How can i make my house warmer?!!?

[iamwhaticallpregnant]

We have just moved into a much larger old fashioned house (4 floors). We have had the heating on since we moved in and I can not stress how cold it is ALL THE TIME. There are radiators in some of the rooms but the heat doesn't seem to radiate at all! The hallway and three landings are FREEZING COLD - no radiators on the landings. We are worried we are going to have astronomical heating bills! Or have to live in Ski gear. (We do understand the last week has been particularly cold).
Question is therefore - how can we make our new house warmer? For a cheap cost. My mum suggests keeping all the doors shut - which I have done but the living room and kitchen and landings are just arctic . What stand alone heater would you recommend and is there anyway I can heat the house better? And am I better off just putting a heater at the bottom of the house as heat rises?

It was some plasticky backed canvas stuff I had lying around, but thickish polythene sheet would have probably worked too. I used stick on velcro to attach it. Worked a treat. Heack, I think I would have used cardboard if necessary!

I'm not sure of the ins and outs of this, but my DB has just had loft insulation fitted and cavity wall insulation for free. He owns his own house and gets no benefits.

The company was called Dyson iirc. They knocked on the door and told him everyone was eligible, it is something to do with the energy companies having to make sure people have adequate insulation, government something or other.

So if you have a google you should be able to see if there are similar schemes in your area. I believe everyone to be elgible, as my DB was.

Also I've seen suggested on here a few times to buy cheap mfleece blankets from ikea, or primark and sew them into the lining of your curtains. That would be much cheaper than buying expensive thermal linings for curtains.

And keep your feet warm slippers and socks on all the time, sheepskin is very warm. Socks on in bed. I love electric blankets too.

buy cheap curtains, then buy thermal lining to go underneath [[http://www.dunelm-mill.com/shop/thermal-curtain-linings-166202 here]

They just attach with the same curtain hooks. Very easy to use.

You only need to do the reflector boards on external walls BTW.

The plastic 'double glazing' shrink stuff was a lifesaver on our 100 year old terrace house. I remember getting frost on the inside of it from time to time!!

What we did last night was stand outside the front door and look for light coming through gaps, if light can come through so can air!

THEJOYFULPUDDLEJUMPER - I am very interested in these ideas. the reflector boards - could u explain what you made them out of and how u attached etc?

if the large windows have blinds - not curtains - is there anything i can do? i loved the fleece ideas but they r blinds! not curtains

oooh andabigbird - you are like an oracle! cant wait to get started with these.

welcome to living in an old house. ours is freezing all the time too and our heating/gas bills are getting silly but accept that its part of living in a victorian house. we found that heating the hallway helped make the whole house feel warmer as its central to the house, if its cold no matter what room your in feels cold too as it seems to suck all the heat out. make sure you have no draughts, make sure the loft is well insulated. The first year in our house was the really cold year, 2010? and we had to go to bed with clothes on to stay warm it was that cold. also our neighbour used to wear a long padded coat every single day to stay warm. they have now put in a wood burner and said its the best thing they have done as it heats the house better than their central heating ever did. oh also remembered if you have any open chimnies that your not using get them blocked up. if you have any open fireplaces and they can still be used then use them to heat the place.

also meant to say we covered all our floors as we seemed to get draughts up through the old floorboards as nice as they are. we put down some thin polystyrene rolls first)the stuff you put under laminate flooring) then covered it in underlay then carpeted it.

would you be able to put plantation shutters in? We have them and the difference they make is astounding. At the moment I am keeping them closed most of the time and it is incredible when open them it is like opening a fridge - so they are keeping all that cold air out.

We lived in a very old and draughty house before this one casued largely by old windows that didn't fit properly. I sealed up all the gaps with draft excluders which helped.

Our house doesn't feel as cosy this week (as normal, system fighting to keep on top of challenging weather), but at least it's all working again as was even colder last week before we had it fixed.

Get shutters installed or made. I agree with maxmiillie that they work very well.
Also woodburner helps - esp if near the centre of the house. Ours is over spec-ed for the space as the doors in the house are often open to heat the hallway and landings.

I second thermal linings on curtains. We got ours off ebay, made a huge difference, and much cheaper then new curtains. Also have you checked the pressure is correct on the boiler. DH did this the other day and it made a huge difference.
Good old fashioned draft excluders help as well.

Oh, and get some of these! I only bought one pair and wish I'd bought several more pairs. Wear under trousers. They've kept me warm all day.
www.marksandspencer.com/Heatgen-Full-Length-Thermal-Leggings/dp/B003X0J8PW?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_1&nodeId=42966030&sr=1-1&qid=1358354996&pf_rd_r=10DCJRCKAV6H7WM1X6S8&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_i=0&pf_rd_p=321381407&pf_rd_s=center-3Thermals

you can also use an incense stick to find drafts. Light one and go around the house looking for when the smoke wavers.

You have wooden floors and no one has mentioned carpets.
As a temporary measure until you get all those thick curtains just put cling film across all the windows.

erm, a few of us have mentioned carpets - or rugs!

woweee - I will try the incense sticks - although sounds like something spooky (hunting for spirits type of thing). thanks all.
what are plantation shutters?
we have NO CLUE how to use the boiler - have a manual we are going to sit down and read at weekend but the radiators feel scolding to the touch - but house is still freezing. must be drafts!

Curtain over the front door (if you can get a normal one, look for cheap fleece blankets and pin/sew them between the layers. Strip on the bottom of any draughty doors (srewfix do them), secondary glazing film, and ignore DH and get a radiator key and bleed the radiators.

That lot should keep you warm from running around, if nothing else .

Wear lots of socks and slippers. Having cold feet will always make you feel cold.

Do you have radiators on at the top of the house? We had this problem too and it was only when we turned the rads right up on the top floor that we got the house warm. The heating clicked on less, so I don't think it costs us more. Pain of having tall houses, isn't it.

thank you. ive just had a little walk around and there is a noticeable gale around the back door in the kitchen around the sides and top like it has NO SEAL. what can i do abt that?!
also bg draft in front room infront of front door. it appears to be sealed wellbut is freezing nearit.think its thin. the massive windows at the front also seem drafty but. they are double glazed.

oh god.... so so much to do and im 27 days from giving birth and knackered!

Lidl do 2M of stick on seal strips for £1.99. We have just stuck it around the door frame and its helped a lot. So I would use something similar and then get a curtain over the door. You could also use a draft excluder.

If necessary just to get you through you could always use drawing pins to pin a fleece blanket over the back door (assuming you don't go in and out of it all the time).

The shrink wrap windows are pretty easy, double sided sticky tape and a hair drier. Foam tape for sealing gaps is usually self adhesive and cut with scissors. Roll a towel up and stick it in front of the front door in the evening when you all come in.

I'd do some of this stuff and reckon on doing the rest later when you are less knackered. For this winter buy an oil filled radiator to use in the room where you spend most of your time. Yes it will be more expensive in bills but if you are short of time and energy and the baby will stay warmer that way.

Wear a hat inside, yeah you look silly but stay warmer. Make sure you wear a camisole and leggings under your clothes and warm socks, they make a world of difference.

Could try this on windows.