Storage Heating-I'm f-f-f-freeeezing-how can I warm the house without getting a £400 bill again?

[Pawslikepaddington]

It's on 6 input (highest) and 1 output, but the house is freezing from morning until night. I have french windows in the lounge, so have ordered some thermal lining for the curtains, but I'm in a thick jumper and still shaking. How do you make your house warm? xx P.S. Rented so can't rip out the heating system

We had storage heaters in our last house and they were set like you have yours. We got a little fan heater for th evening to top it up. They are 2 killowatts, so not for hours on end, btu an hour after dinner helped a lot.

I have two little oil-filled radiators, do you think they will boost it up? Or are they really expensive? We have good duvet's, so as long as we have early bedtimes there is no probs , it's just my hour or so when dd is in bed, and then first thing in the morning-that is AWFUL!

Sorry, there ARE no probs, I'm tired!

My nan and grandad brought me up and they never put the heating on - i would wake up with steam coming out of my mouth!
I used to do star jumps to get myself warm! Or go to a friends house til bedtime!

How many watts are the radiators? I'd imagine they are less than the fan heater. ANything is worht a go when you are freezing!

I know, but I'm soft and like my heating I'm wearing a vest and a jumper, but I'm SO COLD!

I bought a halogen heater. Finding it really warming. Haven't put the GCH on yet.

Turn them off - seriously. They eat money and they don't keep you even a bit warm. They are the crappest invention ever, and I'm convinced no one would install them if they were going to actually live in the place. I worked out that on our tarriff a single small storage heater costs nigh on £30 a month to run .

We are in Highland Scotland and it's pretty darned cold already (was snowing today). Our neighbour recently gave us a 30 year old portable calor gas heater. This is absolutely brilliant. We run it on one bar all day and we have a warm room to sit in which is brilliant. It helps take the chill off the rest of the downstairs as well.

We also have an electric convector heater and two small oil filled heaters. We ration their use and I really don't think these heater combined will cost as much to run, even on the expensive rate. And even if they do at least we'll be warm!

Another tip. I don't know how much space you have, but we have moved downstairs lock, stock and barrel for the winter so we don't have to heat the upstairs. We do have a downstairs bathroom and an upstairs kitchen though, so our house is somewhat unusual!

Also, hang a thick curtain over the front door - that helps stop the draughts a bit.

And I have knitted dd a cardie and hat to wear in bed-we should be the photo on the front of British Gas's wear a cardie campaign! I don't think they are extortionate wattage-we had a flat that had no heating a few years ago and used them then, and defo didn't get a £400 bill! I thought I could pop one in each bedroom on a timer plug to warm the room before we woke up too.

Oooh thank you. Will turn of the SH's tonight and just use to two oil filled ones-they did fine at no heating flat. The house is tiny but has big windows and v thin curtains, which will change as soon as I get my thermal lining ! There are curtain tracks over where you put the fridge, but not over the front door (weird face emoticon). I love these kind of tips! xx

The only thing storage heaters are good for is drying your washing. Horrible things. I lived in a large and draughty house in Scotland for 3 years with storage heaters

extra radiators sound like a good plan

Right, that decides it! I will only use my oily's, and dd will wear her hat and thermal vest and cardie in bed come rain or shine! Well, rain or snow! At least I'm not in highland Scotland (poor twinkle!) You don't live in that castle do you that those families were renovating a few years ago? That house was unusual!

Fake Fur Boots/Slippers are keeping me warm at the moment. And layers and a duvet

Ah, storage heaters. You'll be nice and sweaty at 3am then!

I wondered why I always woke up roasting Shall I buy some thermal vests for me?

Its horrible being cold so hope the extra heaters work without being too expensive xx

yes, they heat your house nicely in the middle of the night while you're all in bed, then peter out just as it gets cold during the day

seeing as most people no longer have a cheap night tariff for elec (the original reason for the monsters) I really can't see the appeal.

Oooh you are all lovelies. Right, Off to my cosy bed! I love feather duvets!