You’ve made the efficiency/engineering changes, which is the easy but expensive part.

By far the easiest way to save money is behavioural. Boil the kettle only when you need to and only fill it with what you need. Get a low flow shower (free from your water company) and take shorter showers, plenty of energy is wasted heating water.

There are lots of things like this you can do that will make a real difference. We have to get used to the idea that we can’t just engineer ourselves out of these issues, but we also have to make sacrifices and change our actions. Preachy sounding i realise, but it’s true…

Washing outside yep, tumble drier A+ rated for winter (2yr old & newborn so a necessary evil) no cavity to insulate but I might look into DIYing the floor if I can do it cheap.

We’re similar – toddler and baby, plus solid walls. We’ve thus far managed without a tumble dryer, instead we stick the washing on a rack in the “smallest room in the house” and use a dehumidifier. Washing dries overnight, you get some free heat and it uses little energy.

Underfloor insulation downstairs made a huge difference to comfort as it keeps your feet warmer and cuts drafts. We had rigid insulation friction fitted to the depth of the joists, so air form the air bricks can still circulate underneath. We found that we could keep the house warm during the day with the heating for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon, even in the depths of winter. Not bad going for a ’30s solid wall house.

Interested in this underfloor insulation, any links or tips other than just google.

Tips for underfloor insulation.

Easiest method is to pay someone else to do it. It will cost more, and in my experience wont be as good a job.

If your doing it yourself, lift all the floor boards. I tried one room lifting only every 5th board. pita.

Personally I would fit, with batons, ridged stuff. ie celotex or similar. Netting + cotton wool style not going to be as good long term. Get it as deep as you can fit with regard to joist depth, you only want to do it once, so may as well go for it. Its a bit more expensive, but will reap rewards in the long term.

Once the insulation is in, get a bucket load of decorators calk (official method) or bathroom sealant (my method) and seal seal seal every gap between insulation and insulation. Seal seal seal every gap between insulation and joist. You get the idea.

Then, ideally you would board it with ply/similar, before relaying original flooring. This adds to the air tightness. Boarding does create problems as the floor level will be railed a bit though. If push comes to shove lay breathable membrane over it before replacing flooring. I actually just used brown paper, to kill drafts, but not sure it was a great plan looking back.

Takes a good weekend to do 1 small Victorian room if you have some help. Some help would be a good bit of advice actually, many hands and all that.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here: http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/forum114/

Apologies, Didn’t say thanks for the guide.

I just sounds like a total pain in the arris to do it. Would have to get rid of the family for the weekend.

hmmm