlifehealthcare.com
//www.win-health.com



Try again!

[ClementineKelandra]

I wish it was just an experiment. I have to do it because I just can't afford to have the heating on. I've cut down everything as much as I can. I try to spend much of the day in our surestart centre with dd as its lovely and warm in there and saves me trying to keep my house warm.

Some really good ideas. I'm going to have a look round the local charity shops to see if I can get some more blankets. I'll be on my hands and knees blocking drafts later. We have a fair few of those air bricks dotted about that let quite a draft in.
Definately going to get some microwave hot bag thingies.

Btw it's not miserable, it's just life and I just have to get on with it :)

[Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme]

Have you got cavity walls and are they filled? If not you can probably get a grant from one of the energy companies. They practically do it for nothing nowadays. We got ours done last year and the difference was noticeable immediately, the air just felt warmer. Definitely worth checking out if you can.

[Vivacia]

That was an insensitive contribution creeping.

I agree that the best thing to do is all stay in one room, get it warm and keep it warm. Keep a few blankets near the sofa and one near the toilet too. Curtains over doors are very effective (but my partner can't stand them). Before bed I'd put tomorrow's clothes and contact lenses in grabbing distance of the bed so that in the morning I could bring them under the covers and warm them up first. Depending upon how old you are the practicalities, it might be warmer to wash with a bowl in front of the fire.