I woke up to ice inside the windows this morning

[iceyniceyspicey]

Single glazed house with loads of windows. Freezing as can be. We don't even have central heating, just some archaic vent system and no fireplace or chimney.

I have electric blankets on 2 beds (so we are sleeping together for warmth) and I put sheets over the bottom bunk bed like a den for warmth. throws on every bed (thank you charity shop! I even asked around and got an extra quilt for the settee) we don't have carpet, only in one bedroom and we kept the cut offs for next to my bed (like a runner) and a small mat downstairs.
make shift draught excluders made from old clothes stuffed inside pillowcases.
I hang coats on the back door and lift the mat up to help the edges of the door stop being so draughty.
we bought an airfryer to jeep costs down but now we can't use the heat from the oven (with a broken door that has to be propped shut. but it cane with the house so it's good enough for now)

it's so cold and my toddler refuses socks and lately trousers too! I have a pair of fleece lined overalls for nursery kids to play in the mud. I forget what they are called and I tried to keep him in that but he is so upset pulling it off.
he pulls his socks off and it's freezing (his first proper words aww rolling eyes)

Every window has terrible condensation. Soaking water droplets all over every single one. it takes 3 towels to do upstairs and I have to open the windows to air it out.
Dehumidifiers are out of stock except 300 with I can't afford right now. I need a new oven more anyway!

i feel like a real failure.
Me and my dh spent the last almost 10 years saving up for this house. living in a tiny horrible flat to save on rent. no holidays or driving or luxuries and we managed it.
now the prices are going up and up I can't see us being able to replace the windows for years. I'm wary of debt too, his job isn't as secure as it was pre covid.

just here to rant really

I think its a fair question actually. No point being on the property ladder if your living in such crap conditions. To buy a house with no central heating or fireplace in 2022 is very unnecessary. OP would have been better off saving for a few more years to get a place fit to live in or just stayed renting. I don't believe they couldn't have rented a decent place.

OP sorry to be harsh.

You've had lots of great suggestions on this thread. Please do look for help getting proper heating/windows in place. Go to your local council to enquire about grants.

Why do people blame individuals for these sorts of outcomes? Unless you've been living under a rock these past couple of years, property prices have shot up, rental prices shot up and everything shot up. People have been trying to get themselves safe due to the shortage of property. There's been a massive undersupply of rental this year.

If you want to rant, go rant at the Government, but I suspect you'd rather vote Tory then come on here and have a go at people.

Did you know about all these problems when you purchased the house op?

It sounds awful. Being cold is so miserable. I second the window vac though. I know someone who swears by hers.

I'm not having a go just stating that it's a fair question. It took me 15yrs to finally get my house, which is in a crap area but was all I could afford. I know how hard it is.

I stand by what I said, they should have stayed renting if they couldn't afford to buy a house with a heating system.

I think this is your problem, wet clothes take energy (heat) to evaporate the water, meaning the house gets colder. But worse still all the water goes into the air and condenses on the coldest surface ie your windows.
You are basically slowly moving the water from your washing to your windows while cooling your house down.

The solution would be ideally a dehumidifier or dryer but you could put the washing on the bathroom with the fan on full blast if you have a decent one. Just don't leave them lying around the house.
Use the highest spin speed on the washer.

Good luck.

Exactly.

there is really no point in folks snottily asking why. This is a family of at least five with one wage coming in and living in poverty conditions with ice on the windows.

op id live in one room if I was you guys, because if it’s this cold inside then you will struggle with respiratory illness. Can you afford a little fan heater? Make makeshift beds in the living room? I’d not be using separate rooms, I’d all,live in one room to at least stay warm but also protect your health due to condensation dampness.

It's not a fair question. Why do you need the OP to explain the shocking state of the property market in this Country to you?

@InBedBy10

You bought a house in a crap location, a lot of people would think that's a bad decision,. Maybe the OP bought a good location and house that needs work which is what people normally do. A lot of people have done that and been caught out by inflation. It's not difficult to understand.

Your statement makes no sense......no one is ranting. Why am I not allowed to ask why the OP bought a house with single glazed windows and no central heating? If they dont wish to answer then fine, but this is an open forum and therefore I'm allowed to ask.

There is no need for confusion. The things that people are spending on will last, and not just cover this Winter, but future Winters as well. Thus helping to keep costs down in the future. If there is one thing that seems to be the case, when prices go up, they seem to stay that way. I really do not believe that gas, and electric prices will come tumbling down any time soon!

Why are you asking the OP to explain the property market to you?

Im not.

You clearly are, since it's fairly obvious to anyone who understands the property market what the answer is.

Have you considered working in the evening? I used to do it when nursery fees outstripped earnings. I would look after toddlers all day then off stacking shelves. It's mindless so was ok for a while. And you don't earn enough to pay tax etc so it wasn't too bad. Or you could work a day at the weekend?

Have you also looked into energy schemes to get a discount on heating/insulation?

I sympathise with you completely, but surely home ownership isn't worth bringing your children up in heat poverty? You need to work out a way to increase income (or benefits etc if applicable).

Get down to the charity shop and buy curtains, as thick as possible to hang over the windows, they add a layer of insulation.

I know it sounds counter intuitive but do you have any air bricks that have been blocked up? These are necessary to help get rid of the damp/condensation.

Look at any grants you can ge to help with home improvements.

Are you drying clothes in the house? If so, this will be adding to the condensation/damp. It may be worth a trip to the laundrette to dry them so you are not adding water into the atmosphere.

Home ownership brings a certain amount of stability though you must appreciate that? ( well as stable as anything can possibly be under this shit show of a govn.) And comparatively, it can often be way cheaper to buy than to rent. Plus demand for rental properties way outstrips supply right now.

Make sure you use a draught excluder outside the door of any unheated rooms. I made one yesterday out of a pair of old tights and some pyjamas that were going to the recycling bin, it doesn't look good but I think it has helped.

There are plenty of cheaper dehumidifiers on Amazon. Maybe also think about getting some plug in oil radiators they work really well.

cling film double glazing look up on youtube

I grew up in the same sort of conditions that a PP is describing: 3 external walls, flat roof and no heating. It was grim, but winter only lasts three months so hold on to that thought! By next year you'll have sorted some of your house and most winters are not as cold as this. In your position I would prioritise the dehumidifier. It will prevent you from getting damp and mould and ensure you have dry clothes.

If you do go for a dehumidifier it sounds like you'd need a dessicant if the house is that cold, they are more expensive to run but they heat the room too

There's one here for £170 but I don't know if you were looking for one with larger capacity and how good it is. The trustpilot site reviews seem ok though.

www.sunbeltsales.co.uk/brolin-br10d-10l-digital-desiccant-dehumidifier-2

Or there's a Meaco 8L on appliancesdirect. Only 8L but lower power consumption

OP salt absorbs moisture. Put loads in takeaway tubs on windowsills.
Do not try to dry clothes indoors. Save washing for dry windy days, even if it's cold.
Save up for a dehumidifier. Buy the best you can, it will pay for itself over many years.
Winter will pass. This misery will be short lived.

You've bought a house! Congratulations, onwards and upwards from here.

Ultra-absorbant cat litter in socks/tights is a great way to absorb moisture. I use it in my car in winter and stops the insides misting up.