Things that worked or didn't work last winter

annie123

for any newbies here's the original preparing for winter thread
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=531601&highlight=for+winter

worked:

• thermal lined thick curtains (velvet curtains from charity shop few years ago, dyed, and originally from a closed pub) everywhere
• cling film stuff on single glazed windows, needs to be put on windows before there is a big temperature difference between inside and out or the double side tape can come off.
• I put the above on just the panes of glass on some so they could still be opened to air the place each day.
• primark fleece pajamas, not sexy but warm;)
• thermal undies
• slippers
• going for a 5 min walk, feels warmer when you're back inside
• fleece throws for snuggling up in on sofa
• radiator foil
• bubble wrap on DS's windows at the back of his flat...metal frames couldn't get tape to stick for film wrap.
• real fires in the living room.....feels warmer looking at them

Didn't work

• drought excluders at bottom of doors used a lot, ended up be kicked aside
• trying to train my lot to shut doors:mad:
• trying to get them to have showers not baths...said too chilly when they got out:rolleyes:
• wishful thinking that I was living in the Caribbean:rotfl:

Before next year want to carpet the stairs, painted with dragons on them which I love but they were cold.

Barneysmom

Carpeting the stairs really helps. And I got a really thick underlay for mine, it did cost a fair bit but was worth it in the end.

But this house is like a barn, and there's no way we can have the heating on all day, it's going to be a heat or eat thing.

Mrs_Thrify

A few years ago we were lucky to be entitled to the warm front grant so the walls have the foam in them and the loft in. is very thick.
Last winter we opened up the coal fire and sometimes neighbours gave us free wood, other times we buy a log load in. On the sofa's we put fleese blankets and hot water bottles.
Our central heating was turned on for just winter, from December to March. Our duel fuel bill has just dropped by £25 per month.
Weekends I sometimes do a mass cook in for the next few days. The oven throws off a lot of heat. I cook a roast or casserole or cottage pie and home made cakes.
Slipper socks and slippers keep the tootsie's cosy.I try to remember to put gloves and scalf on every time I go to the shops.
This year I would like to put the fairy lights up early as they look so majical and a nice feeling.
Hot milk and hot chocolate always goes down well in the evening.

foxgloves

Fridge magnets over keyholes is genius......it's little things like that when you wonder why you never thought of it yourself. A draught issue I just can't seem to think of a solution for is our catflap. The catflap is through the wall and does the job well where comings & goings of large free-spirited cat are concerned, but the wind blows straight through it into the kitchen. I've cut this down a fair bit by putting up a much more heavyweight curtain (recycled out of something that has already been 3 different things but still looks good!) but our house is already quite open plan downstairs (due to 'improvements' done by previous owners) & I reckon the catflap is responsible for lowering the temperature a good bit. Toyed with the idea of one of those flaps which only opens when cat approaches wearing little remote control tag on his collar as that wouldn't blow open, but our cat is a long-term stray (now homed with us), a bit of a warrior and always losing his collars in fights with neighbouring moggies. Might experiment with little catflap curtain & try tempting him through with a favourite stinky tin on the other side! Anyone else had this problem & solved it?

nesssie1702

We had cavity wall insulation installed in May, so I'm hoping that's going to make a difference this winter. I managed to pick up a set of thick long curtains in Asda earlier in the year for £15, so they'll be going over the front and back doors. Also managed to pick up a KS electrical underblanket in a closing down sale (don't worry, I tried it out before they closed for good!) for £40, so that will mean a cosy bed for us.

I find that one way of warming up the kitchen is by putting the dishwasher on timed to come on for 6 am, by the time we're coming downstairs, it's in full pelt (on the night rate) and kicking off a fair bit of heat.

Magentasue

Cling film on the windows of our downstairs bathroom made a big difference. In other rooms, we have lined curtains and close them early in winter.

Last December we had all the bedrooms replastered (Victorian house we moved into, where previous occupant was 90 year old man living in one room) and there was a huge difference once the curtains and carpets were done. We bought mega-thick felted underlay online that worked out cheaper than the thin stuff from Carpetright.

We've moved our bathroom upstairs this summer but last year, that bedroom was my ironing room and I hardly used the tumble drier because I had a huge airer up for wet washing.

When we moved in we had a central heating installed and had an energy efficient combi boiler put in. In our last house, the programmer let you set on and off periods. The one we have now is better - you put in the temp you want the house at different times so it ends up being on less.

Before we had the heating installed, we invested in electric blankets and use them on timers to come on every evening in the winter. Brilliant - radiators in bedrooms turned down.

Energy saving bulbs knocked a couple of kwh a day in the winter. A Currentcost (like an Owl) energy monitor changed the family's habits faster than I ever could.

maman

Just been reading that a number of you use a thick curtain behind front door to keep the heat in. I need to do this for our half-glazed door, particularly in hours of darkness. Would you share some ideas on the best way to hang the curtain so it doesn't get in the way too much?

downshifter

maman wrote: »

Just been reading that a number of you use a thick curtain behind front door to keep the heat in. I need to do this for our half-glazed door, particularly in hours of darkness. Would you share some ideas on the best way to hang the curtain so it doesn't get in the way too much?

I've just got a cheap wooden curtain pole across the opening with ikea heavy cord curtains, I have one on each side so that when they're closed they bunch up well keeping the warmth on the room side. It also means the cats can get in and out through the catflap without having to find their way round one big curtain! Basically just open them when you need to open the door and keep them closed otherwise. I also pull them shut when I go out. You can get curtain rails that have riser thingies that lift the curtains up off the floor a bit but I don't see the need.

DS

zarazara

this HAS to be the best thread on the forum.

Worked =
Lined door curtain
Loft Insulation
Wood burning stoves instead of open fires
Radiator foil
Thermal underwear socks long skirts/trousers
Wooley hat
fingerless gloves
Fleeces'/traveling rugs on sofa and chairs
Drying washing on a SheilaMaid instead of the radiators
Bubble wrap at windows esp in little used rooms
Radiator thermostats
Cat and knitting on knee
Boiling water in a flask so dont need to keep boiling kettle
Cooking on top of wood burning stove
Going a walk/taking exercise

zarazara

A four poster bed with curtains round and a roof would be good.