Preparing for winter IV

On the subject of tumble driers; I love mine and use it a fair amount.

Not very OS at all but when I costed it out I reckon it (only!) costs about £70 a year on three loads a week. If I was to buy one of those Lakeland airer things, it would take a years worth of TD money to buy it, and it would be on a lot as I wash a lot. I can't believe I would get a full load on it too!

I don't have problems with condensation and damp as I only air dry things which can't be tumble dried.

I don't think they are the money draining things they are protrayed as being, and as a bonus mine does warm the kitchen up too.

I think sometimes the bigger picture is needed to make a choice on these things, just my ten pence worth.:j

If you do use a tumble drier, there are ways you can make it more economical. For example, a lot of the energy used by the drier is used to heat it up in the first place. Once it's hot, the heater will switch on and off to maintain the temperature (a bit like an oven). So if possible it makes sense to have a 'wash day' so you can put load after load in the drier in succession, so that it doesn't have to heat up from cold each time.

If you can turn the heat down on your drier, it will help to reduce the fuel used.

Make sure the vent and fluff collector are both always clear.

I have heard that adding a dry towel to the wet load helps. I've never tried it but it's worth a shot.

Feel very cold and very achy today. I need to put some layers on.

With the tumble drier v other methods no doubt there are price differences in outlay or running costs but I think it's important to remember what works for you. I have no room for another gadget so the tumble drier works for me.

I had buy flannelette sheets on my winter list but I've scrapped that as I found a set today (while decluttering). No point buying stuff just for the sake of it.

Also scrapped to bulk cook some food off the list as I have no room in the freezer - I forget that every time we cook we make double to freeze some.

Also scrapped washing all throws. They will be washed as they need to instead of doing them all at the same time.

Lots of prep has been done but as I feel so achey I've decided to make this simplifications to my list, so as not to overwhelm me what's left to do and not feel I'm doing something just for the sake of it. Amen eh.
:A

Possession wrote: »

It was this thread which motivated me to get a thermal curtain up at the front door (thanks Dad!) and it has already made a difference. The cold air used to go straight up the stairs to DD's room so I'm hoping she will be a lot warmer.

Re. drying washing, I've used the 'dry' setting on my new dehumidifier a few times and I'd say it easily halved the amount of time the washing took to dry.

You haven't stopped the cold air going up. Cold air sinks, warm air rises.

Raksha wrote: »

You haven't stopped the cold air going up. Cold air sinks, warm air rises.

Yes, but drafts are caused by warm air rising out of the roof and sucking cold air in at the bottom so surely blocking the cold air should help to reduce the loss of heat by convection? Science not my strong point but I've done something similar before and it definitely helps