Page 3 | Aibu to ask seriously… how to keep warm!

Biscuits1011 · 2022-12-09T11:52:20+00:00

we all know the cost of living is hitting people hard. We’re on prepayment metres, landlord insists on them. Rent privately through an agent so can’t make any major improvements to the house. It’s badly insulated but landlord won’t do anything about it, it’s rated E so legal. Got 2 very young children. We can’t afford what it’s costing to heat our home. £60 a week on gas alone! Have heating on an hour morning; 2 in evening and an hour in the day. I’m on maternity, so home with the baby all day long. It’s so cold. I could go back to work early but Im off on full pay so wouldn’t make a financial difference! People suggest hot water bottles… blankets heated throws ect but that’s ok when I can just sit on the sofa… not when I have to run around after a toddler and have a baby to look after. We have layers on.. but it’s so cold unless the heating is actually on! its all open plan downstairs also, so can’t contain heat in one room either. Honestly I’m so worried about the cost, but also it’s so so cold right now 😞

GloomyDarkness · 09/12/2022 13:15

Biscuits1011 · 09/12/2022 13:10

I was using the tumble dryer once a day as we have no space to dry anything but I’ve actually stopped using it and am hanging it up in the bedroom but it’s making it damp now. Can’t win.

If you can get a through flow of air it might help - very least window open as much as possible and doors closed to rest of the house.

Last house we were lucky to have a garage and could put up an indoor line which helped.

However it why we put heating on end of November and had to use condenser dryer - as it was damp even with large dehumidifiers -- humidify was just to high and we were getting mold even with spraying and had no choice but to dry washing in doors as it was so wet.

Original poster

Biscuits1011 · 09/12/2022 13:16

greenacrylicpaint · 09/12/2022 13:09

you can put foil on widows for a little extra insulation.

assuming you have central heating - can you experient with putting the thermostat on all day at a low temp (16-18) in the room you are in? turn off all other radiators.

do you have a softplay/tumble class you can get to?

No soft play here, and when we did it was always freezing in there, probably why it never did well but that’s another thing.

no thermostat. Central heating controlled by a timer on the boiler

OP posts:

stopbeeping · 09/12/2022 13:20

There's a hwb called a YUYU and it's 1 meter long
I have a special case for it with straps you can then wear it across your back or front or down leg Etc
Amazon now sell hwb the same shape and size with their own covers and you can get them for less then the YUYU which was expensive compared to those
Also slippers and socks but proper socks I like bamboo ones I find them warmest but also not sweaty and sticky

The state of our country that this is even a problem

I'm so angry about everything

Doingmybest12 · 09/12/2022 13:22

Do you have any rooms facing the sun even if it is a bedroom. I am WFH and by chance room faces the sun and it is relatively warm even while sitting, until the sun goes down. But maybe grey and miserable for you. It sounds really hard.

Nordix · 09/12/2022 13:22

@Biscuits1011 My sympathy, it’s really hard.

I’d suggest a dehumidifier, mine is a Meaco and fantastic. I think about £170 on amazon. Pricey but at least you can take it with you forever (unlike changes to the property). Dries clothes so quickly, very cheap to run (pennies an hour), and my one throws out hot air as well. So its a bit like having a little electric heater too.

I think I’m right in saying dry air feels hotter than humid air (something to do with molecules..) so if you get your living room down to a dryer level, plus the hot air it throws out, does really help.

Trollsintheforest · 09/12/2022 13:22

The wheat bags you heat in the microwave are really good, the ones with velcro so you can attach around your neck or waist and walk around. We bought a bio ethanol stove that you can easily move around.

GasPanic · 09/12/2022 13:23

It's hard to come up with ideas when you have a large living space - if you have a smaller one then just heating that room with electric may make sense, but the bigger the room the more electric you will need, and because it is 3.5x as expensive it can rapidly approach the cost of using gas.

I don't think the cost of your gas is that expensive. £60 per week is only £8.60 per day, so although that may be unaffordable to you, it isn't huge compared to what other people might be paying. I doubt whether if you got new boiler etc it would reduce it that much.

I think the only approach is to try to make sure your living space is as well insulated as possible. Find out where all the cold points are and insulate them. Seal up all the gaps round doors maybe a door curtain if your door is really leaky. Consider using tape/excluder on the windows. Foil behind the radiators. You just have to find the coldest points/where the drafts are and deal with them.

I suppose the good news is that all rental properties are supposed to be C rated by 2025. So a couple of winters to tough it out, or I would consider moving - bearing in mind that if it is an "E" the landlord might not want to bring it up to "C" standard.

IDontWantToBeAPie · 09/12/2022 13:25

Electric heater in the main room might help a bit

orangegato · 09/12/2022 13:25

NewToWoo · 09/12/2022 12:08

Real wool and layers of synthetic fleece are by far the wramest. If I have a thermal tee on with a wool jumper and a fleece dressing gown or blanket - cloak style over those, I feel so warm I don't notice the cold - and that's with a static desk job in an unheated house. Make sure your feet are really warm - thick socks and warm slippers, ugg-style boots (Primark do very good cheap ones).

You could add a hat and fingerless gloves.

Make sure the baby has a warm hat on and really warm socks - maybe several layers, maybe tights under lined romper suit or snowsuit - as long as they don't block circulation.

Keep moving about - a 4 minute HIIT workout can keep you warm for a couple of hours.

I also always open the oven wide after using it, to let the heat out into the kitchen.

During the day, try to spend time in some heated places - lots of churches now have warm hubs open to everyone, you could look for story or singalong time in libraries - usually free, and mum and baby groups, playgroups and church toddlers' praise sessions - all of which should be in warm places with hot drinks for adults, at little or no cost.

Eat hot food - porridge, soup, noodles etc rather than sandwiches during the day.

Excellent advice, I’m sat on my arse all day WFH so will give those a go

Jenasaurus · 09/12/2022 13:25

Im at my DS house at the moment, looking after his dogs, they are whippets and like to be warm, the house is 13 degrees, so I have brought my laptop to bed and they are under the duvet with me. I have also got on 2 pairs of leggings under my trousers and a thermal top , t shirt and jumper on top, drinking loads of tea and hot drinks, I can put the heating on for a half hour warm up but I can see their meter with the cost on it for the use, and its already £10 so thats £300 a month if it just stayed the same. I am trying to do other things to keep warm, so feel your pain

Whataretheodds · 09/12/2022 13:28

Use the space upstairs - radio (app on your phone) for company, or tablet or laptop if you have one to watch telly on?

PineappleWilson · 09/12/2022 13:33

Please don't do the "leave the oven door open" thing as you have a toddler.

FriedEggChocolate · 09/12/2022 13:35

I do multiples of clothes - so t-shirt, shirt, then 2 cardigans. A tube scarf round your neck stops you losing heat from your core, as does fingerless gloves.

We battle to keep clothes on our 4 year old so also interested in solution for this. Our best success so far has been putting a tub of jumpers and cardigans in the living room and asking her to choose one to wear herself.

Original poster

Biscuits1011 · 09/12/2022 13:40

GasPanic · 09/12/2022 13:23

It's hard to come up with ideas when you have a large living space - if you have a smaller one then just heating that room with electric may make sense, but the bigger the room the more electric you will need, and because it is 3.5x as expensive it can rapidly approach the cost of using gas.

I don't think the cost of your gas is that expensive. £60 per week is only £8.60 per day, so although that may be unaffordable to you, it isn't huge compared to what other people might be paying. I doubt whether if you got new boiler etc it would reduce it that much.

I think the only approach is to try to make sure your living space is as well insulated as possible. Find out where all the cold points are and insulate them. Seal up all the gaps round doors maybe a door curtain if your door is really leaky. Consider using tape/excluder on the windows. Foil behind the radiators. You just have to find the coldest points/where the drafts are and deal with them.

I suppose the good news is that all rental properties are supposed to be C rated by 2025. So a couple of winters to tough it out, or I would consider moving - bearing in mind that if it is an "E" the landlord might not want to bring it up to "C" standard.

We have wooden floor boards.. with gaps in, it’s in our contract not to put carpet down so that’s not an option. But I feel this is where a lot of the heat goes. We have rugs but it’s a big space so doesn’t cover it all. Windows are single glazed, but not particularly draughty. Our back door needs replacing as the seal has gone around it but agent said landlord is reluctant to replace the door and is looking at other options… whatever that means. Meanwhile we have sealed it up ourselves temporarily. There isn’t really anywhere else the warm air can escape…

OP posts:

Cheesuswithallama · 09/12/2022 13:43

GasPanic · 09/12/2022 13:23

It's hard to come up with ideas when you have a large living space - if you have a smaller one then just heating that room with electric may make sense, but the bigger the room the more electric you will need, and because it is 3.5x as expensive it can rapidly approach the cost of using gas.

I don't think the cost of your gas is that expensive. £60 per week is only £8.60 per day, so although that may be unaffordable to you, it isn't huge compared to what other people might be paying. I doubt whether if you got new boiler etc it would reduce it that much.

I think the only approach is to try to make sure your living space is as well insulated as possible. Find out where all the cold points are and insulate them. Seal up all the gaps round doors maybe a door curtain if your door is really leaky. Consider using tape/excluder on the windows. Foil behind the radiators. You just have to find the coldest points/where the drafts are and deal with them.

I suppose the good news is that all rental properties are supposed to be C rated by 2025. So a couple of winters to tough it out, or I would consider moving - bearing in mind that if it is an "E" the landlord might not want to bring it up to "C" standard.

It probably would. I have similarly aged boiler, heat about same time like op plus ours is for hot water and showers and we spend considerably less. So i think boiler would make difference.
However, bit of moot point anyway tbh since it's up to landlord.

bloodyeverlastinghell · 09/12/2022 13:44

I’d get an infra red heater. It heats people/ things rather than air. It feels like being in bright sunshine on a cold day get it on a stand so you can move it around.

foggywindows · 09/12/2022 13:46

I have a heated hoodie - it's powered by a battery pack in the pocket. Cost about £30 online and it's honestly fantastic. After about 20 minutes of wearing it, I'm boiling hot!

Cheesuswithallama · 09/12/2022 13:47

Biscuits1011 · 09/12/2022 13:40

We have wooden floor boards.. with gaps in, it’s in our contract not to put carpet down so that’s not an option. But I feel this is where a lot of the heat goes. We have rugs but it’s a big space so doesn’t cover it all. Windows are single glazed, but not particularly draughty. Our back door needs replacing as the seal has gone around it but agent said landlord is reluctant to replace the door and is looking at other options… whatever that means. Meanwhile we have sealed it up ourselves temporarily. There isn’t really anywhere else the warm air can escape…

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It's in your contract so you don't glue and nail on the floors. You can absolutely get massive rug...
You can get them in good sales as well

EndlessRain1 · 09/12/2022 13:49

Wool clothes, espeically or baby, and keep moving! I am normally freezing working from home, but today have been tidying and sorting and not cold at all. I am dressed in several layers.

Other than that go out - even being outside walking will help.

Original poster

Biscuits1011 · 09/12/2022 13:49

Cheesuswithallama · 09/12/2022 13:47

It's in your contract so you don't glue and nail on the floors. You can absolutely get massive rug...
You can get them in good sales as well

Show quote history

We actually do have 2 massive rugs but as it’s a big room it still doesn’t cover it all, but I would say we have 75% of the floor covered with rugs.

OP posts:

NewToWoo · 09/12/2022 13:52

PineappleWilson · 09/12/2022 13:33

Please don't do the "leave the oven door open" thing as you have a toddler.

Oh yes - sorry - that is seriously bad advice from me. Only do that once toddler is in bed! Or put a fire guard around it.

Original poster

Biscuits1011 · 09/12/2022 13:58

NewToWoo · 09/12/2022 13:52

Oh yes - sorry - that is seriously bad advice from me. Only do that once toddler is in bed! Or put a fire guard around it.

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Don’t worry I have a room divider so toddler can’t access the oven

OP posts:

Original poster

Biscuits1011 · 09/12/2022 13:59

foggywindows · 09/12/2022 13:46

I have a heated hoodie - it's powered by a battery pack in the pocket. Cost about £30 online and it's honestly fantastic. After about 20 minutes of wearing it, I'm boiling hot!

I’m going to look into this… thanks

OP posts:

Doingmybest12 · 09/12/2022 14:01

Sorry to suggest this , might be fun if you have choice but miserable if you don't. Can you get cardboard from somewhere to secure to the floor some how to reduce drafts_ children could draw on it?
What about that film for Windows you hair dryer on and peel off again in the Sumner? Works pretty well and cheap.

Confusion101 · 09/12/2022 14:08

Could u propose to your landlord ye pay for insulation and it comes off next months rent?