Preparing for winter II

Confuzzled

goodgodthatonesevenbigger wrote: »

Does the polystryrene not cause a fire hazzard? i seam to remember a house i rented having to have it removed from all the ceilings because of this?

i wondered about that too on homes under the hammer they are always saying that polystyrene ceilings are a fire hazzard :eek:

Red_Doe

mcjordi wrote: »

thats right at the top of scotland i think.. they were always on the news as being the coldest place in the UK at -22oC :eek:

Altnaharra's a bit further south than us, we're just a wee bit south of Cape Wrath. Last two winters the temperatures regularly hit minus twenty two, even twenty four, and this winter it's been predicted to be even colder.
I can't begin to describe how cold that is in practical terms. We had no central heating and basic things folks take for granted like going to the loo and bathing were actually dangerous to health as the bathroom is just a concrete block built onto an older house and I could store meat in there and it wouldn't ever defrost!
Breathing was actually painful at times, mostly first thing in the morning just before dawn, taking cold, freezing air into your lungs isn't the healthiest thing to do, especially when you have bronchitis.
The cold gets into your bones and no matter how wrapped up you get, no matter how much you try to keep moving, it saps your strength because you're breathing that sub zero air and the body works extra hard to warm it up. It makes you lethargic and depressed, because all you want to do is find somewhere to huddle and warm up.
Your hands become clumsy and slow and your mind just can't think of anything else but heat and the lack of it.
That's fuel poverty in the highlands of Scotland, where only one heating oil supplier will deliver and he won't lower his prices nor let a tenant pay in installments. I asked. If you don't have the full amount in the bank in the first place they won't let you pay by installment. How mad is that?
Anyway, sorry for the rant.
I'm dreading this coming winter, especially if it will be worse than the last two. The being snowed in I can cope with. Being so very cold, all of the time, I can't, not at my age and with ill health. I'm already longing for next summer.....

Fruball

Oh Red Doe That sounds bl00dy miserable... -24 :eek: I don't know how you cope hun, I really don't.

Can you get free firewood (I seem to remember you have woodburners/fires in the house) and keep the fires going constantly in the very cold weather?

Sending warm, lasting hugs for you

skintbint_2

red doe, you're certainly up in the wilds there, cant imagine -22, bad enough here last year at -17, thats why i'm getting prepared for this year, hopefully being on this thread will keep you cheered up! is it worth you getting one of those calor gas heaters with the cannisters?

Fruball

Mind you, those pics of your house in the snow last year were very beautiful if thats any consolation at all... Probably not though!

CH27

Red Doe your post made me feel all scared for you:(

Justamum

sparrer wrote: »

I have to admit I only have 24 loo rolls in my airing cupboard, I'm such a failure . But at least, unlike that poor dear Muriel P, I shall be safe from an avalanche...

Well you've got more than me - I've only got 18 stockpiled (at the moment - things will change )

Confuzzled

Red_Doe wrote: »

Altnaharra's a bit further south than us, we're just a wee bit south of Cape Wrath. Last two winters the temperatures regularly hit minus twenty two, even twenty four, and this winter it's been predicted to be even colder.
I can't begin to describe how cold that is in practical terms. We had no central heating and basic things folks take for granted like going to the loo and bathing were actually dangerous to health as the bathroom is just a concrete block built onto an older house

i really feel for you red doe, i grew up in the northern midwest of the states and we regulary hit those temps in winter (or lower) but at least we had central heating. having lived in an old crofters cottage without heating aside from two fireplaces i know how cold the bathroom gets (similar situation to yours) it's a big part of the reason why we moved to glasgow after my daughter was born, i just couldn't face winters like that with a new baby.

fortunately we had help from my ex's family to get moved, i really fear for what it would have been like if we'd had to stay. i know there probably isn't enough time to get anything sorted about this for this winter but perhaps you and others in your area could lobby your mp very fiercely to have something done about the oil issues. i know martin is campaigning to force the gov't to regulate oil fuel prices but perhaps another point to drive home is that in areas like yours where you have no other option for heat they should be forced to allow you to pay in installments even if it means paying in spring towards the coming winters fuel...

i wish you the best of luck and i hope the winter isn't so harsh for you up there this year

rising_from_the_ashes

Confuzzled wrote: »

it's cold in fife too, last night when i crawled into bed it was the first time i shivered, took about 5 minutes til i finally felt warm again...

Cold here last night too - only 10 deg about 9pm:eek:

Gave in and put the 4.5 tog duvet on - use an empty cover during the summer (early for this - usually mid-late Sept).

My house is a bit topsy-turvy.... the upstairs is always roasting (even last night, was 19 deg - nice - after windows being open all day & even tho' it was cold outside) but the downstairs is always cold (only 15 deg at tea-time even tho' no windows open down there).

Upstairs I only ever need the radiators on at frost protection (even during the worst last winter) and it's fine with that and the warm curtains I've got up. Downstairs is a different matter, I have the radiators on full and it's still freezing down there - think most of it ends up here .....

I did end up with the 7.5 tog duvet and a warm blanket last year (usually manage with the 4.5 & blanket) so it was worse .... not sure if it's old age creeping up on me, or so many years of living in an old cottage with only a fire in the lounge and no double glazing (and howling gales through the windows) where it was frequently 5 deg in my room in the mornings:eek:.

sparrer wrote: »

There's only me and I use approx 1 a week.

sparrer wrote: »

I have to admit I only have 24 loo rolls in my airing cupboard, I'm such a failure

:eek: I can go through 1 a day at "bad" times ......

Carolyntia wrote: »

I know the feeling Rising had the same problem until I was finally diagnosed with lactose intolerance - took ten years though. When I moved here a year ago my removals men took the mickey out of me for the amount of loo roll - took a year to get through it all - still got a huge stash of kitchen roll though

I'm lactose intolerant too ..... (amongst other things) - things have improved a lot for me too since cutting it out:)

jamanda

Red Doe, if it gets too bad you'll have to head south bed hopping from one of us to the next. I'll dust the spare room!