It's STILL tough and not getting better - so how are we coping?

Primrose

I know a lot of us have a competition with ourselves to see how long we can hang out for before switching on the heating for the winter but in damp and wet areas it really is self-defeating, even if you walk around wearing several layers of clothing, which I did last year. Once damp starts to get into a house, it can affect the walls, furniture, carpets and bedding and it then takes a much high level of heating to get rid of it. And when the housing structure (walls) have reached this stage, the whole house seems to take a lot longer to warm up. I think it's far better to compromise by maintaining your clothing levels but topping up the heat for a couple of hours morning and evening. This prevents damp from taking hold and seeping into the fabric of your furniture and bedding. It's a good idea to put a couple of hot water bottles into beds during the day during damp winter months. Our house is normally quite dry, but I do this with our spare guest bed to keep the damp at bay when it's not used. It's surprising how long the heat is retained and it stops the bedding developing that horrible mildewy smell if the heating is turned down in that room.

flowertotmum

Primrose wrote: »

I know a lot of us have a competition with ourselves to see how long we can hang out for before switching on the heating for the winter but in damp and wet areas it really is self-defeating, even if you walk around wearing several layers of clothing, which I did last year. Once damp starts to get into a house, it can affect the walls, furniture, carpets and bedding and it then takes a much high level of heating to get rid of it. And when the housing structure (walls) have reached this stage, the whole house seems to take a lot longer to warm up. I think it's far better to compromise by maintaining your clothing levels but topping up the heat for a couple of hours morning and evening. This prevents damp from taking hold and seeping into the fabric of your furniture and bedding. It's a good idea to put a couple of hot water bottles into beds during the day during damp winter months. Our house is normally quite dry, but I do this with our spare guest bed to keep the damp at bay when it's not used. It's surprising how long the heat is retained and it stops the bedding developing that horrible mildewy smell if the heating is turned down in that room.

Primrose thats a great idea..i have just put my 2 little girls in the big bedroom together which means i have an empty room..with a cot in it..when my grandson comes i worry if its damp or not coz its not used much only a playroom now..so i'll be putting hot waterbottles in the cot everyday when the weather is bad..thank you for that...:A

Lindy_-_Loo

flowertotmum wrote: »

Hi ...yes all my children have hot water bottles..even when they are/were small...i just don't fill it all the way up and let the water cool a little before filling up the bottle...o those naughty choclates...resist them..:rotfl:

Thanks - I think I may buy them even if I put them in the beds to warm them before they get in.

Chocs are still sealed but after today and the boys being very noisy (my throat hurts from shouting so much!) they may not see the week thru!!!

lilac_lady

northwest1965 wrote: »

I've had pleuresy so I can really sympathise:)

I started something new for Christmas last year. I'm no longer sending any cards, instead I made a donation to a charity of my choice. It felt so much better.

Me too! I told everyone last year that it would be my final year for cards as I was donating the money that I would have spent on them (+ postage) to the local children's hospice. Nearly everyone said " I'd like to do do something like that too, but I don't know what to say to people"......???????

lilac_lady

On another thread I posted that I put my heating on for 30 mins in the morning and for 15 minute "bursts" during the day if I feel cold. I hope that's enough to keep me healthy. If it gets any colder here I'll start using it "properly". Don't want to be ill.

Kitcaboodle

Heating has gone on here today. The nappies have been taking four or five days to dry because the room is starting to feel damp. Even other fabrics in the room are starting to feel damp & I know from the last flat I lived in that the only solutions for that are a de-humidifyer or the heating on!

I'd have gone with disposables for a little while to try and hold off the heating only it really has turned a bit colder and with DS only being four and a bit months old, I figured it was time to turn it on. We've budgeted for spending more on electricity for washing & heating anyway, so at least we'll be OK.

Just had a yummy dinner of leftovers from last night's yummy chinese take-away and have enough left for another couple of meals as well if I stretch it out with some oven fries.

As far as low blood pressure goes. I think I may naturally have that. Whenever mine is tested (other than in late pregnancy!) the person testing it has always said 'Good', 'Great' or 'Excellent' and I have a REALLY high salt diet. I wonder if I crave it because my body knows I need it to regulate my blood pressure?

bluebag

lilac_lady wrote: »

On another thread I posted that I put my heating on for 30 mins in the morning and for 15 minute "bursts" during the day if I feel cold. I hope that's enough to keep me healthy. If it gets any colder here I'll start using it "properly". Don't want to be ill.

I found it easier to keep it low all the time. Last year the OH was off work ill for six months right through that awful winter so I had to keep the heating on all day.

penelopedee_2

We've been outside all afternoon and evening and it was sooo nice to come back into a warm house. The heating only comes on for an hour at the moment at tea time but it has definitely been enough to make a difference. The curtains up in the living room have helped too (can't believe we had just blinds for years, it was so drafty then).

kezlou

Lindy_-_Loo wrote: »

Do any of you let your children have hot water bootles? The boys are 3 and 5 and I saw some in furry ones in primark last week - am in too minds to buy them. OH doesnt think they are safe.

Both of my boys now 6 and 10 yrs have hot water bottles, i first got ours them when they were about 2 years old. The protective furry bit should keep them safe.

The heating is till on in our house, more clothes drying on them. But allso the sofa in the front room was really damp, so its on. I'm not having like last year. So i've raised the maximum temperature ffrom 14 to 19 degrees. On the evening it won't evening come on because of cooking.
The bungee jump got cancelled, were all really disappointed, bleeding high winds grr. But came home to scrummy sausage, egg, beans and chips, ah it was lovely after being in the cold rain all day.

oops better get the bread out before it burns!

lilac_lady

Just googled about cold weather leading to strokes and heart attacks (I know how to amuse myself!) and have just switched my heating on........