If things get tougher?

ceridwen

Ahhh...but Kittie....you tell us all sorts of these little hints....we go off thinking "Now - why didnt I think of that?"....The thing is that all these little hints you come out with:

- the ecocamel showerhead
- the Remoska
- the warming of water up outside to do the washing-up (thinks...must go and check the status of the 2 waterbottles I promptly left outside today after reading that one....)

etc

These are things that often dont even occur to MY generation (ie "of a certain age")....so gawd alone knows whether they would even more so to the next one down from me.......

I am from a generation that can remember being cold a lot of the time when growing-up (and - in my case - vowed never to be again once I "grew up"). I dont know exactly how old you are - I have now figured you must be "down the road a bit" from me....so I'm now thinking about my mother (in her 80's)...so probably older than you. She knew NOTHING (still doesnt) about dealing with saving energy. I was only remembering earlier today that I had to try and do my homework in an unheated bedroom (hence - I gave up trying after a while and went down into the lounge to get warm - and then got distracted by the constant tv - the rest is history!). Just from what I know so far - I could have used the 1 or 2 hotwater bottles we had for the whole household and maybe got myself a pullon hat and a scarf and tried to find something (of a fleece-type nature) to wrap round myself to try and stay warm in that cold bedroom. My mother didnt/doesnt know these things - I have learnt them since. All I knew was that I could keep the bottom half of my body warm by sitting in my bed and pulling my bedclothes up round me - but that didnt deal with the top half of me - so I alternated between a freezing top half or a distracted mind (in the lounge). Either way - a bad result!

So - my point is - I've learnt a lot from MSE'ers generally - which has been helpful in this connection.

BUT....you are in a different league again...and I dont think (as it seems to come pretty naturally to you) that you have realised you know a LOT more than many in my generation even do...and how much we would appreciate if we had your accummulated (and probably hard-won) knowledge in one "ready reference" spot for us to have a look at. We'd be ever so grateful for the benefit of your experience - honest!:D

Valli

Would love to know what an eco cloth is - I use old towels, torn down into cloth sizes, as floorcloths and loo cloths. When I wash my towels I just pop them in with the wash, so they are changed at least weekly and hopefully line dried. Incidentally I wash my towels overnight on cheap rate leccy (Economy 7 about 2.5 p Kwh)
So am I using eco cloths?

Magpye

I'd love to know how to save more energy. We live in a 1920's quarterhouse, which has neither loft nor cavity insulation. The uPVC double glazing is at least fifteen years old and warping badly, particularly in the bathroom (which is one of the rooms I have to have warm) and kitchen, where the window no longer fits in the frame. The front door is also uPVC and also warped.

I have started shopping for fleece to make DH and I leisure wear for around the house in winter, and am considering heavy curtains for the windows and front door, but if anyone has any other suggestions I would be grateful. I have been somewhat spoiled previously with warm modern builds and centrally heated houses.

I've kind of started a campaign against the disposable society, mostly fuelled by my loathing of cheap throwaway fashion, so I am following this thread with extreme interest.

Valli

I hope I'm not the only person wondering - [EMAIL="what'@s"]what's[/EMAIL] a 1920s quarterhouse?

Magpye

Hi Valli,

I think it's more a Scottish thing. The estate I live on was designed as social housing for the working classes in the 20s and 30s. Since I live in what was a mill town, there was a pressing need to house workers. A quarterhouse is a very large house divided into four quarters. I live in one of the top quarters and the building has four sets of tenants/owners.

One of the quirks of living here was it was built without an indoor toilet, which has been added by portioning off part of the kitchen, so the kitchen and the bathroom share a window aperture. They literally built a partition wall across the original kitchen window! And neither of the windows they fitted actually, well, fit.

annie123

an old pub? http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/articles/QuarterHouse/QuarterHouse01.htm

never heard that one before.

mardatha

Hi Magpye, are you with Waverly housing? They seem to be pretty good re repairs and upgrading .

Magpye

Unfortunately, not with Waverly. Our quarter was sold privately in the 80s, so it's our own... and we don't qualify for any grants or anything. The older chap beneath us is with Waverly though, I think he has joint liability for roof repairs etc. - do you think it's worth asking him to look into it?

mardatha

Yes def. Even if only to see what they say and get him to tell you !

auntymabel

This is an idea I'm thinking of trying this winter as I've no double glazing. I went on a work course in a hotel which was quite plush and in the rooms they had heavy curtains and on the inside, where there you would hang nets if you had the they had another set of heavy (white) curtains kept permanently drawn. Whether this was to keep out the cold because they didn't have double glazing or because there was an ugly view I don't know.