Keeping warm in an old listed house with high ceilings and single glazing?

tori.k

krlyr wrote: »

I grew up in a house with no central heating or doubleglazing, plus the original sash windows, and to top it off, surrounded in open fields so the wind could really batter the house at times! It did get cold in winter but not horrifically. I actually moved back to the house out of choice for a few years.

I think most of us did but kids today are growing up in super insulated and central heated buildings like school's and friends/relations houses. it's more noticeable and uncomfortable going into a cold house now then year's ago when double glazing and central heating wasn't the norm. we've all gone soft

krlyr

tori.k wrote: »

I think most of us did but kids today are growing up in super insulated and central heated buildings like school's and friends/relations houses. it's more noticeable and uncomfortable going into a cold house now then year's ago when double glazing and central heating wasn't the norm. we've all gone soft

I'm only 25 so central heating etc. was pretty much the norm for friends and family! We were just stuck a bit in the olden days in our little farm cottage. But even my stepsisters coped with it fine when they came for their alternate weekends at ours, you do adapt and get used to it.

hereigoagain22

Thanks guys.

Will have a look at the house. It's a 6 or 12 months SAT so can take the 6months and if it's too cold in winter I'd be able to find something else and give my months notice. I'm at my Mums just now anyway so the worst thing that could happen is that it's horrifically cold and I have to move back :-D

So... warmer clothes, thick curtains, electric blankets, fire on in the living room and heaters on a socket timer set to come on before we get up in the morning and shortly before bath/bedtime!

We lived in a really warm flat (22 - 24degrees all the time) and have moved to my Mums where it's usually around 15-18 since she never lets me run the heating but we've adjusted. I now wear socks and proper pyjamas instead of shorts and a vest! And the kids wear a onesie.

meritaten

buy really warm dressing gowns! I bet they will be on 'sale' this month! and bedsocks! if you take the 6 month then you will only be there during the warmer months..........hmmmm its just a thought - but is there a financial incentive to signing a longer agreement?
I think you may find Hot Water bottles a bit cheaper than electric blankets - but that is up to you.

krlyr

Can't say we've noticed the electric blanket having much of an impact on our electricity bill. We put it on about 20 mins before bed and switch it off as soon as we've got in. It takes the chill off the sheet/duvet and stays toasty until we fall asleep anyway. I much prefer it to a hot water bottle, head to toe cosiness!

mishmash

We have a big old Georgian house, huge windows (some single glazed) and very high ceilings. Our gas and leccy bills are high, but that's because we have 6 children (5 teens) so constant showers/baths, lights being left on and lots of electrical equipment. However people are often surprised how warm our home is, the walls are really thick, and the council did a scheme for insulation for free! So that is one thing I don't not have to worry about!
Could you possibly ask the current tenant? It may be that's its a warm home, one thing about those big windows is if they are south facing (like mine) the rooms become like a green house!

midnightraven3

if you are worried about being cold in bed, i found out by accident, that, if you lie on a fleecy blanket, under you, not on top of you, it keeps you toasty warm

we have a waterbed and the heater broke
of course we found out when we got in
its too cold to lie on without it so we got a thick fleecy blanket out and had toasty night
now our 3 teens all have them on their beds
works a treat

monnagran

Think very carefully!
I lived in a huge unheated house before we could afford to get CH put in and it wasn't much fun. I remember putting the baby's nappy in a bucket of water, in the kitchen, before we went away overnight. When we came back the next day the bucket of water was frozen solid. In the winter we wore coats, hats and even gloves indoors.
The heating bills were eye-watering. We really didn't do much in the winter because when we moved away from the one gas fire it was pretty dire. We had an electric heater in the baby's room that ate money.

Beautifully cool in a heatwave though.............

pigpen

Living in a large high ceilinged formerly single glazed house... if the LL is not sorting central heating and double glazing don't do it!!!!

Our house was beautiful in the hot summer.. days.. when it is so cool an lovely but in winter you go outside to get warm!! It was definitely not for the feint hearted.. open plan added to it sounds horrific.. every draught mutiplied by 1000 you will never be warm.

I at least can shut a door and turm on a fan heater to get 1 room warm but I spent most of the first 5 years living here withall my clothes and extra sweater and my dressing gown all day and night.

My utilities are over £250 a month.. just gas and electric.

They are beautiful houses but by heck they are cold!

Molly41

My childhood home was bitterly cold and remains uninsulated and uncomfortable. There is nothing so miserable as feeling permanently cold and it is such hard work to keep warm. I would think very carefully x