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Victorian house keep warm life hacks sought!

281 replies

slugjelly · 28/09/2026 21:54

Hello,
First winter in my draughty north facing mid renovation Victorian house looming. I’m already cold. What hacks do you have. Do I need small heaters? Heated blankets? Dehumidifier? There must be some way to make it better apart from hot water bottles. I have central heating, but need to seriously supplement it.
Yours freezingly,
slugjelly

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6
BiddyPopthe2nd · 29/09/2026 10:07

Draught excluders to place against the bottoms of doors (easy to make using one leg of old tights with rags to stuff them).

Try to keep a couple of rooms warm to “live in” - kitchen, sitting room etc, and a bathroom not quite arctic.
But have electric blankets or hot water bottles (But NOT both!) for the beds - good duvets are cheaper than a new heating system for year 1, and add woolly hats if very cold in bed.

Close the doors to rooms that you are not using frequently to keep the cold in there - but air those out at least weekly. And keep the door to hall/stairs closed from the “lived in” rooms for most of the day, to avoid unnecessary heat loss - but allow the kitchen door open to let that heat up when you are finished in the kitchen after dinner and going to the sitting room to relax (you might want to close the door between kitchen and sitting room so hall cold doesn’t seep in).

A closed stove throws out a lot more heat than an open fire.

Timers on any radiators, and zoning of them (so a blast in the bedrooms just before getting up and again before bedtime is good, but kitchen needs heat at a different time) is great if that’s possible.

Blankets on sofas to snuggle under when relaxing really helps. And thick warm socks in the house (and decent slippers, if you are a “shoes off indoors” house).

ReadingTime · 29/09/2026 10:09

If the floorboard gaps are drafty, try this stuff. https://www.draughtex.co.uk/?ppcGeneral&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=43602053&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=43602053&gbraid=0AAAAAD_q9Pxw8fzvtaUUbnjl60txRsSxi&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlIbHjLeTlwMVoIBQBh3zGSvgEAAYASAAEgLwa_D_BwE

I’ve only used it in a gap by back door but it’s lasted really well and there’s no mess or drama in fitting it.

Focus on the front door too - a thick curtain filling the space top to bottom, an indoor letterbox flap as well as outdoor (I also stuck a bit of carpet sample onto the flappy bit of oursto almost seal the space), and I was pleased with this hack - those sticky felt furniture protector pads, cut into strips and stuck to the bottom of the door if you have a gap there.

and heated blankets for the sofa, one each so everyone can be comfy in the evening.

DraughtEx Floorboard Gap Filler for Draught Proofing Floors

Buy DraughtEx floorboard gap filler to stop draughts from gaps between floorboards. Free delivery.

https://www.draughtex.co.uk/?gad_campaignid=43602053&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD_q9Pxw8fzvtaUUbnjl60txRsSxi&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlIbHjLeTlwMVoIBQBh3zGSvgEAAYASAAEgLwa_D_BwE&ppcGeneral=

ScottBakula · 29/09/2026 10:09

If you do anymore wood work save the sawdust , or go to a pet shop and buy fine sawdust . Mix 50-50 pva glue and water based varnish or paint ( to match your floor) mix sawdust glue and varnish / paint into a thick paste and use it to fill narrow gaps in your floor boards . For larger gaps use the same mix but with hemp string/ rope.

It's a fiddley job , use a lolly stick to help spread the mixture.

Wipe off excess straight away.
The mix may expand a little as the sawdust absorbs the liquid so don't over fill the cracks.
It's better to have to top them up rather than sand / scrap of the excess.

BiddyPopthe2nd · 29/09/2026 10:10

Also, put interlining in your curtains (it’s like a thin wool blanket) as that really helps keep the heat in at the windows.

Do you really need the air rock to stay clear? We had massive holes in behind the “vents” in our bedrooms so blocked them up enough so there’s still air coming in, but also have a controllable vent cover now so we can close it fully in winter/bad weather.

Discobooloo · 29/09/2026 10:15

Sorry if I missed this, but do you have a cellar at all or just the Victorian 'chasm'?!

BiddyPopthe2nd · 29/09/2026 10:28

I have asthma but love my wood burning stove - it is far better than the open fires we had growing up.

When we got our first house, I bought a sewing machine and made a bunch of the curtains (we also got the family “hand me downs” collection to start us off in some less used rooms). It worked out a LOT cheaper, and I’ve had the machine for various other home goods (cushion covers, draught excluders, tote bags, storage bins for dressing tables) and for repairs since.

Get a decent ladder to reach up to the tops of windows and to ceilings - you will make good use of it over the years. Changing bulbs, cleaning cobwebs, maybe even painting yourself. But a decent, solid ladder will mean you feel more confident to put up curtain rails yourself.

You could take up a quiet evenings hobby of hooking - to make wool rugs for floors (I probably have the wrong word but someone will know what I mean). But Ikea rugs are great as a cheap option, especially for larger floor areas.

And warm layers in natural fabrics are definitely a good idea. And a good kettle, with a handful of chunky mugs to wrap your hands around for tea/hot chocolate internal heating options.

Freya1542 · 29/09/2026 10:30

Firstly, heat yourselves. Heated throws for you and the children, these are £34

Oodies are also an excellent way to stay cosy, not glam but highly effective, lowest price currently £39 but some go as low as £20 on occasion

As cold air whistles up through bare floorboards, ensure the gaps are draught-proofed and the edges by the skirting board (flexible wood filler) as @ReadingTime suggested DraughtEx

Also as @ButIWasGoingToRetire mentioned, ceiling to floor thermal/heavy curtains behind the front door which ime is usually very draughty.

It does take time to renovate an old place but will be so worth it @slugjelly, no need to freeze in the meantime though. 🔥

BiddyPopthe2nd · 29/09/2026 10:37

If your rads are under the windows, plan your curtains to go a bit longer than the gap to the radiator and tuck them in behind the rad when they are closed - so the warm air goes into the room but not up behind the curtain to the window.

Also, you can get a type of insulation, which is a thin roll with 1 foil lined side, to put behind radiators and reflect heat back into the room and reduce what is absorbed into the walls. That made a huge difference on our north facing uninsulated walls.

GasPanic · 29/09/2026 10:41

Find all the gaps and eliminate them.

Maybe invest in a thermal camera to find out where the cold spots are and deal with them.

MustTryHarderAndHarder · 29/09/2026 11:01

itstoolateforsnacks · 28/09/2026 22:11

We have a pretty cold old house but we love it, i couldnt do a new build. My survival tips are: wood burning stove, oodies, heated under blanket in my bed. That’s been the biggest game changer, getting in to a cold bed was the worst.

Yes, an electric blanket is truly life changing. We have an over blanket as we have a foam mattress so can't have an under blanket.

We have just ordered some heated clothes from here so don't know how good they are yet

toastybody.com/en-gb?srsltid=AU7gw4VNtfYfXzZ69CuP0ASxvNLpQudtoZEL3m0NBDVuGULpjQJwXb9G

PerkingFaintly · 29/09/2026 11:11

Underfloor insulation will make big difference. I'd suggest using one of the vapour permeable ones like rockwool or sheep's wool, rather than PIR, as it will maintain your house's breathability.

They're also flexible so much easier to insert between the joists.

You'd have to get some floorboards up, but not all.

You'll need enough depth under the floorboards to slither around. You'll also need a good staple gun and preferably goggles.

Two videos:

I rate both of these folks, but you'll find plenty more advice online. The short version is that yes, you can go to town putting in vapour barriers and airtightness barriers, but actually just holding the insulation up with string or chicken netting will get you a massive improvement on where you are now.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KltU08BK7Oc

Beebumble2 · 29/09/2026 11:22

More on the curtain theme, I agree blinds with curtains to pull over them is a good idea. If you’re making them yourself, lots of instructions on the internet. Also cheap curtain fabric manufacturers on the internet, remember that curtain fabric is usually 54” wide, sometimes wider. You could use cheap fleece bed throws as liners for the curtains.
A good book to buy for Victorian renovation is The Victorian House Manual by Ian Alistair Rock, published by Haynes ( the car manual people).
We have fully renovated 2 Victorian houses over the years, mostly DIY and out of earnings. Slow going, but so worth it! Good luck.

Beebumble2 · 29/09/2026 11:24

Cheap second hand version.

Victorian house keep warm life hacks sought!
NoSuchBass · 29/09/2026 11:25

slugjelly · 28/09/2026 22:11

Basically it was a kind of probate house, totally fucked by years of neglect by a 100 yr old guy. I’ve renovated it to the extent I could, which is removing all his brown, damp william
morris carpet and wallpaper and making it a white blank space while I see what the winter problems are.

I had the floorboards sanded which I can already see may have been a mistake. I got the bathroom and kitchen functioning, and the kids rooms nice, and ran out of money. I have old sash windows, some painted shut— it is a lot of money to get them all replaced. I would have a real fire/stove if my daughter didn’t have asthma.

The roof at least is full of highly effective synthetic fluff.

Edited

Oh bless you. I've just done the same and am so relieved to hear someone else in the same position! Probate job, wallpaper, unimpressed pre teens, the lot. I've just found a small tree growing out of my first floor window. Massive congrats for doing the kids rooms and making it nice.

It WILL be cosy.

This year, we are doing carpets, rugs, I need to get some draught excluders, and hot water bottles. I did actually have a bit of fun spending some of the renovation fund on a big fat M&S pyjama and dressing gown order for the kids. That was kind of my 'sorry for buying an old rickety house but here you go love you' And early nights!

Goodness knows what next year. We'll be living in a tree by the looks of it.

Good luck with your renovations and well done. Housing a whole family yourself is a win in itself, quite honestly!

NoSuchBass · 29/09/2026 11:28

Oh also. Double duvets. Bed spreads. Fat socks.

Imisscoffee2021 · 29/09/2026 12:18

I'm in a solid stone 1863 house, renting so can't even insulate it! Not for much longer thankfully! But I use an oil filled radiator to supplement the heating, and I used velcro draught excluders on all doors as there was a literal breeze. Our issue is also a draughty chimney flue, can't change that as we're renting but it's out of use so should have a balloon thing in but sadly does not.

Norberta · 29/09/2026 12:58

ive survived several winters in a very draughty Victorian mid-renno and I too can see the outside through the floor boards and there is a literal hole between where the kitchen ends and the back door begins and it’s still not so bad. My hacks are:

  • heated drying rack for drying clothes that you keep on either in your study if you wfh or in your bedroom overnight to pump out some heat whilst it does its drying thing
  • straight out of the shower and into a dressing gown in the morning when it’s chilly and then start getting dressed with it on so you are never naked
  • large rugs in rooms
  • natural fibres for clothes: wool and cashmere makes the biggest difference
AlonsoMosley · 29/09/2026 13:27

MrsPapillon · 28/09/2026 22:15

We had Kingspan laid under the floorboard and it made a massive difference. Victorian houses don’t have foundations. There’s nothing but floorboards above the ground, so you really need something to protect you from the draughts. If cost is an obstacle, you can get cheaper stuff that’s more like a thick silver blanket to go under the floorboards.

The floorboards are a constant conundrum for me as in the winter they add to cold but in the summer they help cool the house.

AlonsoMosley · 29/09/2026 13:36

slugjelly · 28/09/2026 22:44

Right. So next question is how can I quickly get curtains sorted on a bit of a budget (not too badly but you know what I mean)? There are no existing rails as the previous man had little hook things screwed right into the sash frames.

Edited

We visited friends in Quebec many years ago - super cold there.

All their windows has a kind of thin, clear, plastic cling film lining on the inside of the window. It almost disappears as in you do not really see it, but according to them it makes a significant difference to the heat in the house. It has some sort of sticky thing and just sits on the window frame.

Ineffable23 · 29/09/2026 13:51

I used to have a double duvet on a single bed as a teenager. Our house used to be heated to 16 in the morning and evening and 12 in the middle of the day and at night. So I had a double duvet to avoid draughts at night. It was quite effective.

EllieQ · 29/09/2026 15:59

Lots of great ideas here! I live in a 1900s house which can get quite cold in winter. The previous owner installed laminate flooring downstairs, which we haven’t been able to replace yet, but we have a large rug with carper underlay fitted underneath in the living room, which helps.

My other suggestion is a heated floor mat like this one, which is great when I’m working from home.

Heated Mat

It heats up very quickly and keeps my feet toasty, which makes me feel less cold in general.

Heating mat | Heatable Up To 55°c | Available In Two Sizes

Heatable Carpet Foot Rug with Non-slip Backing Our high-quality heating carpet foot rug provides soothing warmth at the workplace or at home. You can place the heating rug under the desk in the office, for example, place your feet on it while sitting a...

https://www.flodi.co.uk/products/heated-carpet-mat

unsync · 29/09/2026 16:19

Thermals from Landsend. Leggings and long sleeved vest. Then lots of layers of natural fibre. Merino wool or cashmere sweater and silk scarf round your neck. Sheepskin slippers. Fingerless gloves. In extremis, I also wear a cashmere beanie. Check out nearlynewcashmere.com for the best second hand cashmere which is also keenly priced. I spend October through to April/May in their sweaters.

Housewise, as others have said, find the gaps and plug them. Thick curtains, you can pick up old woolen blankets from charity shops to hang behind existing curtains. Draught excluders can just be old towels folded and laid against the bottom of doors.

Move around every hour or so, making a hot drink is a good way of doing that! And yes, a heated throw is great, as are pets.

I must say I'm not looking forward to winter either @slugjelly.

Sunbringer · 29/09/2026 16:30

Heated blanket. The small heaters cost us so much money. Blankets are cheaper plus hot water bottle and a warm hat.

AlonsoMosley · 29/09/2026 17:15

PigletJohn · 28/09/2026 23:03

Easy and cheap, with the best payback because it cuts heat loss so much, is mineral wool loft insulation. I will only use the soft variety treated with Ecose, which is brown and des not shed irritant dust and fibres. It is actually made by Knauf, but widely sold as an own-brand. It will be badged "Ecose" on the wrapper.

If there is old yellow fibreglass in the house, I would seriously put on goggles, gloves, a mask and overalls, and strip it out into bin bags which I would lower carefully onto an old blanket under the loft hatch. I would use a builders canister vac to clean out the dust in the loft, and I would take off my overalls and PPE standing on the blanket and bag them up for laundering before going into the bathroom for a thorough shower or bath, including hair wash. It is that bad.

Next, full length insulated curtains on every window, and on Portiere Rods over the doors (this is a cunning design that lifts them when you open the door so they don't drag on the floor).

Block all disused fireplaces, leaving a brick-sized ventilation hole to prevent damp from internal condensation ( yes, it is a thing)

You might not be able to afford good curtains yet, but if you have just moved in, fit good curtain rails throughout, screwed to the wall in a way that I can explain in DIY, before you decorate. Look up standard sizes for ready-made curtains to decide the height. Even a horrid cheap curtain, or sheet of decorators polythene dustsheeting, will cut heat loss.

Do not put radiators under windows. Heat loss due to thermal gradient is enormous with old windows, and worse still if the radiator is under them.

If you have to use electric heaters, fan heaters give a quick burst, but are expensive to run. I recommend oil-filled radiators, which give a slow, even heat and can be low power, or turned down, to keep a bedroom tolerable and dry even on a cold night. Better still, they get no hotter than a teapot, and will not start a fire or scorch a jumper or newspaper you accidentally drop on them. Fan heaters, and especially exposed element electric fires, are very much more dangerous on this regard.

Do not buy miniature heaters that fit on a socket and are advertised on the 'net. They are not safety approved and are very dangerous.

Finally...
All electric heaters are equally efficient. They all turn 1kWh of electrical energy into 1kWh of heat energy. Do not be misled by adverts that try to make you think a magical expensive heater will give you more heat for less money. It is a physical impossibility, like trying to pour two pints of milk out of a one-pint jug.

Hello @PigletJohn . Thank you for that list.
I would be very grateful to know about curtain rods. I have spent so much and made so many mistakes over the years. For some reason, I can never get them right.