NO MORE COLD MUMSNETTERS!

[KungFuBustle]

Right, don't really know how to start this but I'm raging. I see over and over on here people struggling with heating, sitting cold after kids have gone to bed, waking up in cold houses and it makes me want to stamp my feet and scream. Apologies if I'm not articulate or organised. I just want to do something.

No judging, please share anything you feel may help, no matter how small. Also feel free to have a whinge. DS is at school and I'm cold now, and I'm fucking miserable. I don't mean to patronise, some of this may seem so obvious to some, but if one person is a wee bit warmer I'm a happy bunny.

Here goes.

U Switch We might as well be getting the cheapest deal.

Warm Home Discount You may be surprised by who can apply for this. A lot of providers have their own criteria and it's broader than you think.

Which Guide to Free Insulation Self explanatory but also has some information about DIY.

Draught Excluders - I have these on every door now. If you're turning down radiators or trying to save by only heating one room they are brilliant. You don't have to buy them. I cut up old trousers up the crotch. Stuffed with old sheets and sewed up. You can use newspaper at a pinch.

Curtains - Thick lined curtains on windows are great. They are also expensive. If you can forgo colour scheme charity shops have AMAZING deals. They might not fit in with the room but lord they keep the heat in. I've also fixed them over front and back doors. Our kitchen has no heat source but since covering the back door I can no longer see my own breath when I walk in.

Tinfoil - Wrap in round cardboard and whack it behind your radiators. You can buy special stuff for this, but if like me what wasn't an option this is better than nothing. We noticed a real difference. I did downstairs, doing upstairs today.

Builders Plastic - Not cheap but cheaper than double glazing. Tape it over windows and it can keep the heat in and the cold out. I haven't been able to do this but another MNer mentioned it and it seemed a very clever idea on a budget.

Cashmere - I wanted to laugh when someone said this, like I can afford cashmere. Keep an eye out in the right charity shops and you will. I've not been so lucky yet but I know other MNrs have. Real wool jumpers and throws are a great find too. Doesn't matter if it's not our colour (Don't tell the S&B board!) warm's warm.

Candles Heater Instructions in the link. Building mine today. Candles in a room can also give an impression of warmth. I pay £1 for 100 tea lights at ikea.

Slow Cookers - I made porridge in my slow cooker last night. Soon as we got up I had a bowl of porridge in DS's hands and some hot squash. He also gets a hot squash as soon as he comes in from school. Cheap and warming.

Hats - I'm not much of a knitter. But if you want a hat making PM me. They're usually wonky, not stylish, but if you're cold and want one for wearing around the house I'll make you one. I can also make little ones for children.

Crikey, this was longer than I expected. Please share any warm tips you may have. I'm sorry so many of us are cold, and I'm sorry I can't just pay all of our heating bills and we all have warm Winters.

I'm working from home today and really noticing the cold. Having flashbacks to my student igloo house. About to go and don another layer!

Has anyone bought the UniQlo thermals? I like the look of them but no idea if they're any good, or of the sizing.

OOI I have been offering several electric blankets on Freegle (near Chichester) and had no takers. I supposed used bedding is a bit too personal.

They are quite cheap in places like Tesco, but at their cheapest in July.

Uniglo have good value cashmere jumpers, around £40-50. And they wash well. I hvae just bought another one. I also recommend their thermotech longsleeved tshirts. If you wear thermal vest, thermotech plus cashmere jumper you will feel much warmer. it's my winter uniform.

Oo oo piglet John, if I paid the postage would you mind sending them up to sunny Scotland.

Pretty please

Another one in Scotland who would be happy to pay postage if you wouldn't mind posting them.

I don't mind posting them, but it would be a big parcel so look at local suppliers first, to see how much a new one costs. I think Tesco sell Silentnight and own-brand.

Ooh, I didn't think my flat had even been that bad, but today I made a draught excluder from a pair of tights and an old, shrunken wool cardigan, and foiled behind the radiator and I am definitely noticing a difference. Suddenly realised I wasn't quite as cold. I'd never have done it without this thread, so thank you

From an old, cold house in Scotland:

We have heating on 1 hr in morning and 1.5hrs in evening. The rest of the time we heat the room we're in with electric heaters on low.

YY to draught excluders. Don't go for fancy ones, either make your own or the bog-standard brush or weather-shield door trims are really good.

If you are rural, on oil and have friendly neighbours, it is really worthwhile organising an oil-buying ring. DH has done this with about 15 households, and we can negotiate a much better price because we're ordering so much, and at the same time can order whatever amount we can afford at the time without missing out on the better deal.

Electric blankets - I couldn't live here without them.

Thermal tops, cashmere and fleece gilet are my daily uniform. I see ccashmere as investment, and cheaper than heating oil!

Also thermal knee-high socks.

Finally, small dog on lap

Thanks for the tip pigletjohn. Had a look and they're not as expensive as I thought. I always imagined them as a luxury item.

We've had windy storm here last night. Our window broke and flew open. Taping the bugger up at 1am.

OK. still got some available foc to anyone between Chichester and Portsmouth. Seems a shame to bin them.

Alternative source of heat.
I installed an AGA Little Wenlock SE wood-burning stove in Feb. 2011.
I more or less HAD to buy this particular stove because of where I live. It's a smokeless zone and any multi-fuel stove suitable for my area cost twice the price of the AGA ( £550 ).
16 days ago, the flue blanking plate broke in two and fell off the back of the stove, meaning the stove was unusable.
I contacted the supplying dealer who phoned AGA for me and he duly reported that a replacement part was on it's way to me FOC as the stove had a 5-yr parts guarantee.
I foolishly presumed that the spare part would be with me within a couple of days so when it didn't arrive I contacted the dealer again and he told me this time that it would take 7-10 working days. And if I wanted AGA to fit it for me, it would cost £115 + VAT !!!!
AND this was if it was just a matter of unscrewing the old plate and fitting the new one. £115 + VAT to remove and refit TWO screws.
They have got to be joking !!!
BUT - as some idiot at the AGA factory decided it would be A Good Idea to use ordinary steel screws, rather than the stainless type neccessary in such an installation ( cast iron, massive amounts of heat, moisture from wood and various chemical by-products of the combustion process ), the screws were corroded into the cast iron and could not be removed.
The AGA engineer would have to take the stove away, send it back to the factory, the seized screws would have to be ground-off, fresh holes drilled and tapped before the replacement part could be fitted.
The estimated labour costs were so great, it would have been cheaper to buy a new stove !!!!
So much for burning wood as a cheap source of heat !!!
Needless to say, I fixed it myself.
I removed the stove, used my angle-grinder to get rid of the seized screws, drilled fresh holes and fitted the two halves of the old blanking plate using stainless bolts and SIKA heat-setting thermal sealant. Large washers ensured the two pieces of late stayed in place.
I thought this would be a short-term fix, but two weeks after my initial contact with the AGA dealer, the replacement plate had still not arrived.
So once again I contacted Mr. Dealer - who should really carry spare parts for all models - and e said he would phone AGA and find out what was happening.
Yesterday I got a phone call from AGA informing me that my initial request for a spare part hadn't been actioned and it would be Jan 17th 2014 before the part was available.
So it will be 7 weeks minimum before I get the new part !!!
Thankfully, I was able to cobble together the old bits and ensure they were gas tight ( I'm an engineer by trade and have much experience of such things ) but suppose I was not so qualified ? What would an elderly person do, or someone with no tools or skills who had had an AGA installed in order to save money on heating and/or use an alternative heat source ????? They would be stuck with no heat-source during one of the coldest times of the year.
So beware of AGA - Jilly Cooper's AGA-Sagas may paint a pretty picture of such things, but the reality is piss-poor service and bits that break and fall off in less than three years.

barbarossa - that is an interesting post, my DP and myself fit log burners (although not as a main part of our business) and have recommended AGA wenlocks due to the defra thing, but that has made me think twice, that is appalling customer service :(

Those who can't wear wool, have you tried merino?

I cannod stand wool, leaves me crawling with itchy. But when i was backpacking in my more affluent youth (!) I bought a couple of merino woollies.

Cost similar to a Helley Hansen thermal, but is STILL going 10 years of constant use later. Omg they are warm. I have whitefinger and it is important to keep my core temperature up so I don't get 'attacks'.

Haven't checked, but you should be able to get secondhand on eBay, they can go a bit bobbly, so I can imagine people will replace perfectly serviceable garments and pass the old ones to charity shops or sell them.

Some ace tips here thanks. I really struggle to keep warm. Even when it isn't actually cold. :(

Small idea but works wonders for us. We put a heavy cloth/carpet/rug at the foot of the main door (ie rolled up to seem bulky) to plug the floor level leaks & this makes a huge difference to the overall home temperature.

Same works on window sills & patio doors - if you feel the draft it indicates small leaks..

We made top 10 of the year.
Here
Hoping you all had a warm end to 2013.
Cheers.

swimmingmom we do that and it makes so much difference.weve rolled up old towels,blankets faste tight with selotap and put at the bottom of the doors that have draft.excelent.

also stuffing outdoor keyholes or untily keyholes with tissue especially at night works wonders for that draft that seeps through.

Kate - yes, we also used to stuff the letterbox slot at night in an older house ((shudder!!))

Ive hung quilted bed spreads instead of curtains at the windows. They look good and are thick enough to keep the draughts out of our tissue thin glass windows.

I swear by a onesie. We had a throw too...

Also I turn our boil off at the wall until we need water or heating...

I've heard slow cookers aren't good on electric??

I've just read this and am that so many people are cold in this day and age!

I taught myself to knit on Boxing Day, I'm not amazing but I'm more than happy to post some scarves, blankets, etc that I make out to people or if you want some needles and a small ball of wool, it's really easy to learn using wikihow or YouTube. It might help someone, please pm me if i can help. Either that or I'm in West Sussex, the baby and I hang out in doors most days, it's warm here and you're more than welcome for a cuppa.

tuck your trousers into your socks

when you go to bed take two extra pillows and place them either side of you ( as if there are three people in the bed) this traps the heat in and is lovely and snuggly. when dh gets out of bed he always turns his pillow next to me so i dont get cold.

i bought some fleece which was 1 meter wide, then made it into a dressing gown with a high collar. but i made it so that there are three one meter panels sewn togeher at the sides

this means my dd can get inside with me!

wear a pair of woolen gloves with a pair of fingerless gloves over the top! toasty

Bumping this thread for those who are chilly!

This is a great thread. I've lived in this old house for over a decade and have no central heating or double glazing. All the suggestions so far are great and I employ nearly all of them and can cope pretty well in cold weather now. My electric blanket gets turned on for 15 minutes before bed and is my best friend!. My biggest problem is the bathroom. It is horrible trying to wash or get out of the shower in a cold bathroom. I have a wall mounted electric fan heater which I put on for a bit before going in there but it barely raises the temp at all. Brrrr. Its the one room I have trouble heating.