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Original poster

Ways to keep warm this winter

122 replies

harman · 23/08/2008 22:52

Message withdrawn

OP posts:
chibi · 23/08/2008 23:22

Apologies if dumb...

How do I find out if I can put in cavity wall insulation? My house is a mid terrace house built in the 1890s, do houses from this era have solid walls? How can I find out if this is feasible?

MrsTittleMouse · 23/08/2008 23:23

Cavity walls tended to come into use in the 1920s or 1930s. Sorry.

AvenaLife · 23/08/2008 23:24

When you bang on the walls what does it sound like?

Warmfront will check them for you if you give them a call. The link is in my thread above.

Original poster
harman · 23/08/2008 23:24

Message withdrawn

OP posts:
ranting · 23/08/2008 23:24

I wouldn't have thought a victorian house would have cavity walls, I'm in a 1930s semi and we don't, pure wall.

Frizbe · 23/08/2008 23:25

and don't forget your hat you loose a lot of heat through your head, and of course you'll look gorgeous in bed with it on
Good luck with persuading the landlord to get things sorted.

Avenalife - I was trying to look up some ceramic blocks that are supposed to sit in old fireplaces in other rooms, which will then pass the heat onto that room, do you know what I'm on about? I'm interested in the concept!

ranting · 23/08/2008 23:25

God, yes when I was a kid my mum used to put the grill on so we would have somewhere warm to dress.

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:25

this house has solid stone walls about 2.5 feet thick.

it's got single glazing with shite secondary glazing.

it's LPG - there is no mains gas out here.

gas fireplace.

we have a few of those electric space heaters but i'm afraid to leave them on all night because of fire danger.

it's rented, so nothing we can change.

i'm worried about the girls' being warm, the damp and the newborn baby.

we'll definitely have to keep the heating on at night for our room with the little baby.

house about 120 years old.

it'll be tough, but this is our last winter here.

our landlords are coming back and we'll need to move.

but i've lived in caravans that were warmer than this.

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:25

this house has solid stone walls about 2.5 feet thick.

it's got single glazing with shite secondary glazing.

it's LPG - there is no mains gas out here.

gas fireplace.

we have a few of those electric space heaters but i'm afraid to leave them on all night because of fire danger.

it's rented, so nothing we can change.

i'm worried about the girls' being warm, the damp and the newborn baby.

we'll definitely have to keep the heating on at night for our room with the little baby.

house about 120 years old.

it'll be tough, but this is our last winter here.

our landlords are coming back and we'll need to move.

but i've lived in caravans that were warmer than this.

AvenaLife · 23/08/2008 23:26

I remember this so well. I used to look at the frost patterns in the window. I used to be able to see my breath when I was in bed. Put the hot water bottle in 10 mins before to make the bed warm, then snuggle under, covering my head with the blankets.

Give warmfront a call.

KatyMac · 23/08/2008 23:26

You can tell by looking at the bricks outside

The bricks have 2 ends a long end and a short end

If your wall is made up of all long edges then it is a cavity wall

If it is made up of longs & shorts it is a solid wall

Frizbe · 23/08/2008 23:27

Expat I'm shivering, brrrrrr.

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:27

this is the LAST time we will EVER live in a period property.

no way, no how.

it's got damp as well.

chibi · 23/08/2008 23:27

Oh bum. This is kind of what I thought. I think our big thing will be increasing the insulation in the attic, have been meaning to do it for a few years but really can't keep putting it off.

Being in the middle of the terrace helps with heat loss + probably compensates for lack of wall insulation to some extent.

I am from a v cold area originally and the draughty/heat losing nature of many UK houses was a real shock to me!

AvenaLife · 23/08/2008 23:28

Have you poped some foil behind any radiators to reflect the warmth back in?

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:28

frizbe, my inside joke is that this house is beautiful. because it is.

the same way a jewelled sword is, IYKWIM.

Original poster
harman · 23/08/2008 23:29

Message withdrawn

OP posts:
MrsTittleMouse · 23/08/2008 23:29

Expat - would it be an idea to get a dehumidifier? We got on last winter when we were living in an old badly insulated house, and it definitely made a difference. I think that damp cold creeps into your bones somehow.
Ours cost £100 though, so not a small outlay.

AvenaLife · 23/08/2008 23:29

YOU CAN GET GRANTS FOR THIS IS YOU ARE ON BENEFITS. GIVE WARMFRONT A CALL 0800 316 2805.

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:29

it's also a detached bungalow.

the original wood-burning fireplace was ripped out and replaced with a gas one.

which sucks as the sea loch's beaches are loaded with driftwood in winter and there's plenty of room in the old coal shed to dry it out.

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:30

MrsTittle, do those things really work?

I can borrow one!

Worth a try.

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:30

MrsTittle, do those things really work?

I can borrow one!

Worth a try.

ranting · 23/08/2008 23:30

Expat. Am guessing it will take more than a few bed socks to make you feel warmer. Christ, hope we have a mild winter for you.

chibi · 23/08/2008 23:31

What kind of foil? Aluminium foil? Apologies for sounding like such a turkey, never had to think about any of this back home.

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:32

It's the Scottish Highlands, ranting. We're a strong breed out here.

What doesn't kill you just makes you tougher .