Preparing for winter II

annie123

Rainy-Days wrote: »

I just don't understand why people wait for their boiler to breakdown and then do something about it - it's madness! Our last boiler lasted 32 years!

RD, people don't wait for the boiler to break down, a service doesn't prevent all problems in winter. Circuit boards and fans can go at any time, so too can fuses etc
My mums boiler stopped working during the snow just before xmas last year. It was only 2 years old.....the pipe running outside froze!

A annual service is a good idea as they give them a good clean out and can spot lime scale build up where it shouldn't be etc.
32 years is a great age for a boiler, was it gas?

mcjordi

candie_gill wrote: »

Few minor preparations today- went to B&M and picked up some small candle Jars in christmas scents for 29p - 50p each reduced from £1. Need a large xmas Jar from Yankee candle (my yearly treat) then im done. Also picked up the last of my sons xmas pressies, his stocking fillers and the contents of his xmas eve hamper too so feeling very smug

Going to clean my car by the end of the week, check tyres for inflation and oil levels etc. We had torrential rain here so its spured me on to get the car in check

:eek::eek: heck i havent even started xmas shopping yet

Rainy-Days

annie123 wrote: »

RD, people don't wait for the boiler to break down, a service doesn't prevent all problems in winter. Circuit boards and fans can go at any time, so too can fuses etc
My mums boiler stopped working during the snow just before xmas last year. It was only 2 years old.....the pipe running outside froze!

A annual service is a good idea as they give them a good clean out and can spot lime scale build up where it shouldn't be etc.
32 years is a great age for a boiler, was it gas?

It was gas Annie yes. The breakdowns were caused by minor things which would have possibly been picked up during routine servicing. The only thing that went on ours over all those years was a thermocouple and the egineer was on to it straight away.

nicki_2

More winter prep today - I'm ordering a few bits from Av*n for Xmas for my DD & sis (despite her being a rep as well :rotfl: ) but there will be more to add to it once I actually make it out the house to the shops :rotfl:

Just realised that my last post didn't make sense because a big chunk of my edit has gone missing. I actually managed to get: 90x90 thick curtains (for the doors), 66x72 curtains for DD's room, 90x72 thick curtains for my room, 90x72 thick curtains for the livingroom, 2x twin pack of flannelette pillowcases, double fleece undersheet, 2x twin pack waterproof pillowcases, 2 x king quilt sets, single fleece undersheet, double quilt set, a double bed in a bag (double quilt set, cushion cover & double length runner style throw), 2x single flannelette sheet set (fitted sheet, flat sheet, pillowcase). All in all it was a very good haul Just waiting on my V*ry catalogue to arrive now so I can order sheets for my bed

wifeforlife

Spotted this on the grabbits board

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3402319

B&Q £3 3.3sm of loft insulation

Anybody know where I could get a nice boys all in one snow suit, age 18-24 months?

Sunnyday

chirpychick wrote: »

Hi everyone,
I was wondering what temperature would you say is the lowest "safest" you could have the house at?
Hubby thinks it should be kept at 18 in the winter and i say 16.
We dont have any extra fires/heaters. Just central heating.
We are pretty good and have blankets, extra layers etc etc but the year before last we were next door to a couple with a baby so we didnt need the heating on at all in the winter but now we have a lone male next door and he is always out so we dont get any heat from him LOL!
Id not have the heating on at all if i could get away with it but hubby is worried about sickness. Any advice?

Last year there was a list posted of the safe temperatures for the home.

There were different temps and also a list of ailments that you could suffer from if the temperature fell below a certain level. I`m sure that it was on this thread and it was quoted many times but i can`t for the heck of me find it.

If i do i`ll post it.

SD

EDIT - Finally found it, it was on a different thread and i had thought that it was this one, here you are Courtesy of Jackie Glasgow


Originally Posted by jackieglasgow
Does this help at all?
-from a warm and well cardboard thermometer
All temperatures degrees C
Below 9 -risk of hypothermia
12 - too cold increased- risks of heart attacks and strokes
15 Discomfort - risk of respiratory illness
18 Comfortable house temp
21 Ideal house temp
24 plus (we should be so lucky) Hot ,reduce heat stay warm.
Babies may overheat

Justamum

Ida_Notion wrote: »

in the same way that trouser hems used to float above the ankles of the average Bay City Rollers fan.

Oh the memories. To be young and innocent again.

chirpychick

Sunnyday wrote: »

Last year there was a list posted of the safe temperatures for the home.

There were different temps and also a list of ailments that you could suffer from if the temperature fell below a certain level. I`m sure that it was on this thread and it was quoted many times but i can`t for the heck of me find it.

If i do i`ll post it.

SD

EDIT - Finally found it, it was on a different thread and i had thought that it was this one, here you are Courtesy of Jackie Glasgow


Originally Posted by jackieglasgow
Does this help at all?
-from a warm and well cardboard thermometer
All temperatures degrees C
Below 9 -risk of hypothermia
12 - too cold increased- risks of heart attacks and strokes
15 Discomfort - risk of respiratory illness
18 Comfortable house temp
21 Ideal house temp
24 plus (we should be so lucky) Hot ,reduce heat stay warm.
Babies may overheat

This is great thank you, we have agreed 17 for our house this winter.

bluebag

Rainy-Days wrote: »

You can get away with 15 degrees actually anything lower than that and you are feeling it. It will however keep your home safe and prevent freeze up's! Last year the amount of people who had big breakdowsn on their central heating was mind boggling. I kind of felt smug because we have our boiler serviced every year (although we had a complete nerw heating system newly installed in the first week of October last year which was just as well as it turned out). I just don't understand why people wait for their boiler to breakdown and then do something about it - it's madness! Our last boiler lasted 32 years!

Sadly the new boilers are far more 'tricked up' than the old basic boilers, they had few parts to go wrong, mainly a thermocouple, a gas valve and a pump. Many lasted 30 years or more.

New boilers have modulators, circuit boards, fans, calorifiers, condensate drains and all manner of techno-wonk.
The average life of a new condensing boiler is about 8-10 years depending on parts availability.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

bluebag wrote: »

Sadly the new boilers are far more 'tricked up' than the old basic boilers, they had few parts to go wrong, mainly a thermocouple, a gas valve and a pump. Many lasted 30 years or more.

New boilers have modulators, circuit boards, fans, calorifiers, condensate drains and all manner of techno-wonk.
The average life of a new condensing boiler is about 8-10 years depending on parts availability.

We declined to have a condensing boiler.
My husband works in boiler design and manufacter and always said they were'nt that good.
They develop lots of little faults that other boilers don't and one in particular the condensate (think thats the right term) drain freezes up when it gets very cold and water can back up in the boiler,thats apart from the boiler cutting off.
We've stayed with a good old fashioned one with (touch wood) no problems.