Ways to keep warm this winter

[harman]

Message withdrawn

It's a bit freaky, MrsTM.

DD1 had this cough all winter. She's got it back now, because it's been so wet and damp.

Bucket's already been emptied once in that bedroom.

Shocking.

It's a bit freaky, MrsTM.

DD1 had this cough all winter. She's got it back now, because it's been so wet and damp.

Bucket's already been emptied once in that bedroom.

Shocking.

Watch your electricity costs expat - they can use a lot

Do you know why it's damp?
Can the problem be fixed?

Otherwise you will just keep dehumidifying forever

Whole house is damp, KM. It's about 100 feet from a massive Scottish sea loch and is made entirely of stone and about 120 years old.

With the original sash windows and crap secondary glazing.

It is a rented house and hte landlord is having double-glazing put in after he gets back from Africa where he is currently working and saving lots because it's going to cost him about £8,000 to have this place double-glazed.

Our bills are already through the roof, FWIW.

Our electric bill went up £50 over just one quarter.

But nowt much we can do about that cuz it is a rental place and we've cut back just about as much as a body can.

Gonna do the foil behind the radiators.

They are quite old and he will need to replace those, too, but I can see why he is waiting and saving up. That will be another big outlay. Adn whilst he owns the place and has a good pension, he's getting hammered by the loss of the 10p tax band and grew up very poor so is frugal and prefers to pay cash for big things like this.

What doesn't kill us will make us tougher.

We survived last winter, and it was long.

This one will be even more so.

But we know we will get through it and that no matter what life throws at us, we are strong enough to take it.

When DD was a baby our bedroom was barely heated. The best thing was co-sleeping.

In the spring I bought about 6 fleecy blanket/throw type things from primark for £2.00 each. my plan is to use those in the living room if we get cold, rather than put the heating on
Hot water bottles are good for using whislt watching TV

Those microwavable teddies are great for kids as safe and toasty warm.

Spare duvet under a sheet is also good for keeping warm so i read recently.

Lots of nice throws for the sofa for watching tv.

Message withdrawn

Harman is your house really draughty? Has it been exceptionally cold in your area? We are in Yorkshire and it is not too warm but my DC are still in summer pjs and just ordinary lightweight duvets. Mind you, they are both in shorts today so maybe they are just warm blooded.

DH and I were a bit cold last night with our summer duvet and I expect to be tonight as DH is away so may need long pjs or to pull the throw up.

Do you think you they will get a bit more used to the cold as the winter draws on?

Message withdrawn

We buy temporary 'double-glazing' each year for our really draughty windows (costs a few quid in Wilkos or Homebase).

Also cheapy draught excluders for the front and back door.

I keep meaning to buy a heavy curtain for the front door too.

We also have a couple of sheepskins on the sofas which we sit on (keeps yer bum warm!) One was from Ikea, so a reasonable price.

Thermal vests, leggings, sheepskin slippers - any natural fibres work best (and last longer too)

Sorry if I've repeated any advice, I'm coming to this thread late!

It does sound like you might struggle if you are finding it cold already. Re bathtime I think the best advice would be to keep the door closed (maintain heat from water/steam) and all have one, inc you, one after another.

I've started a thread in style and beauty about vests

We lived in a village and had no gas and oil central heating. We weren't allowed to have the heating on above a certain limit and when it was on you didn?t really feel it -ice on the inside of my bedroom windows was normal...

We had a multi fuel stove in the living room and kept this one room heated, the rest of the house was freezing. We had jumpers, warm socks. I do remember lighting the fire and my hands hurt so much I could hardly light the damn thing but we spent a lot of the time out of the house running around with our mates. We didn?t watch a lot of telly...

When I lived on a narrowboat (now that was cold -in freezing water with 1 source of heat) I chopped the wood -it then warms you twice - wore a lot of warm clothes, heavy feather puffa jackets and really kept busy. We had no heat in the bathroom and showering in the winter was awful as we had to have the window open all the time as it would get too damp. It was cold but I/we got through it. Best thing is to keep busy and keep moving!

oh and;

shut all doors to keep in warm air

curtains over front doors

selotape over keyholes

old tights in airvents (This still lets air in but at a slower rate)

draft excluders at the bottom of doors.

Move your furniture closer to your heat source if you can't have it on full.

Great thread: very helpful.

We are going to do the clingfilm glazing thing while we faff about prevaricate about replacing windows.

Few other tips not already mentioned.

You can also buy thermal blackout lining by the metre either from John Lewis or ebay - not very expensive. You can then staple, pin or velcro over windows in winter.

Re line curtains with a layer of this too.

If you have concrete, brick, stone floors under your flooring, consider putting extra layers down, either with rugs, extra underlay or extra/better stuff under a floating floor - for example if you've a click together floor (engineered wood or laminate for example) make sure it has a damp membrane and the best quality insulation board too.

This makes a big difference in houses with solid floors and imagine will make a smaller difference with suspended floors.

Stick draught excluder round every door and window and use thick curtains over doors.

Sounds simple but CLOSE doors between rooms when heating them and try not to unecessarily open and leave open - especially applies to outdoor doors.

am ressurecting this thread, cos it's got chilly and we're trying not to put the heating on until 1st Nov....

i have blankets and fleecy dressing gowns from primark but it's still cold!

also, does anyone know what we can do about the vent in our living room wall for the gas fire (technically some holes in the wall)? cos it's letting in a bloody great draft!

am i the only one sat here shivering tonight.....

i love my dehumidyfyer it takes out eh wet in the room and then it is easier to heat th ehouse. I have really noticed the difference but i also have to dry my clothes inside and they dry quicker.

I use mine all the time.

Beautifuldays - I think I said this on another thread, but I really would tape it up. We have taped all ours up with cardboard and gaffer tape on the basis that there are more than enough drafts in our house to keep us safe from carbon monoxide poisoning!