Allotments 4 All

We have an open staircase serving 3 floors. It's damned cold.

Would a heater be better placed at the top or bottom?

well, heat rises... so if you can only have one heater, I'd say a heater and theromostat downstairs...

But it can get too hot upstairs...

if you place the heater only upstairs, downstairs will stay freezing...

any snow down there yet Tim?  I have to drive past your way during the week... 

I agree with Mat as hot air rises.

I'd consider a halogen heater downstairs. They're not very nice to look at but a good way of getting heat where you want it, as they mainly transfer the heat by radiation. A convection heater will just warm the air & send it upstairs.

Time to get out the thermal undies.  Do keep warm Tim.

Can you fit doors or curtains cos it's the only way of keeping the heat downstairs. We get a draft up one flight with the living room door open  :(

Some years ago I was invited to a very large house for a coffee morning.  The locals called it the QE2 house because of the size and chimneys.  I was amazed to see the stairs blocked of with a large L shaped frame of woodwork which was filled in with thick polythene. It was fitted across the stair opening and bannister.    The owner assured me it saved him quite a lot of money with heating.   He was most uncomplimentary about fuel suppliers. You could copy this idea.

same scenario here Tim, 3 flights, and all open.
We have a wood burner downstairs, and when you go down there you really feel the warmth, I was initially worried about losing all the heat, but have been happy with the results.
As you work your way upstairs, it does get a bit cooler, but we do have 1 radiator in the hallway. Plus draft excluders on the external doors help. Oh and thick curtains  at most of the windows ;)

So far we've been happy with this set up.

Our stairway was always cold but cavity wall insulation stopped all that.

Phone your local council for advice on who to engage to do the work. Some have special schemes for very mature people and it may even be installed free.

I think Tim's house may be too old for cavity walls? Mine is 1906 and doesn't have them.

Yes, no cavity walls here. have been researching insulation of solid walls as we have an end of terrace house, but it's very expensive and no grants available not even for people on low incomes. >:(

caroline, it don't have to be expensive!!

use celotex (or other brand) of insulated board to line the end wall, plaster board over that, simples! assuming you are capable of a bit of DIY, of course.

see here http://www.celotex.co.uk/Applications/Wall-Insulation/Solid-masonry-walls-Internal

Quote from: tomatoada on November 28, 2010, 19:40:40
Some years ago I was invited to a very large house for a coffee morning.  The locals called it the QE2 house because of the size and chimneys.  I was amazed to see the stairs blocked of with a large L shaped frame of woodwork which was filled in with thick polythene. It was fitted across the stair opening and bannister.    The owner assured me it saved him quite a lot of money with heating.   He was most uncomplimentary about fuel suppliers. You could copy this idea.

As in across the stairwell?  I could imagine it being a bit of a pain to remove if there was a fire!!

Just heat the rooms you use, what's the point of heating a space you only use for going between rooms?