Always cold when indoors

Since others from places with climates similar to the climate where I'm from have the same problem, I think it might have to do with the dampness. I have asthma and cold air is a trigger for me, so putting on layers doesn't always help. If I'm outside in the cold I'm only outside for a short time. 

It's the damp. Damp cold is worse than the dry cold you get for the most part in the US.

As for Americans not being aware of the cost of heating... I think that's becoming less so. Everyone I know is upset about the costs of electric, gas and especially heating oil. It's insane. We have oil heat in our rental and I now live in fleeces and have blankets on the sofa. Something I never did in the US before unless I was in a basement (for some reason our basements were always harder to heat).

oh when I was in the states I was aware of the cost of heating. My sister and I only turned the heat on in our apt at night and very low. But the cold there was dry so if you bundled up and got under blankets you got warm. Here we conserve our heat as well. Our heater only comes on 8pm-11pm each night. We use the gas fire if it gets to cold to take the chill off the room. But I stay bundled up and even sometimes wear my fingerless gloves in the house. It is just something that I hope over time I get used to.

Get yourselves a dehumidifier to take the moisture out of the air in the house, plus it pumps it back out as warm air.

Ebac is a good make: not that cheap to buy (about £160 from Argos) but costs just pennies to run and lasts for years.
http://reviews.argos.co.uk/1493-en_gb/14418335/category.htm

A dehumidifier is a good idea. Maybe I'll save money by not having to turn the thermostat so high. But in other houses, buildings?

A dehumidifier is a good idea. Maybe I'll save money by not having to turn the thermostat so high. But in other houses, buildings?

two words: smartwool socks.  Seriously, I got a pair as a gift (a gag gift, actually, as I am always complaining about my feet being FREEZING), and they are amazing. So far, toasty warm but no sweaty gross feet.  I love them.

I might look into a dehumidifier as well, partially because our bathroom and spare bedroom don't have the greatest ventilation, but it'd be great if it could help with my freezing toes. As long as I'm exercising or moving around, I'm fine, but if I sit at a desk or in the flat, I'm cold in no time.

As long as I'm exercising or moving around, I'm fine, but if I sit at a desk or in the flat, I'm cold in no time.

To me, this is the key. If I'm cleaning or hoovering or moving around the house, I'm fine. But the minute I sit down to take a break, I start to get cold. My advice to anyone would be to keep moving!! Of course, if you're cold at work and have a sit-down office job, you're in trouble.

To me, this is the key. If I'm cleaning or hoovering or moving around the house, I'm fine. But the minute I sit down to take a break, I start to get cold. My advice to anyone would be to keep moving!! Of course, if you're cold at work and have a sit-down office job, you're in trouble.

This is my current problem. I went from teaching (and I was the type that was ALWAYS moving around the room) to sitting at a desk.  I suddenly get cold! Luckily, I'm in the room with another woman (oddly enough, also someone who works out as much as me), and she gets cold as well, so we keep it a bit warmer than usual I think.  A lot of it has to do with the darkness of the time of year, though, as in the summer we are definitely throw open the windows types!

(p.s. chary I just looked at your blog and am now insanely tempted by both a dodo journal and those numbered vases...gorgeous!)

One caution about a dehumidifier: it's easy to get the air too dry, and that brings a new set of problems.  We run ours about once every two weeks; any more frequently than that, and we get dry lips and mucous membranes, which can lead to colds.  We also have moisture traps on all our windowsills because we have terrible trouble with condensation on the windows.  I don't know if those would help much for damp air, but they work a treat on dripping windows .

One caution about a dehumidifier: it's easy to get the air too dry, and that brings a new set of problems.  We run ours about once every two weeks; any more frequently than that, and we get dry lips and mucous membranes, which can lead to colds.  We also have moisture traps on all our windowsills because we have terrible trouble with condensation on the windows.  I don't know if those would help much for damp air, but they work a treat on dripping windows .

Hmm. Those might be better. During the winter I struggle big time with dry lips as it is. The thought of something making that any worse is not good!

I need to get some smartwool socks. I can usually layer on the upper/lower layers ok (though it is depressing wearing long underwear indoors! and when it's 40F out), but even with 2 pairs of socks (and occasionally the plastic bag trick), my feet are almost always cold.

(p.s. chary I just looked at your blog and am now insanely tempted by both a dodo journal and those numbered vases...gorgeous!)

We also have moisture traps on all our windowsills because we have terrible trouble with condensation on the windows.  I don't know if those would help much for damp air, but they work a treat on dripping windows .

We get a lot of condensation on our windows too, but I'd never heard of moisture traps! I just had a quick Google and ... are they just little tubs of crystals? Is that it? You just put one on the windowsill?

We get a lot of condensation on our windows too, but I'd never heard of moisture traps! I just had a quick Google and ... are they just little tubs of crystals? Is that it? You just put one on the windowsill?

oooh, if they are, I know what they are! We used to keep those in the closets while I was growing up in La Jolla.  They were brilliant, as the alternative was crazy green/black grossness growing in the back of the closet. Hmm. Will have to keep my eye out. At the very least, it would save me stressing about all of the condensation on the spare room windows.

I need to get some smartwool socks. I can usually layer on the upper/lower layers ok (though it is depressing wearing long underwear indoors! and when it's 40F out), but even with 2 pairs of socks (and occasionally the plastic bag trick), my feet are almost always cold.

Yes, the socks are great! I've worn them riding all winter, and I've not had to layer AT ALL this winter sock-wise. I just pull the socks on and go. It's a bit crazy, now that I think about it, as my fingers and legs get COLD, but the toes are always fine!

We get a lot of condensation on our windows too, but I'd never heard of moisture traps! I just had a quick Google and ... are they just little tubs of crystals? Is that it? You just put one on the windowsill?

Yup-o.  First we had little ones with the crystals inside the tub, but now we have big ones with the crystals on the top.  They absorb the water and then it drips into the receptacle beneath them.  You can get refill packs of crystals as well.  The best thing to do is run the dehumidifier before you put them out, because they're better at preventing condensation than fixing it once it's already there.  But they're really effective!  

Yup-o.  First we had little ones with the crystals inside the tub, but now we have big ones with the crystals on the top.  They absorb the water and then it drips into the receptacle beneath them.  You can get refill packs of crystals as well.  The best thing to do is run the dehumidifier before you put them out, because they're better at preventing condensation than fixing it once it's already there.  But they're really effective!  

Thanks for that! I'll definitely try it!