keeping warm

whatnots2015

Hello!

Apologies if this has been asked a million times already and there are already active threads.

We are currently living in private rented accommodation and our home is absolutely freezing! I have health problems and just cannot get or stay warm. The next things I'm considering are thermal curtains and I wondered if anyone has experience and whether they make any difference. Draught excluders, aluminium foil behind the radiators and electric heaters as well as the gas central heating have made very little difference.

Any advice on keeping warm would be gratefully received.

Thank you

-taff

Safety pin some fleecy throws to the inside of curtains you hve already, see if it makes a difference.

FreeBear

Thick, heavy curtains can certainly make a difference on a cold winter night, If you have a radiator under the window, make sure the curtains get tucked down behind it.

nofoollikeold

1. Have you spoken to your landlord? He / she must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for the property before it can be let, and it must have a rating better than F (i.e. E is the minimum rating) before it can be let, although there are a number of get outs.  
2. The landlord has an obligation to provide a heating system sufficient for normal needs. There is of course no formal definition of "normal", but it would be generally accepted that this means the heating system should be capable of heating bedrooms to around 18 degrees, and living / dining rooms to around 21 degrees.  These temperatures can be reached by a mix of central heating and auxiliary heating.
3. Have the heating controls been explained to you?  While there is no obligation for the landlord to do this, most will understand the controls and be ready to explain them.  If not, look up the boiler and controls on the internet, and work out how the controls work from manuals , videos etc.
4. What type of home is it? If a house, the biggest improvement is usually making sure the loft is insulated to current standards.  Doesn't cost much, if anything.  Insulation (loft, double glazing (secondary if not main), elimination of draughts, etc.) is the cheapest way of achieving a livable temperature without spending a fortune on gas / electricity or other fuels.

renegadefm

Can you concider external cladding? It certainly helped our house. 

knightstyle

First check if there are any draughts coming in, walk round with a candle to find where they come from,  then seal holes, cracks etc. BUT do not forget to have some ventilation or you will get mould forming.  Are the radiators behind the curtains?  If so put a piece of wood/cardboard on top and have the curtains rest on this.

markin

Thermal curtains will help a bit but what is your ideal temp and what is the actual temp? Is it double glazed, solid walls, loft topped up, Radiators fully hot?  Flat or house?

Slinky

How are you heating your home and for how long per day? I recall a poster years ago complaining he was cold but he only had the heating on for about an hour a day so was being unrealistic about expecting any heat retention with any of the improvements that were being suggested.

NewShadow

I found three cats help... though ongoing costs are probably higher than just having the heating on for an extra hour  

comeandgo

What are you wearing?  I found a goose feather gillet and thick woollen tights under my trousers really help keep me warm.  There are some heated throws for when you are sitting.  

whatnots2015

Thank you -taff for the tip about fleecy throws. We have some of those so I'll give it a try.