Freezing ground floor flat 4 March at 1:19PM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 7 replies 414 views

joininwithme

Any ideas? I live in a rented GFF. Even with heating on its still icy draughty. Apparantly no insulation in floor and all the skirting boards feel ice cold. Might as well live in a tent. Bills are sky high. Council said best idea to move because they are not prepared to dig up floors and put insulation but they won't put me on list in a rush.

diystarter7

Hi
Turn the heating up and or wear a few more clothers and or warmer ones.
Close curtais and consider draught excluders on doors and winows. Keep doors closed o rooms you dont use and warm up the areas you often use. Consider a hot water bottle etc. and gloves and scarfs but keep the rooms above the min health level or at that.

Costly, but good, very good underlay and carpert will help as well

Or as the council said, move as I am safely assuming they heating requirements have been met. Personally, if I was in your place, I'd action the above inc carpets etc if I could afford them

What is the grade o the EPC?

Thnaks

elsien

What type of flooring have you got down, and what’s underneath it? Floorboards? Concrete? Any air bricks anywhere?

twopenny

Depends on how much MSE you are.
Newspaper is a great insulator if you can find some. Local papers used to have a lot to dispose of. Goes under carpet if you can do that without damage.
Or underlay to buy or request from carpet shops that are relaying. Even some cheap offcuts of carpet to lay over.
Find out where the draughts are coming from using a thermometer. Then post for ideas.
Is there a gap under the skirting?

Given I'm in a well insulated tiny bungalow it is exceptionally cold because it's gone on so long.
I'm in 2 layers and thick soled walking shoes. At home warm fleeces, fleecy slippers and under a quilt on the fleece covered sofa. All from cheapie and charity shops.

diystarter7

elsien said:

What type of flooring have you got down, and what’s underneath it? Floorboards? Concrete? Any air bricks anywhere?

Hi

The poster stated "dig up of the floors" meaning concrete floors. Hence my previous response to OP

Thanks

Jonboy_1984

In our last flat it turned out a lot of the draughts were coming:

1) between the floor and skirting board - filled with a line of caulk.
2) worn sealant around window frames - dug out and replaced with new.

Cost was around £15 for the sealants and a removal tool (already owned an applicator gun saving a fiver) and less than three hours.

ThisIsWeird

Jiwm, what type of floor is it? Concrete? Timber? Old floorboards? Rock solid or feel a wee bit springy when you do star-jumps to keep warm?

And, how much are you willing to do and spend on improving it?

knightstyle

Dd was in a flat over garages and the floor was very cold so she used Vitrex underlay boards over the concrete floors then normal underlay and carpets. It made a huge difference.
Plus check the windows etc for draughts.