How to keep the house warm?

[OneOfTheTwo]

It’s absolutely freezing and we’re skint. How can we keep warm in this absolutely freezing weather with no heating?

Luckily we have an electric blanket so that’s on along side hot water bottles and warm socks. Our downstairs doesn’t have any doors, separate rooms but all open plan so we can’t block bottom of doors to keep heat in.

Any ideas? I can see my breath in the air as I’m typing.

Don't have anything to add to all the great suggestions for warming up inside but second the poster who said get outside and move around twice a day to get the circulation going - and do you have a local library or friendly cafe you could work in for at least a few hours a day rather than braving it in the cold at home?

Can you go into the office OP?

It’s usually warmer and you can use the electricity to charge your phone etc.

I spend all day at work and then by the time I get home I exercise, cook, clean and then go to bed where it’s nice and warm.

If you’re skint I wouldn’t pay for heated blankets etc as that will cost you money.

Go for a long walk after work to warm you up.
Then come home and have dinner, then get into bed and read/watch Tv.

Sorry but you really do need to heat the house. It's in minus figures overnight, and if the pipes freeze and burst you really will have huge issues.

I’m sorry to say but 6° is ridiculous.

You’re going to cause so much damage to the house. I would be shocked if you didn’t already have mould behind the closed curtains as there will be tons of condensation building up where you aren’t ventilating.

Does your council publish a list of warm spaces?
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Op, I got one of these to heat up our box room as our hamster is in there & it’s absolutely brilliant, it’s so warm in there & costs pence to run. Go in the smallest room of your house & leave it on. Plugs straight into the plug socket!

I got one from them, I think it was £15, a bit longer than knee length, and it has a heated element in the back & front you can use with a separate charging pack (got that off Amazon). Godsend.

I'm sorry to hear that you are struggling like this. 💐
You could call your local housing association, council or SS and explain your situation which I am certain they will be able to provide you with some free electric heaters, fan heaters and perhaps some vouchers/cash to top up your gas meter.
Also, double up any clothing, socks, tops, leggings and bottoms etc.
How old are your children? I’m sending you love and strength OP 💐

yes; find ways to get the benefits you need or if you are abroad, move to a village property and use wood stove. This is how even the poorest in my country live and the rooms are very cozy

You might be better moving into your bedroom. Your work computer, a tv, etc will throw out a little heat, it's a smaller area to warm, make it an adventure for the dc.
As much as heated throws etc are probably great, the cost of them might be better spent on power - try to borrow an electric heater (expensive to run but more realistic to heat a small area). Wear whatever warm clothes you have, put blankets or coats over your legs. If you work at a desk, drape a duvet over it to trap heat under it. Hot drinks. Move around - the more vigorously the better, star jumps or whatever, even though when you're cold it's the last thing you want to do.

Remember this cold snap won't last, so try not to get too down.

Oodie or cheaper alternative

You can make a draught stopper with a rolled up bath towel with elastic bands on each end for outside doors .

If you have some money available, buy the window film - you stick it over the window then blow-dry it so it shrinks into place providing a lightweight secondary glazing. Should help keep breezes out. Also the foam strips you stick inside the frames to plug any gaps.

Move yourself into the warmest room in the house and live out of that, heat that room to 18 degrees - still on the cool side but liveable.

Heat the person not the room, so focus on extremities (hat, hands, feet) and organs (torso) with multiple layers as that traps warm air keeping you warmer than one big layer. Primark or Decathlon have cheap thermal base layers.

I feel for you OP, it sounds utterly horrific. Houses like that shouldn't be allowed to be rented out. Its a disgrace there isn't enough decent, affordable housing stock in the UK.

Your local library & free hot drinks

Wear a hat

Put heavy curtain on a pile at all outside doors, it stops the draughts

Last year are heating wasn't working very well and it went down to 7 degrees which is much more intolerable than 10. If you can kerp the house at least 10 degrees. We also developed a mould problem so had to clean and use mould paint to fix that

Heated throw under another blanket, oodies. Sleeping fully dressed.

If your house I'd think about investing in a radiator chemical clean and flush when you can afford it. After that the heating cost much less as its more efficient.

Pound shops often sell thin fleeces for dog blankets. Pin those inside the linings of your curtains to insulate them more and keep the cold out. If you can't do that, carefully throw a sheet over the curtain pole over your curtains once they're closed to add another layer. Close your curtains the minute it gets dark, or your windows will turn into giant cold radiators.

If you're using a small appliance such as a slow cooker or air fryer to cook your food, put it in the room you're in to help warm it up (out of the way of children, pets etc). Keep all the family in one room and heat that, your body warmth will also help to raise the temperature.

If funds allow, buy a low wattage ceramic fan heater to heat one room and point it towards you. A 750 watt/1500 watt one is not too expensive to run (c 20p/ 40p per hour).

@OneOfTheTwo

• keep internal doors closed and make use of draft excluders/door snakes (can be made from old leggings or pillow case and stuffed with hay, crumpled newspaper or fabrics eg old knickers)
• keep curtains closed and tucked behind radiators
• add additional floor coverings (blankets/rugs)
• add wall curtains/tapestries to insulate walls
• eat warming foods and regular hot drinks
• wear tights or leggings under trousers and layer up on top
• Extra blankets and hot water bottle (hot water bottles technically expire after 2 years and should only be filled with hot water from a tap not boiling water from kettle)
• keep feet off the floor when sitting
• reflective panels behind radiators
• draft excluders tape in windows and doors
• chimney balloon (if you have an open fire)
• Avoid alcohol as this lowers body temperature

So sorry OP this sounds miserable.

Lots of good tips here. Lots of hot tea and soup. Thermos flasks are so good for keeping hot drinks to hand and not having to keep boiling the kettle.
Wear lots of layers. Fleece tops and trousers are the warmest and available cheaply.
Heat one room. Everyone in one room to keep warm.

It's only the beginning of real Winter. Can you contact the utility company for any help with bills. Living in extreme cold is a real health risk.

Lots of good advice already but in keeping with the theme of heat the person....

Real wool jumpers are the best. All the polyester and acrylic ones don't keep you warm as much as real wool. However they can be expensive. I have found a couple in second hand shops and keep a look out for them year round. Makes a noticeable difference. Especially with an oodie on top.

Fingerless gloves or mittens. Boot slippers. Leg warmers.
Fill a flask with a hot drink. Eat plenty of carbs.

If you are on a pre pay meter you may be able to get some free fuel voucher top ups via fuel poverty charities/food banks. I do some work that occasionally crosses over with fuel poverty organisations and know there are vouchers knocking around (not just for those on benefits), you just need to know where to get them or be referred to the right organisation.
In the first instance fuel poverty organisations can help point you in the direction of any support you may be eligible for via charities, local authority grants, energy company initiatives etc..

Have you read through this:

england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/rent_increases/if_you_cannot_afford_a_rent_increase

Wear a thermal base layer, Uniqlo are great. Buy a heated throw/blanket. I carry mine to where ever I am and plug it in. Heat one room if that's all you can afford. It's absolutely miserable being cold so if you have to, just stay in bed 🙂

I don't wish to be unkind, but those are shockingly dangerous.

https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/electric-heaters-temu-tiktok-shop-a6c744h4Olcl