Avoid using GAS and ELECTRIC !

moggins

I know the feeling nicki, our heating has been on for a couple of weeks now as our bedroom was so damp. We do have a damp proof course although it's failed on the wall that joins to our neighbour. we have loads of ventilation and even 3 open chimneys, putting the heating on is the only thing I can do to stop the damp

Jolaaled

Moggins..can you light your open fires and have real fires?? They are far better at getting rid of damp, compared to central heating.

Good luck

sashacat

There's a company called warm front and they will install loft insulation, enery saving light bulbs, hot water tank covers, and insulation for all windows and external doors FREE if you are on benefits of any kind....call your enery supplier if you can't find them in the local directory...they are government funded, and they really are free.... they have just put 12 inches of insulation in this loft and done all of the other things.

moggins

I have been told that we have to have our chimney lined when I made enquiries about having a wood burner put in but I don't know if that applies to just having an open fire. I am going to test it out though with a small fire.

We do have a few spots where the brickwork looks a bit dodgy so I have just ordered 4kgs of fireproof cement (suitable for up to 1250 degrees) from screwfix. So I'm going to sort that out this week then have a small fire to test it out. I do have a carbon monoxide detector to hand to check out what is happening in the room too.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

hi.. moggins....just double check that no birds have made a nest , or knocked any down the chimley to block it or a partial block.....

off thread i know.. but sammy kay.... its right what moggins have said... your bf... will not be intitled to any benefits etc.....plus if the tax man cought up with him he might be liable for back dated tax on his earnings... as the person he is working for... might say that your bf is self employed.. and liable for paying his own tax and insurance stamp....etc....so would def... find out about that...

it could turn round and be another ...financial headache for you.....

sorry....about being off thread... but i am sure people will not mind... as i feel this could be a serious...situation... which needed to be highlighted... so sammy-kay could look into it...

oops_a_daisy

in the winter I normally have my central heating on in the evening for a couple of hours and on a morning for an hour. In the summer I just switched over to hot water only for the same time.......untill I came on here!. This summer I changed the timer to just have hot water on for an hour in the morning and we have hardly noticed the difference except in my bills which have reduced. There are only 2 of us but I have never thought about it in the past and just left the hot water on for the same length of time that I had it on in the winter. I have definately saved money this summer, now for saving this winter
Does anybody know if it is better to have a gas fire on in the evening instead of central heating as that is the way I normally heat the house later on in the evening after the central heating has gone off. My house is quite open plan so heating by the gas fire works just as well on the rooms that we need.
We always add extra blankets on the beds in the winter and hot water bottles.
I have been known to put cellotape over the keyholes to stop draughts.
My downstairs cloakroom always used to be cold so I have plugged the overflow with tissue - apparently if there is an over flow of water the tissue is just pushed out but it stops the draughts coming in.
I put rugs down on the kitchen floor as it is just lino on top of concrete so is cold all year round, but we do wear socks and slippers too.
Well thats just my two penneth

sammy_kaye18

Do you know what ive been uming adn ahing for a few days now whether or not i shoud buy slippers as i like those cosy toes socks but im not sure they will work too well i had them last year and still found them cold.

so i think today i will go and buy some slippers whilst they are realtively cheap still and the prices havent gone up ready for Xmas.

dlb

My kids are in on our challange not to put the heating on till at least Nov, they are all quite excited about getting wrapped up in their slippers and dressing gowns and having their hot water bottles and fleece blankets downstairs!!!
We are going to make the draft excluders, and DH is putting me up a blind in one of the kitchen windows, to make it a little warmer.

sammy_kaye18

Well ive got extra fleece blankets ready in my Xmas cupboard, will get my slippers and thermals today to keep me snug and warm, will get round to make my sausage dog draught excluders, or failing that will make the ones that sit either side of the door.

twink

oops a daisy, when i had my boiler sreviced i asked about the gas fire and i was told it was a gas guzzler, when its on it stays on whereas the central heating will only go on if the temp drops, so i prefer to put the radiator up a bit instead of using the fire