Preparing for winter II

parsonswife8

Rainy-Days wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl:

She had me going there for a minute - it was one of those "hang on a second".

Enid, Last year the condensation in our house was terrible. We have long thick curtains throughout, but in the morning everything was pretty wet on the windows, so I used a towel to mop it all up and then went over with another towel and then a microfibre cloth. Periodically thorughout the day I would have to do the same but it was at night when the curtains were closed that there was this build up of condensation. I guess allot of it comes from the fact that we exhale water vapour which heads for the coldest spot - the windows! We are all double glazed uPVC, we have a front and back porch as wel as a conservatory so it was a job that had to be dealt with. You cannot leave condensation because it will quickly turn to black mould which the spores can affect your lungs. Some of my problem could have been down to using clothes airers to dry the washing, but the big stuff such as towels and bed sheets went off to the tumble dryer (as much as it grieved me to do it I used it because of the amount of water it holds).

In terms of your letterbox, you could tape it down and just have a box on the outside of your door. My aunt used an old bread bin, put a handle on it and painted 'POST' on the outside and it worked a treat. Downside is you have to open the door to get your mail

You can get plastic containers from Wilkinsons or hardware stores, that you fill with the crystal stone thingies that they display alongside and these absorb all the condensation if you leave them on the windowsill, below the windows.

You need to change the crystal bits when the water has built up in the base of the plastic container.

Rainy-Days

It's that crystal gel like stuff that I can't find! Maybe I am not looking hard enough! Aldi have them in around September time I think.



Oh nearly forgot they have generators for sale this week if anybody is interested!

Enid

Good idea thank you

Just starting to wonder if spending lots now is more economical than just having the heating on a little more.
Need to think about this one I think

katieclampet

parsonswife8 wrote: »

It's July, luvvie.

OOPS!:o In my defence it has been a very looooong and manic day today...sorry all!!

katie:rotfl:

jamanda

Enid wrote: »

Good idea thank you

Just starting to wonder if spending lots now is more economical than just having the heating on a little more.
Need to think about this one I think

Just do what you can when you can. I've been reading this thread for a couple of years (and was very much that way inclined beforehand) and I still have lots to do. Every little bit helps, and it doesn't all involve spending lots of money. I lined my bathroom curtains with two fleeces that cost £3 last year, and I'm sure this has helped. Next project is lining the kitchen curtains before winter. Baby steps, as and when you have the time or you can afford to do a bit.

DH is on a mission wombling wood for the fires, and we have been buying some bags of coal each month. I'd rather spend a bit on coal than run a huge gas bill up.

With the looks of it this winter is going to be another nasty one, so every little thing you do will help you.

J

Enid

jamanda wrote: »

Just do what you can when you can. I've been reading this thread for a couple of years (and was very much that way inclined beforehand) and I still have lots to do. Every little bit helps, and it doesn't all involve spending lots of money. I lined my bathroom curtains with two fleeces that cost £3 last year, and I'm sure this has helped. Next project is lining the kitchen curtains before winter. Baby steps, as and when you have the time or you can afford to do a bit.

DH is on a mission wombling wood for the fires, and we have been buying some bags of coal each month. I'd rather spend a bit on coal than run a huge gas bill up.

With the looks of it this winter is going to be another nasty one, so every little thing you do will help you.

J

yes I agree and thank you for your ideas. I just started to think maybe doing it all at once would be quite expensive so maybe a few things this year and my survival tent and foil can be saved for 2012

Never that convinced with long term weather forecasts to be honest as they don't seem to be able to tell me correctly what is going to happen tomorrow. Having said that I think it is wise to prepare just in case.

bubbs

Rainy-Days wrote: »

It's that crystal gel like stuff that I can't find! Maybe I am not looking hard enough! Aldi have them in around September time I think.



Oh nearly forgot they have generators for sale this week if anybody is interested!

The crystal gel water catcher things are usually for sale in poundland you get 2 for a pound

Ida_Notion

Enid wrote: »

Good idea thank you

Just starting to wonder if spending lots now is more economical than just having the heating on a little more.
Need to think about this one I think

I realise it's a matter of checks and balances and the end result will not be the same for everyone, but browsing this thread over the last day or so and acting on what I've found has saved me a fortune and given me much peace of mind regarding the coming winter. This was primarily because it fired me up with the determination that I would finally understand my electric bill even if it killed me, arming me with the knowledge that I'd be right in ringing my supplier to query the ludicrously high direct debit I've been blindly paying since March.

The resulting phone call brought my monthly payment down from £142 per month to £95 (a saving of £564 a year :eek: ).

I am happy to report that I now understand my bill perfectly and am so on the case now The ease with which these companies will line their pockets with our money if we let them is alarming, and if it prevents them from having one more unnecessary penny of mine tomorrow I am quite content to invest it elsewhere today. With that in mind, I have ordered four (two sets of) Quishions while they are cheap and am thinking of buying an energy monitor too so that the family get visible evidence of our usage, which I imagine would have more effect than my audible nagging

I've already got a small stockpile of food thanks to my complete inability to pass a 'Whoopsied' tin, but now it's a growing stockpile with a purpose, and it thanks you all :rotfl:I thank everyone who's contributed to the thread too, for giving me a much-needed kick up the rear and helping to me to make sure that I won't get taken advantage of when it's winter just because people get cold and large sectors of industry are feathering their own nests on the strength of it.

Rainy-Days

Enid,

Ida is right, it's about looking after what you have and improving where you can. It's about being prepared and having those few extra bits in, when the weather does turn bad that you know you don't have to go out of the house to make that journey to the shops. The milk is in the fridge, there is bread and jam or a bowl of soup there.

My lot has consisted of washing my winter jackets and getting them dry also washing may scarves as well so that not only are they clean and ready but that I am even less likely to want to buy another jacket because the ones I have are perfectly good enough. We have wooden garden furniture that every year is put away in the shed, but we also have a seated arbour and a wooden bird table both of which will need to be sanded down and stained/proofed again to protect them. I bought a rubber mat from Poundland today for my car for a quid, because a couple of holes had appeared in the foot mat. Again, it wasn't about spending big bucks but supporting the current mat and protecting the cars carpet that was the priority. I even cleaned out the hose on the tumble dryer today because when it does turn I don't want to be out in the garage freezing my nellies off getting fluff out of the dryer!

Think of it as a kind of a deep clean and strengthening the things that you have to make winter allot more comfortable and bearable. It also means that there is no mad rush to go and get things such as de-icer for your car - if you drive that is! I recall last year people went mad for anti freeze and screen wash to the extent that Halford's sold out and were ordering extra stocks in (probably with an extra price added to it as well just for good measure) to meet demand. I bought a five litre ready mixed screen wash from Lidl on Saturday for £1.99 and that will be ready to go when the weather turns. It also means for us not having to make an extra trip to Halfords or having to go into the town trudging around in freezing weather trying to get what you need - and probably everybody else is doing and looking for the same!

As Ida says work with what you have and improve it, just add a little here and there and build up your things as you go.

Enid

Really good post Ida Notion thank you

I guess my age and my background (and the lack of any significant lottery wins of course) has led me to a natural old style type of living. I have my direct debit for gas and electricity at a good manageable level now but of course a few price hikes and a drop in my income could change that at any time.

I do admit to being a little :eek: :eek: at some suggestions on here but I will take what is useful and leave some behind

I do have some wacky thoughts myself though I do confess. I have a very very hairy dog for example who will fill a hoover at least twice a day with his hair. I have considered if this wonderful fluffy down could be used in anyway as I have an abundance. OK stupid I know but its just a thought.

I am loving being part of Old Style your ideas are so me