Is your heating ON or OFF?

mjm3346

Primrose said:

Have been reading gov warnings about possible gas shortages this winter.  Can anybody explain to me how a gas supply to a household can be safely cut off in the same way thwt An electricity power cut can be implemented  to affect a whole area?.  Surely some gas must remain in the pipes?  I,m concerned about the safety aspect.

Anyway, we have bought down  a rarely used electric heater from the loft as an emergency back up measure , although electricity being more expensive thwn gas, it would mean us having to shut ourselves away in one of the small rooms in the house to have at least one warm place to be. 

If this happens, supplies would be cut to "the largest gas users" which are likely to be "large gas-fired power stations which produce electricity to the National Electricity Transmission System".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63118574

freshmayres

Hi,

All shiny and totally new here (and to MSE). I am scared of asking a really stupid question here, but I figured you don't know me so...

I can live without turning my heating yet as I have an electric underblanket, plenty of layers of clothing etc but what about my pets? The dog I can put a jumper on (I have two cats too) but is there something else I can do to ensure they aren't suffering too because of the energy crisis? The house does get cold in the winter and obviously I would put it on if it was absolutely baltic but I am scared of the rising costs.

 Am I alone in worrying about this?

(please don't be like a friend who said to me that I shouldn't have had pets if I can't afford to look after them, my circumstances changed drastically since having them and they mean the world to me, I'm doing my best to ensure they are healthy and safe)

Many thanks

Cherryfudge

I was reading around this and my understanding is that large-scale industrial users would be asked to reduce gas usage first. Domestic consumers would be protected as much as possible, though of course there is always a knock-on effect. The difficulty with domestic users is that each household would have to be individually reconnected to ensure safety, which would take days, so industry would take the first hit.

Places like hospitals and nursing homes are protected from cuts as much as possible. I'm not sure what the situation is for vulnerable domestic users.

A large percentage of electricity is generated using gas (though renewables and other sources are also significant) so I suppose there might be a knock-on effect with electricity supplies.

arnoldy

freshmayres said:

I can live without turning my heating yet as I have an electric underblanket, plenty of layers of clothing etc but what about my pets? 

Our cat usually stays out most nights and days, winter or summer. Just comes in for biscuits occasionally. We keep the cat lean trying to avoid overfeeding - that and the outdoor life is good for them.

Many dogs are perfectly happy living outside in a kennel, it depends on the breed. But the worst thing is to molly coddle them. If its above 15 -17C and humans can live with it so can the dogs.

Cherryfudge

freshmayres said:

I can live without turning my heating yet as I have an electric underblanket, plenty of layers of clothing etc but what about my pets? The dog I can put a jumper on (I have two cats too) but is there something else I can do to ensure they aren't suffering too because of the energy crisis? The house does get cold in the winter and obviously I would put it on if it was absolutely baltic but I am scared of the rising costs.

 Am I alone in worrying about this?

(please don't be like a friend who said to me that I shouldn't have had pets if I can't afford to look after them, my circumstances changed drastically since having them and they mean the world to me, I'm doing my best to ensure they are healthy and safe)

Many thanks

Welcome, @freshmayres. It's a good question. Could you use a large box(es) with limited entry and lined with blankets or old pillows? Something that keeps out the drafts and gives them something warm to snuggle into? Also, if you can get down to their level and feel for drafts, things like the home-made draft excluder under the back door could make a big difference to them. If you can't get down and crawl round the floor, shred a bit of tissue paper and dangle it in front of doors, windows and skirting boards to see if it blows around a bit - target sealing off those drafts!

If they like to share space, they will also help keep each other warm. You will probably find they like your electric blanket too!

Sorry your friend made that comment, pets are important for company/mental health/exercise for those who have them, and more than that, they're family.

linz

freshmayres said:

Hi,

All shiny and totally new here (and to MSE). I am scared of asking a really stupid question here, but I figured you don't know me so...

I can live without turning my heating yet as I have an electric underblanket, plenty of layers of clothing etc but what about my pets? The dog I can put a jumper on (I have two cats too) but is there something else I can do to ensure they aren't suffering too because of the energy crisis? The house does get cold in the winter and obviously I would put it on if it was absolutely baltic but I am scared of the rising costs.

 Am I alone in worrying about this?

(please don't be like a friend who said to me that I shouldn't have had pets if I can't afford to look after them, my circumstances changed drastically since having them and they mean the world to me, I'm doing my best to ensure they are healthy and safe)

Many thanks

Maybe you could look for a 2nd hand heated throw or electric blanket on FB Marketplace & try it in their bed. Obvs this isn't free though..

Getferret

This table is useful 

YoungBlueEyes

Your average dog doesn't need clothes, they were born with their clothes on.  People humanise dogs and think they must feel the cold because they themselves feel it, and buy unnecessary jumpers/scarves/hats etc.

If fur wasn't enough, cat clothes would also be a thing. But they're not.  If dogs were a little less compliant, dog clothes wouldn't be a thing either.

Edit - Welcome freshmayres!  Don't worry about stupid questions, if you don't know you don't know

arnoldy

YoungBlueEyes said:

Your average dog doesn't need clothes, they were born with their clothes on.  People humanise dogs 

Yes, you see it all the time, the dogs end up "running the household". Ridiculous. I also see too many dogs that are overfed und under-exercised. They should be running around slim and lithe - not waddling around on a short walk around the pavements. 

YoungBlueEyes

I wish I could thank that more than once because I absolutely agree.  Ah man it presses my buttons.

I'll tell you the worst thing I've seen so far.  Me and my neighbour Sue were walking her dog in the park the other day and we saw a woman sat on a bench with her dog up next to her and her paw in her hand.  Dog was wearing a jumper and matching hat. She'd just taken off the dog's nail varnish and was applying a different colour so it matched the jumper!  

It was all I could do not call the dog to me (a very useful-looking little cocker female) and tell the woman I was keeping her because she was DOING IT WRONG!

Aaaannnddd exhale.

Edit I forgot it doesn't like the word btch.