Avoid using Gas and Electricity

Confuzzled

Mooloo wrote: »

No double glazing, and gaps you can see through in the doors and windows.

i urge you strongly to get a caulk gun and some caulk and fill in those holes with the caulk! if you carefully apply it then it will make it easier to use a utility knife in the spring to break the seal so you can open the windows again

make sure you leave at least one window (kitchen is the best choice) so you can open it for safeties sake. also if you need another window to open but have issues with gaping holes try only caulking it part way so you can open the window a bit vs all the way.

if you combine this with your other measures you'll have a much cozier home, i've used it in many different locations and once just to keep the rotting windows from actually falling out of the wall!

Slinky

border_collie wrote: »

I am a bit puzzled by this. Did the y shaped connector mean that both pipes went into one hole at the back of your washer?

If so you would waste tons of hot water because your machine would not be able to select cold or hot as it needed.
So it would be using hot water mixed with cold for rinsing?
Am I confused? :rotfl:

The Y is connected only to the cold water supply, so whether the machine is trying to get hot or cold water, it's only pulling in cold.

rosekitten

Confuzzled wrote: »

i urge you strongly to get a caulk gun and some caulk and fill in those holes with the caulk! if you carefully apply it then it will make it easier to use a utility knife in the spring to break the seal so you can open the windows again

make sure you leave at least one window (kitchen is the best choice) so you can open it for safeties sake. also if you need another window to open but have issues with gaping holes try only caulking it part way so you can open the window a bit vs all the way.

if you combine this with your other measures you'll have a much cozier home, i've used it in many different locations and once just to keep the rotting windows from actually falling out of the wall!

seal up the gaps and holes in and
around the windows,doors etc

thick curtains at the windows
throws on the settee also have
a couple of fleece throws handy
so you can place it over your lap.

If you have to tumble dry do it in the
evening while your in and use the heat to
warm up your sitting room if its near enough

We were in a similar situation last winter with
no central heating and just a single gas fire
but we coped and it was not too bad in the end

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

russetred wrote: »

No.If you used electricity there would have to be a socket to connect to the toilet.

Exactly,and you only get a plug with a bath:rotfl:

Trinny

Hi there

Not had time to read the whole thread so sorry if its already been said:beer:

1. Lag the roof - we have been doing ours for nearly a year - we buy a roll or two when we can afford it and OH gets in there and rolls it out - we have about 1/3 of the roof done - and you can tell the difference already

2. Lag the hot water pipes in the roof and fit a tank jacket - before OH did this - we couldnt get enough hot water for a bath in the winter

3. Layer up the bed, use hotwater bottles and wear sox and thermals. I got everyone to buy me thermals last year for Christmas.

4. Eat warming food - stuff like porridge oats, stew etc

5. Get OH to turn things off when not in use - this is still an ongoing battle:o

6. Find an OH who is toasty warm most of the time - and lets you put your cold feet on them in bed works a treat

7. Can vouch for getting a cuddly pet too - ours is like a furnace when he cuddles up

BW

Trin

Mrs_Beatson

calleyw wrote: »

The highest reading this week for the day was yesterday 3kw but I did do a 60 degree wash. And the lowest day reading since sunday is 2.3kw.

I believe my base per day is 1.5kw

Today I recieved my free energy monitor from my supplier! I have plugged it in and duly sent the kids to turn off the lights etc...

then I started reading this thread.

My monitor says at the moment Im using 835 watts, although it's just LEAPT to 2.3kw while the dishwasher goes through it's cycle. (And if I was stood at the kitchen sink, washing up, I couldnt be on this site:rotfl:)

So Im confused...I have 4 kiddies, me & OH in house... the laptop is plugged in, the xbox is on..TV's/dvd players etc upstairs are all on standby at the moment ( I will do something about that today..don't nag!!:rotfl:) and yet my consumption which is averaging 800 watts so far today seems lower than yours Calley and yet clearly you dont have all the appliances running that I have!! Im sure Ive misunderstood something here! Perhaps someone could explain, pretty please?

Much obliged...

rosekitten

I dont really know a lot about these meters
but I know I went round our place while
everyone was and unplugged everything
and that was checking every socket to
see if there was anything plugged into it.
All the stuff on stand by eats electricity
the only thing here that stays permanantly
on,is our fridge freezer everything else is
only on when used.I have drummed it into
our lot here switch it off and in the main
they have been pretty good with the odd
lapse.Our bills have droppped quite a bit

missychrissy

hello everyone
Saving on gas and electricity has been top of my OS activities for the last two years. Last year, with the increasing cost I decided that I was not going to line the pockets of the fat cats in the utility companies. I switched off my central heating on March 1 last year until nearly the end of October. I had some cold spells but I managed it. This year I was a little kinder to myself and switched off in April. I only switch on when I have visitors, in particular when I am babysitting my grandson. I achieved a huge reduction in bills despite the rise in prices. Two years ago I was paying over £70 per month for gas and the same for electricity (still had 2 sons living at home then that have now left, though 1 at uni so home in hols). I moved into my present home two years ago and after a few months went onto dual fuel paying £79 per month for both which was then quite recently reduced to £56 per month (still think I'm paying more than I use).

I picked up loads of great ideas on this thread.

I don't switch any lights on at night. I use sun and moon jars and recently bought the new twilight jar and light the occasional candle. I bought some of those stick on round press on lights that run off batteries and stuck one under each of my kitchen units. I have 6 50w recessed halogen lights in my kitchen and I dread to think what they use in electricity. I no longer switch them on. I just press on the under unit light nearest to whatever area of the kitchen is most appropriate. I bought my stick on lights in B & M for £1.99 for 3 about four months ago and they also sell very cheap batteries. I also have a wind up lantern that accompanies me to bed when the solar powered lights have faded and the candle is blown out. If I really need to see more clearly I switch on one lamp, with an energy saving bulb of course, but this is very rare.

In order to keep warm I followed all the advice on MSE and bought cheap throws and fleeces to snuggle under when watching tv or online. I put extra layers on the bottom of the bed as well as the top and bought two wheat bags for a £1 each that warm my bed before I get in.

I boil the kettle for a cup of tea when I get up and put any remaining water into a vacuum flask to make at least one cup of coffee (advice obtained on this site). I leave nothing on standby and have recently turned off at the mains all of my outside lights. However, I am conscious of security and they are switched back on if I am expecting guests and the other odd occasion to fool anyone who thinks that they do not work. I work night shifts so I try very hard to make my house look as lived in when I am out at night as it does when I'm in. My next door neighbour recently told me that they find it very difficult to tell whether I am in or not so I hope I am succeeding. I always keep my car in the garage (windowless) both during the day and night.

I have two freezers but I try to run on one for the majority of the year. However, last autumn my second freezer was needed to store 20lbs of elderberrys, and lots of other fruits with which to make wines. I could not pick sufficient fruit in one go so had to keep putting them in the freezer. I also find the extra freezer space useful in the run up to Christmas. I have four sons, all with partners, some with children, so Christmas involves lots of family get togethers.

At present I have an inbuilt gas fire in my lounge. I am about to look into the possibility of having a burn all stove instead as I have old dead trees in the garden that need cutting down and I find lots of wood lying on the riverbank when I walk my dog. Once installed, I am hoping would be a source of free heat.

My attitude to gas and electric these days is very much switch off and leave off. Find an alternative source, free if possible, of light and heat.


I

Patchwork_Quilt

I would recommend a stove - except for the installation cost. We had to have a liner in our chimney, which cost about £1000. Not all chimneys need one, though, and it is possible to fit one after the stove is installed if you have smoke coming through into the house, so that may save you money. Also, I would choose the most efficient stove you can afford to make the most of what you are burning and check whether you live in a smokeless zone or not. Our builder did advise us to get a multifuel stove because of this.

missychrissy

thanks for advice PatchworkQuilt. Which multi fuel burner would you recommend?

I am anticipating that installing a multi fuel stove will not be a cheap option. Although from the outside of my house I have a chimney, my house is only just over 2 years old and was installed with an inset gas fire. It throws out lots of heat when it's on but obviously uses expensive gas and I suspect the flue is only suitable for that and will have to be seriously modified for a multi fuel stove. However, if I'm staying here for the long term then it will save me money in the end. I keep wondering what I would do if we no longer had utility services such as gas, water and electricity and I want to be able to cope if they suddenly were no longer available.