I'm flippin' freezing! What can I do?

[CheekyChops]

I live in a terraced type house which has a through lounge/diner with the open stairs down the middle. The only radiator is at the back of the room, by the kitchen door and the sofa / TV etc is at the front. I am FREEZING! No matter how much I turn the heating up, it doesn't seem to warm the room. Anything I can do that won't cost much money?

- Does putting silver foil down the back of the radiator really work to reflect heat back into the room?

- As I type, I can feel a draft coming from the door to the kitchen, even though it is shut. Can I do anything about this other than buy a new door?

- Would shifting the dining table from infront of the radiator make enough difference that I would be able to feel it? (it's about 1ft away at present)

I can't swap the furniture round to get nearer to the radiator as the stairs are not exactly in the centre and the back of the room is too small for the sofa/TV.

I already have a curtain across the front door combined with a draft excluder, and I have taped over the keyhole. Any more ideas are welcome!!

[weeal]

thermals? seriously lol

have you used the foamy type draught excluder you stick all around the door frame?
plug in an electric oil filled radiator for a short while they are least expensive to run (on sale at currys just now or cheaper on Ebay)

[dabees]

Do you have wooden doors? If so, they are prone to warping and you may need the adhesive type insulation around the frame.

Does your home have Cavity wall insulation? and does it have decent loft insulation? Including the hatch?

All these can help, but the insulation that stops the draft getting in helps first.

PS If you get any type of benefit, even single person Council tax benefit. You are able to get the Cavity wall insulation for free.

[sara3]

are you one of those naked typists, like me?

[Ethel]

Any chance of returning the house to how it was when it was built? Two rooms, with the stairs blocked off.

Far more energy efficient. No matter how much heat you put in to that room, it will go up the stairs. Heat rises.

[Jafi]

Have you got a hot water bottle? It's a good cheap way of getting heat.

[CheekyChops]

Unfortunately the house was built like this, it was never two rooms that have been knocked through. There was a gap in a traditional terrace and so about 15 years ago they built two 'modern' terraced houses to fit into the gap.

I know what you are saying about the heat just rising up the stairs, I might just have to spend all winter upstairs in bed!!!

no.knowledge - I can't fit another radiator. Firstly it would be an expense I can't afford at the moment and secondly, the only place it could possibly go is behind the settee which would make the back of it nice and warm but still not allow heat out into the room.

The draught excluder foam type stuff is a good idea, I think a trip to B&Q will be on the cards tomorrow and I will look into cavity wall insulation - I have no idea whether I currently have it or not.

Cheers x

[~max~]

A temporary measure would be to get a draught-stopper type thing to put on the floor at the kitchen door. You know, the ones that are usually in the shape of a very long dog or snake, looks like a very long cushion?

[mandimoo]

can you section any of the room off by using a floor to ceiling, thick curtain? put a pole up across the room, move furniture toward the radiator and close the curtain behind you. can you put a similar curtain at the top of your open stairs?

[Im a BusyBee]

we've done that in the past. put a nice brass pole up with a curtain round the bottom of stairs to stop heat going up, the effect is very cosy and give the feel of being warmer and is very effective