Avoid using GAS and ELECTRIC !

ceridwen

I recall that - coulda been me that posted it in fact....but cant recall the how-to-get-to details.

May well be on Mother Earth News website or, alternatively, the Off Grid Living one - bound to be on at least one of them.

Jake'sGran

Got to admit, our heating has been on a lot this last week. I take Warfarin and it really does make me feel cold very quickly as it thins the blood e.g. mine is three times thinner than the average. I use a lot of the tricks mentioned on this thread and I have also asked my G & E company about their social tariff. It's a bit weird as I completed the application about two months ago and heard nothing since. One of their staff emailed and said "have you heard anything yet?" but when I emailed "NO" she too hasn't responded - weird. There are a lot of draughts in this house so I like the idea of a curtain at the front and back door and those fat rolls of cloths at the bottom too. We are going to have cavity wall insulation and people say it does work. I only use the oven if I have a lot to cook plus, if I am doing a roast meal everything possible is done in the oven with the veg cooked fast in a small amount of water.

Penelope_Penguin

Primrose wrote: »

Any clever people out there who can suggest how we can capitalise on the free sunshine we get to warm our rooms and reduce our heating bills? I'm not thinking about massive expenditure like solar panels, just some really cheap innovative ideas which can help us take advantage of this free resource, in the same way that strategically placed mirrors can reflect sunlight and lighten up a room).

Keep your windows clean Use east facing rooms in the morning, and west facing ones in the afternoon , to maximise use of the sun

I'll add this to the existing thread on reducing fuel usage, to keep ideas together.

Penny. x

cw18

we use south facing rooms all day

other than kitchen which is north facing -- but if I'm cooking it's warm enough anyway.

not intentionally planned this way, just the way round our house was built on the plot we went for :T

morganb

Jake'sGran wrote: »

There are a lot of draughts in this house so I like the idea of a curtain at the front and back door and those fat rolls of cloths at the bottom too.

I've made mine out of rolling up a load of newspaper and then covering it with spare fabric, tying it with elastic bands and ribbons at the end.

kittykat500

I haven't put the heating on yet but I'm soooo cold! Been wandering around with 2 dressing gowns on and a hot water bottle to keep my hands from freezing! No. 1 son had a little too much to drink a few days ago and decided to shove his hand through my lounge bay window (leaded lights - broke 4 small panes!). Now it's bl88dy freezing and got the aggro of getting the window fixed. Not much point in putting the CH on if it's all going to escape through the window!:eek: Never mind - at least it's warm in bed!:j

Nessa56

Jake'sGran wrote: »

Got to admit, our heating has been on a lot this last week. I take Warfarin and it really does make me feel cold very quickly as it thins the blood e.g. mine is three times thinner than the average. I use a lot of the tricks mentioned on this thread and I have also asked my G & E company about their social tariff. It's a bit weird as I completed the application about two months ago and heard nothing since. One of their staff emailed and said "have you heard anything yet?" but when I emailed "NO" she too hasn't responded - weird. There are a lot of draughts in this house so I like the idea of a curtain at the front and back door and those fat rolls of cloths at the bottom too. We are going to have cavity wall insulation and people say it does work. I only use the oven if I have a lot to cook plus, if I am doing a roast meal everything possible is done in the oven with the veg cooked fast in a small amount of water.

Just a thought but try roasting the veg as well, I tried it under sufferance at the weekend and it is gorgeous, worth a try

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covenanter

Kaz2904 wrote: »

I read of a way to make a radiator using a large board with copper coins stuck all over. You then paint the whole thing black. Then make a frame down each side of the board (not top or bottom) with 1 inch baton. Fix some clear perspex over it and point it at the sun. You need to lean it against something.
The idea is that it pulls cold air from the bottom and shoves it out of the top. I do seem to remember lots of arguments about whether or not it would work any better than the sun just coming in though.

Is this the one? http://www.riot4austerity.org/blog/?p=1377

It sounds logical, but I haven't tried it myself.

Jake'sGran

TO NESSA

Yes, I had forgotten about roasting veg but this week I did fine string beans, cauli, carrots and sprouts and they wouldn't lend themselves to roasting I don't think. Also, I would need to use fat to roast the veg I think? and I am trying to cut down. I know peppers are lovely roasted.

RE RADIATORS. I remembered after I posted last night that some people put silver foil sheets behind the radiators for more heat. Di,

Nessa56

Jake'sGran wrote: »

TO NESSA

Yes, I had forgotten about roasting veg but this week I did fine string beans, cauli, carrots and sprouts and they wouldn't lend themselves to roasting I don't think. Also, I would need to use fat to roast the veg I think? and I am trying to cut down. I know peppers are lovely roasted.

I did cauliflower, carrots, onions, new potates in their skins and tomatoes, was lovely, only a little fat is needed as you get the juices from the meat you are cooking and as you are on warfarin a little fat might be just the thing for you to help you warm up.

I am always cold as I have an underactive thyroid so I do sympathis with you, I have still not put my heating on though, I just dress like a yetty (good job I live on my own :rotfl: :rotfl:

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