Preparing for winter II

toottifrootti

RedDoe have you tried Highland Fuels - they only expect 50% in your account with them - and it looks as if thats for your 2nd order onwards - have a look at their payment plan online - you have to be prepared to pay by direct debit.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Sunnyday wrote: »

Hi Shoei - welcome to MSE :hello:

Two years ago i invested in a dehumidifier and it is the best thing that i`ve ever used for condensation so it may be worth the initial investment. I bought mine on offer after carefully watching the prices for a while and the difference that it makes is amazing. There is always at least a litre of water collected just by running it overnight and you don`t have to keep replacing salt or crystals. Just plug it in and leave it be. Its cheap to run too and has the benefit of making the house warmer by extracting the water from the air.

If the problem really is bad then i would highly recommend one. Go for one with an automatic cut off and a decent collection capacity if you do decide to take the plunge.

HTH

SD

I swear by my dehumidifyer.
We live in an old Victorian house and with solid walls it suffered terrible condensation.
We run it overnight once a week and it is always full in the morning,about 4 litres.
The house is always dry now,doing this and best of all no mould at all.
I consider the initial cost and the small running costs well worth it since the damage that mould and condensation can do can cost a fortune to put right and never mind the effort concerned.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Sunnyday wrote: »

Red Doe - someone posted a link to a heated throw a few pages back, i`m wondering if a bit of velcro could be added to one of these and then when you need to walk around you could unplug it and the velcro would keep it wrapped around you. Plug it back in again when you sit down.

Electric blankets are fab too for when you`re in bed but apart from spending 24 hours a day in bed the throw might be a good investment.

I really feel for you, being cold is horrible.

SD

Those heated throws are realy good.
I bought a couple,one for each sofa and was quite surprized at the size of them.
They realy take the chill off.

LittleBit_2

jem132 wrote: »

ExTrolly101 wrote: »

Me too i am in Sunny Leeds :D

me too, I'm in Wakefield

Blade26

RedDoe I am sure that I have an unwanted 2 man dome tent in my cellar which will stay up without guy ropes and pegs, I am happy to seek it out and send it up to you. I am not in debt but found great comfort on these boards when assisting my late Mum with her debt journey, so to be able to 'pay it forward' would give me great pleasure. I won't be offended if you decline.

My OH wanted to go wild camping in Scotland this weekend, given the weather I am so glad we didn't, but you have my upmost respect for coping as admirably as you do.

X

tugrin

Kidcat - do you have an open fire - I have found in previous houses that a regular fire (once or twice a week) helped to draw out the moist air and get rid of it up the chimney. This is in the days before de humidifiers were easily available of course.

Justamum - "What's the point in making a plan? We make a plan. We get there. All hell breaks loose" Is this Ron?
I think I might have a go with a wall hanging on the outside wall of my bedroom - 2 sheets (have got some spares) sewn together with some polyester wadding or indeed the ubiquitous fleece blankets, in between might do.

Pips_Mum

Hello everyone,

Yet to catch up so please don't think me rude and here are some generic hugs! x

Today I took down my bathroom roller blind and rolled it back up with a trimmed down Ikea fleece, its worked a treat! I also hung my heavy curtains back up in the bedroom, so now have a double curtain in there. I really need to think of something to do with the slatted blind in my living room, thinking of something behind them but not sure what will still let light through???????

Stock pile cupboard coming along nicely, lots of pasta, sauces and rice, also tinned beans and toms.

Also ordered some fleece lined trousers for me and OH, didnt get the craghoppers in the end as they didnt have mine or his size in stock, got some from Ebay instead. Will let you know what they are like when they come.

Definately a chill in the air these days and also I can't believe the leaves falling off the trees already!

annie123

RED DOE and anyone else for that matter who might find it helpful.

I remember you saying you were in rented, so is it as insulated as it could be?
http://www.governmentinsulationgrants.co.uk/

Do you have carpet down wherever possible?

Rag rugs......can be made from old clothes
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf/Craft_Tips/Rugs/Making-a-Rag-Rug.html

solar heat catcher
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1977-09-01/Mothers-Heat-Grabber.aspx

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art36322.asp
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art6347.asp

Wall hangings.........made a massive difference to my sons room, raised the temp from 15 to 18 in a few hours and that was just with the outside walls done.
Hang old sheets etc anything you have on the walls.

Door curtains at every door in the room.

insulate door curtains and wall hangings with bubble wrap if you can......that increased 18 to 20 in my sons room.......the down side to that is he and friends kept popping them so I am slowly turning them all into quilts instead.

Build a toilet roll wall along the coldest wall, well you've got to store them somewhere :rotfl:

Bubble wrap at the windows, window film too on top if you don't need to remove the bubble wrap to see out

make some window quilts: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=44829454&postcount=4067

Mylar space blankets are brilliant, also great for door curtains and walls, windows too.
Now I know you dont have a 99p store near you but you can get them on ebay.
You can also get Mylar tents, my son tested one in his living room last winter and slept all night in it with no heating, felt so much warmer than on his bed.

Off to bed as early start but I will have more, probably daft ideas tomorrow;)

Ida_Notion

Justamum wrote: »

It seems appalling that the oil supplier near Red Doe appears to be quite happy about people freezing to death over winter.

I'm staggered that it's legal to be honest. It's not as if RedDoe is demanding fuel for free - there should always be a way for people on lower incomes to buy something as basic and essential as adequate heating over time rather than all up front. Perhaps the MP responsible for the area could be persuaded to put pressure on the supplier to accept payment in instalments. A letter to the regional newspapers exposing the company's shocking attitude might help too, particularly if the supplier thinks they might lose custom on the strength of it - from people that can pay in full immediately but would rather not do business with a company so greedy that they'd rather people suffer than wait for the prompt payment of money owing. How despicable.

chirpychick

Hi everyone.
Red doe i cant even imagine what winter must be like for you - i cant offer advice as im fairly new to all this but i just wanted to say that i hope you get lots of ideas.

I managed to get 3 pairs of jeans and a rain coat from new look in the sale today and im so grateful because i was very desperate! I also got some waterproof winter boots too. Thank goodness!!

Im not in a hunt for jumpers and t shirts for layering, pjs and slippers.

Ive washed the winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves now too.

Im getting there so very slowly! I feel a bit anxious about this winter, perhaps im just more aware of it now but i really feel we are in for a harsh winter and want to be more prepared but that takes money which we are very short of at the moment.

If there was anything i could do without spending money!!!

Im worried we wont be enough prepared.

Currently have 102!! items on ebay and the bids are upto £50 so far so fingers crossed that will give me something to play with after my crown at the dentist and fixing the car which failed the mot!!!! argggggggh!

thanks everyone for keeping me motivated on my check list.