Avoid using GAS and ELECTRIC !

SusanCarter

MORPH3US wrote:

Got my first quarterly gas / electric bill yesterday - £136 from 1st November to 8th Feb... well chuffed with that.

DD is currently set at £60 and has given us a credit of £44 in the winter months so am well happy!!!

M

If you phone them up and point this out, you'll probably be able to get your DD reduced. That way you earn interest on the money you're saving instead of them.

sammy_kaye18

Hi All

Bumping this thread again as well as getting everythign ready dn prepared for next year - am lookign to properly insulate the windows this year with new sealent etc and makign the curtains for the hall way

plus im takign up knitting so pooch will have a few more doggy jumpers to keep him warm. might add to the washign pile a little bit but if the hatings off longer i wont notice so much

Austin_Allegro

*noodles* wrote:

Ka7e that is fabulous I nearly wet myself laughing :rotfl:

I refused to put the heating on due to the prices but found that, as other people have mentioned, the mould really started to grow on the walls and in the bottom of the wardrobe so if you have a house which is prone to a bit of mould growth I would recommed putting the heating on for an hour or so in the morning then for a few hours in the evening just to warm the walls up!

Best present I was given was a lovely throw which we snuggle under when watching TV to stay nice and toasty.

Noodles, I have had similar problems, but transient mould is usually caused by condensation. Since condensation is caused by stale damp air, you may find the problem improves simply by improving air flow (keeping cupboard and room doors open, regularly airing rooms, keeping furniture away from outside walls etc, keeping windows open a crack) rather than cranking up heating. Alternatively a dehumidifier works really well, but these cost quite a lot to run. (I don't care because my leccy is all inclusive in my rent...:T )

gemmaj

To repeat what I was recently told by an architect.. Mould likes damp conditions - turning heat on and off causes condensation with all the heating and cooling and heating again, which is one area night storage heaters are good because unlike other heating they give off a constant heat.

So the answer *might* not be to turn the heater on for an hour or two. But it all comes down to whether you want to trust my architect !!!! :rotfl:

SusanCarter

My husband spent two winters in a house with no heating or hot water and it had quite a bit of damp. I think the thing with heating is that you need ventilation as well. Heating might evaporate the moisture out of things so they are not damp but you also need ventilation so that it does not condense back onto stuff in the house.

Maisie

ironed_out wrote:

:eek: I've just checked our electric/gas account online to find we're £366 in credit:j :j :j They read the meter today, so will look for an update in a few days time for a truer (is that a word? lol) reading.
For the past few months (well, since this thread started really) we switched the water heater on just once a day on a timer for a couple of hours instead of it running 24/7.
Also been unplugging things when not in use (microwave etc) filling a flask with any extra water that was boiled in the kettle but not needed, to use for my coffee during the day
Haven't needed the central heating much at all tbh, but mainly use the gas fire in living room and just put central heating on if it's REALLY cold, just for an hour and need to warm upstairs (bathroom/bedrooms)

If you now have an accurate up to date reading and bill and are still in credit phone the company and ask for a refund (by cheque or to your bank acct). otherwise they will say it will offset summer usage. ( which will not be as high as winter usage.) They will be using your money and getting interest on it.
Get your d/d reduced too if you are that much in credit. What with prices supposedly coming down you are overpaying.

Br Gas wanted to put our monthly d/d up by £20 month. We were £2 in credit and I complained and wouldn't let them raise the D/D One clerk said we had no choice but I knew they couldn't put up a D/D without your approval (I worked in a bank so knew the rules). Eventually after complaining they agreed to leave the original D/D.

So £240 a year in our bank account and not theirs.

Keep warm

Maisie

competitionscafe

Badger. Badger. I got some thermal merino wool tops /baselayers for half price in the Craghoppers sale and wearing one of those indoors instead of a t-shirt makes a major difference - toasty warm most of the time unless it's really brass monkeys.

miss_pink_4

Just been given an electric frypan/slowcooker from my mother-in-law. Will be curious to see if it will save me money on our gas bill.

glaspole

I've look through this thread but can't find any mention of suppliers of front door curtains.

My front door is the only non DG unit in my flat and I'd like to insulate it with a thick door curtain. Anyone know of any suppliers that make them specifically for this purpose?

Thanks

likabu_2

glaspole wrote: »

I've look through this thread but can't find any mention of suppliers of front door curtains.

My front door is the only non DG unit in my flat and I'd like to insulate it with a thick door curtain. Anyone know of any suppliers that make them specifically for this purpose?

Thanks

Mine too, last year I bought a set of thermal lined curtains from Littlewoods. All the thermal lined ones don't seem to be the most attractive in design in the end I settled for a red wine coloured on. It's got a velour feel to it.

Lisa