Preparing for winter II

LadyDee

inspirespirit wrote: »

I'm trying not to put the heating on until October. I'm really cold today and have noticed a few draughts that I hadn't noticed before (only moved in here earlier this year). So will be off to look for draught excluders ready for October. We have snow forecast already for October (and I live in the Midlands), so goodness knows what it will be like for those of you up North.

I don't like living where I do but I'm glad at times like these that I'm in the South. It's very mild here at the moment. Perhaps that's why us 'Southerners' are often called 'wimps' when we can't cope with a cold snap:)

I'm hoping my central heating won't be going on until November, although my calor gas fire has been on for an hour or so here and there for the last couple of weeks. Just hoping that will be sufficient for a little while yet.

Jessie11

Anyone else got one of the 3 in 1 jackets from Aldi?
Got one yesterday for 29.99

Confuzzled

goerdievik wrote: »

I'd have to disagree with the EST on this one, and completely back-up Confuzzled - we have a stone house with walls 18" thick, and for the last couple of years we have had the heating on at a constant 18c from October to February. The temperature of the house has been much more comfortable - when using the timer we found it never felt warm, and were always bumping the thermostat up to 25c in a desperate attempt to warm up.

We won't go back to using the timer over winter unless we move to an insulated property. Maybe the EST are advising based on houses with cavity walls etc.?

V

that's my suspicion yes, they are probably assuming if you're on their website you already have a fairly energy efficient home

Confuzzled

inspirespirit wrote: »

I'm trying not to put the heating on until October. I'm really cold today and have noticed a few draughts that I hadn't noticed before (only moved in here earlier this year). So will be off to look for draught excluders ready for October. We have snow forecast already for October (and I live in the Midlands), so goodness knows what it will be like for those of you up North.

i think we've been quite fortunate where i am (not normally the case!) whilst the temp is now around 12 but a real feel of 8 which is def nippy we've not noticed that much

the slippers are now on every day but not all day and we're wearing jumpers now but it's not been too bad even with the nights dipping down to 5-6C.

i have bubblewrapped both sides of the door at the top of the stairs (i'm in a maisonette) and put the draught excluder down about 6 weeks ago but that's all the thermal stuff i've done thus far... that must be making a big difference already, i do know that when i go into the halls and stairwell there is always a big temp difference now. i'm definitely going to do the little panes of glass in the entrance door downstairs this year and possibly the window at the top of the stairs (it's outside the inner door so i didn't mess with it the last two winters), though if i do that one i'll have to cut a flap so we can look outside

i'm also seriously considering bubblewrapping both bedroom windows. i will have to see if you can tell what it is from downstairs outside... if you can't and/or it doesn't look too weird then i'll do it and then just take it down for flat inspections (though she's already used to the inner door and bathroom window being bubblewrapped so i'll leave those in place).

i feel for those of you that are already feeling the cold so much, hang tight!

Rainy-Days

At the moment it is fine and bright but quite breezy. I have three loads of washing out on the line at the moment and it is drying. One thing I have noticed is that the sun is allot lower now in the sky even during the day as one of my line drying spots is partially covered in shadow!

I have the doors open from the conservatory into the house to draw off some of the heat to last us until the evening. I am pretty much loathed to put the heating on even though from April to present we have saved so much through heating costs (we just haven't had to have it on with the exception of one night).

The field hedges are laden and really mean laden with berries and the Mayflower this year was loaded with them as well which they say is also a portent of a pretty bad winter ahead. I am just trying to make the most of the good sunshine this week until Sunday. After that I will take it one day at a time. I have not put the flannelette sheets on yet, although I did change the bed this morning - I am holding out until October until the first frosts when it gets really cold.

Nearly everything from our preparation list (which was long) has just about been done - but that gives me no comfort whatsoever, because I just blinking well know that when those clocks go back I will hate it. I hate January because it seems flipping depressing and I just hate the long, dark, cold, pants nights! Sorry rant over guys but thats how I feel!! :mad:

bevhousehastings

I've put the thick winter velvet curtains up in the living room, and got all our slippers out! I've also sorted through all our coats, gloves, hats and so on to make sure they fit and are clean. Need to do a few more bits though:

*Go through log pile in garden/chop up, and bring in to 'warm up'.
*Put extra duvet underneath our sheets on our bed.
*Find a way to stop the dog chewing firewood in the living room - ?some sort of lid for the basket/better behaved dog?
*Buy a draught excluder for the letter box - any ideas on how to make one?
*Clean and put away our sandals and flip flops.
*Keep an eye out for some cheap/freecycled/charity shop curtains for our playroom, very draughty old windows.

tugrin

Double glazing film and portable camping cooking arrived today plus bought de-icer and screenwas (no anti-freeze until Im sure what to do with it) - so I think that me pretty much done now. Sadly my cheery halogen heater has bitten the dust with an alarming fizzle so I am one heater short but maybe I can survive til next month for that.
People who live in houses with thick walls shouls defo leave the heating on nd I speak as one who knows from own house in Sctoland and experience of a friends house where there were just too mean to have anything like a healthy temp except for the one room where thy kept the fire burning all winter (this house I hasten to add was much further south too) - Im going with low lever all th time this year so lets hope Im right.

oldtractor

Its about time the clocks stopped going back. Shall be do an ePetition?

beautifylife

cydeny65 - can you provide the ebay link for the foil liners? thanks!

sparrer

oldtractor wrote: »

Its about time the clocks stopped going back. Shall be do an ePetition?

Petitions have been done year in, year out for as long as I can recall. Even the farmers say it's not been necessary for a very long time. I really don't know what it takes to make our so-called leaders to see sense, I think it's just one of those things they put aside til manana..and we all know tomorrow never comes. But if you want to start your own petition oldtractor, I'm right up there at the front with my pen