Preparing for winter II

downshifter

Well I've taken the plunge and removed all of the clingfilm and bubblewrap from the windows as well as the tape from the gaps between frames and wall. The rooms suddenly seem much lighter but you can certainly feel the cold, simple measures make so much difference. I'm going to think up something more permanent for next winter.

I had an energy audit done on my house (free local authority scheme) and the guy was most dismissive of my attempts to keep the cold out with tapes and bubble wrap, but we know better don't we guys! It was very interesting though as he went round the house with a infrared camera thingie.

A beautiful morning here in the Peak District.

DS

diddly74

My Back door, blanket lined, curtain fell down 2 days ago, when I opened the back door and propped it open to let the spring air in (and the dogs out), so that is waiting to be washed and dried - then it will be vac-bagged and put up for next year. It has made a big difference in the temp of the kitchen (althought this was our first one here) but behind it you could feel the cold and the drafts coming round the door!!! So sometime within the next few weeks (when I can remember to organise it) I want to reseal around the door and get hold of some more insulation to put round it!

mardatha

Will the council or anybody help with insulation Downshifter ? I worry about you LOL! The back of our house is so cold sometimes that it's warmer to stand outside so I feel your pain !

downshifter

Hello Mardatha, that's very kind of you to worry about me but please don't - not until I start worrying about myself anyway!

Yes, all through the summer my house is always massively colder than the outside, and often I sit with a jumper on in the living room but am hit with a wall of heat as soon as I go outside. The house is never really warm at any time of year but it has amazed me to realise how you can get used to living at much lower temperatures than you would think.

I insulated the roof through one of the schemes a couple of years ago and it makes so much difference, upstairs is now really cosy, it feels as though a big duvet has been put on top holding all the warmth inside. Downstairs is still freezing though! The walls are sold stone, 2 ft thick so can't be insulated. According to the energy auditor, the window sills are really cold and he recommended removing the wooden sill and putting polystyrene bits underneath and replacing the wood, which is interesting, I hadn't thought of that.

But I'm sure it's just the same with you up there too Mardatha. This last winter, coupled with slight problems with the neighbouring farmer, has made me think about moving somewhere a bit more 'civilised' as my daughter would say. I've got feelers out but nothing yet, I know I will be devastated to leave here but I do feel ready to make that move, I love moving house anyway, having done it most of my life regularly.

Off to chase the chickens off the veg patch, have a gorgeous day!

mardatha

I like moving too, but I won't move from here, it's perfect. My daughter has a house like yours though and they have a grumpy old sod of a farmer/landlord. She keeps her coal fire on all the time in the belief (LOL hope!) that it heats the walls. But all that does is make the livingroom like a furnace and the back of the house is an icebox . I know what you mean about getting used to cold, amazing how the body adapts

mcjordi

well fingers crossed the car sells on saturday when a fellow car club member comes to view it.. then its onto the trusty push bike for me.. i dont need the car so the sale price and the associated costs can be saved.. a good 100 a month on insurance/tax/mot/fuel etc

downshifter

Just back from a gorgeous few days away, camping then 1 night in luxury hotel. It was lovely but there's nothing like a bit of a holiday to make you re-evaluate things. I got back and despite the warm weather the house feels dank and dark. It's bad really as I live in an amazing part of the country that people visit and really it is beautiful. I suppose we just can't have everything.

Anyway although I'm seriously looking for somewhere else, for the time being I'm going to put renewed energy into making the garden nice and productive and do lots more draught proofing. Whoever lives here, whether me or someone else, can still have a good supply of carrots and leeks and as few draughts as poss.

Brrr, think I'll go and live in my campervan, it was much warmer in there! DS

Incidentally Mardatha, the problem with the farmer is the opposite to your daughter's I think - a little overfriendly!! - and his place is a tip, he says even his own son tells him he doesn't like to visit cos it's like that family in Emmerdale whose name escapes me.

DS

mardatha

Her neighbour, the farm worker in the next door cottage, is like that. Great folk - but my god the state of the house :eek:

wrinkled_english_rose

hi Downshifter,
We used to live in a cottage with thick sandstone walls that couldn't be insulated. We covered them in polysterene. It was like a roll of wallpaer but polysterene and it helped. We were always being told how lucky we were to have such a wonderful view but it didn't keep us warm.
WER

mardatha

Makes you realise why they wore so many layers of clothes in the old days eh!