How to stay warm?!

[BumbleNova]

I need your tips! We moved into our new house in September. It's a victorian detached that we bought planning a full refurb. It's not been touched in 40 years and it's a ice box. There is no heating at all in the toilets ...

We have a toddler and a newborn. There is central heating (25 year old boiler!) but it only comes on for 2 hours a day and we can't change that. It's got single glazing, high ceilings and threadbare carpets. Because of being in tier 4 we can't escape anywhere and warm up for a bit.

I'm sat here in 3 jumpers, 3 pairs of socks and the baby has his pramsuit on. Breastfeeding is brutally cold. It's around 17 degrees and the house seems to get colder day on day when the weather is this cold.

Double glazing is booked, fingers crossed next few weeks. We are planning to replace the boiler with an air source heat pump so no point just getting a new one or we would!

Don’t eat any cold meals. Porridge or eggs and toast for breakfast. Soup and toast, pasta, or jacket potatoes for lunch. Something filling like stew for dinner.

Running a slow cooker all morning will also help warm the kitchen a bit.

Just had a thought (from my arctic survival course days!) - why not put up a tent inside for the toddler to play/nap in. They’d think it was really fun and it would quickly warm up inside making a micro-climate in the room. You could even bf in there if you made a little cosy bed area...

We moved into this house right before Christmas, had the boiler looked at on moving day (old and suspect) and immediately condemned and disconnected. Because of Christmas, it took weeks to get a new one. It was also a snowy Christmas.

We all slept in one bedroom, had an oil filled radiator, and as soon as we’d got hold of a fire guard, had fires most days.

@TeaAndStrumpets I've just got some more heating engineer recommendations. Central heating would definitely be the best solution. It's a bit farcical if we can't use it.

I've ordered oil filled rads and a heated throw. My toddler is in his merino thermals plus fleece and he is in permanent motion so I think he is fine.

DH is measuring for curtains and draft excluders.

HEATED THROW!

Not expensive to run or buy. You will never look back.

John Lewis or Argos for cheaper ones. Lakeland but they tend to be a bit more expensive (£75).

Absolutely bumble it seems odd it can't be fixed! Best of luck.

Buy an oodie and pop the baby underneath to feed, they are so massive, there will be plenty of room for them to breathe. They are fantastically warm and snuggly

Definitely a heated throw. We have two Dreamland ones and they are fab. They were brought for youngest DC and I as we love to be warm. Our house it’s not cold by any means but I honestly say they will definitely keep you warm and not cost a Fortune.

But I can honestly say*

Electric blanket and pop an oil filled radiator in the bedroom and living room. They work very well.

Oh and whenever you've used the oven, keep the door open afterwards whist it cools. It really warms the room up!

I bought this room darkening curtain pole, and Dunelm thermal curtains (£55 for 66x72), and I am SO happy 😊 our house is freezing, its made of a single skin of concrete, but these have made a HUGE difference immediately!
I've also just been round the doors with b and q foam insulation strips.

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0792H887H?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Reiterate what others have said above.

LAYERS. Layer your clothes, layer a couple of pairs of socks, layer a few blankets.

If you’re cooking with the oven, leave the oven open after use which will release a bit of heat to the room.

get some secondary glaze film for all the windows!!

Its like a big plastic sheet which you stick on with tape that comes with it. You trim it then put a hairdryer to it to tighten the seal. really really helps, been a lifesaver for me as my windows are HUGE and old.

Oil filled rads as the way forward and keep all doors shut.

Also hot water bottles and lots of layers. yay for fluffy blankets.

Plus of course fluffy bed socks and slippers for toasty feet.