Preparing for winter III

Fruball

cbrown372 wrote: »

There is a 20% certainty that it will be wrong

Or not entirely wrong... 80% chance of 'huge snowfalls' ... maybe 20% chance of slightly less than huge snowfalls or maybe heavy or middling snowfalls

Fruball

Prudent wrote: »

I am curious about how you open a fireplace? I had a very elderly baxi back boiler and gas fire. The central heating system was replaced this summer with a new boiler sited in the loft. The gas fire remains in place, but isn't working. I only used it in the event of a power cut or on an odd occaision when I wanted to be extra cosy as I was told they were expensive to run.

The new heating system is great, but wouldn't work in a power cut. I am just trying to weigh up the options and costs of:

1) a new gas fire and surround
2) some kind of stove
3) opening up the fire place for a real fire.

The heating system was expensive, but is so much cheaper to run that I am sure it will pay back (and the house is warm at last!).
I can't decide if its worth putting in a fire or stove. I have considered a calor gas heater for power cuts, but don'y know much about them.

Any help welcome

Thats exactly what I had - the old baxi back boiler and nasty gas fire in front of it.

When the boiler was taken out and re-sited upstairs, the gas fire was disconnected... you can easily get a plumber to disconnect and cap it off under the carpet for you.

So, the gas fire was ripped out, the old surround smashed off the wall - this could be done yourself to save expense... Then chimney sweep came to check and sweep chimney, change pot on roof, remove old gas flue liner - £250 total.

Then builder came, made good the inside of the fireplace with cement - then plastered the walls where the old surround was - It was a friend of a friend so was cheap at £230.

Haven't got a proper hearth in yet (no money ) so its just concrete but tbh it doesn't look too bad at all so I can live with that quite happily until I can save up.

Start to finish was 3 days - plus the painful wait of nearly a week for it all to go off before I could have a fire - I couldn't take it after 5 days and had a lovely fire (whilst panicking it would crack if it hadn't all dried properly)

B&Q do the best fire baskets at only £30 and its solid and perfect size for my fire. I don't have a fireside set yet so an old dustpan and brush does the job :T

So far I haven't had the CH on this year - only had the open fire (coal, and free wood) so am already making savings

Hope that helps

VJsmum

prepareathome wrote: »

If you must used a mini throwaway BBQ but only do so if plenty and I mean plenty of fresh air coming in as its very smoky and lots of carbon monoxide created - its something I would rather not do unless weather outside very wet and only thing I have to cook on, even then think I would rather have cold food.

Thank you for your comprehensive lists which are not only useful for christmas but at other times too.

However i do want to pick you up on the above. My BIL committed suicide using this method - a couple of disposable bbq's in his car. He drank a bottle of vodka but it didn't even get into his blood stream it was that quick. Please, please only use them outside.

On a less miserable note - snow for my birthday yet again, then.

Fruball

VJsmum wrote: »

Thank you for your comprehensive lists which are not only useful for christmas but at other times too.

However i do want to pick you up on the above. My BIL committed suicide using this method - a couple of disposable bbq's in his car. He drank a bottle of vodka but it didn't even get into his blood stream it was that quick. Please, please only use them outside.

On a less miserable note - snow for my birthday yet again, then.

Oh VJM - how awful.

I was also going to say do NOT use BBQs inside - you can still use them outside if its cold - choose a sheltered spot and stand under a brollie if you have to or stay inside and just run out to turn meat etc... If its really freezing then put foil over the top of the bbq too to keep the heat in.

chirpychick

Hello everyone, hope to find you all well?

im afraid i havent had a minute to catch up but will try to over the next couple of days.

i just nipped on to tell you that in poundland farnborough on saturday they had loads and loads of de icer (there are 2 lots of tins and one is bigger than the other and goes to -15 for obviously the same price as a smaller less effective one, so keep an eye on which you purchase) they are quite hidden by the tills on the way out of the shop, they also had salts and as id left this late i was really relieved as its "special" salt for the snowy icy weather, i think its 1kg but im not 100% sure. They didnt have any kind of salt at all in asda so i grabbed 2. Obviously not ideal for those who live in rural areas but for those of you like me who live in a town and only need to worry about the driveway and dont have a garage or anything to store salt its ideal.

we got our pipe lagging and expanding foam also and i just read james maddens update and looks like we have a couple weeks to get finished (thank god). I still havent found hot water bottles yet...

my MIL went into hospital last week and she has a bowel disease but not life threatening so thats a relief, FIL went in today and we are still waiting to hear how the op went bit of a worry as he went in, in july and the surgeon messed up and as he is 74 its nerve wracking.
still awaiting to hear about hubbys op and we have high suspicion that my dad have opted to not have his tumour removed and ive sunk very low this week with all the pressure of everything. Im annoyed at myself because i spent a fair amount of money this week on a new wool coat (new tag on saying £200 was £20 from charity shop) ear muffs (£1.50 charity shop) 3 jumpers (£12 charity shop) 2 snoods (£3 charity shop - one for christmas present one for me) also 10 books (£14 charity shop) then spent £22 in poundland on christmas presents, winter prep, christmas cd's then spent £26 in asda on halloween bits, magazine for me and a magazine and puzzle book for FIL plus a few foody treats, £12 in blockbusters, brought mum a glass of wine and hubby and i a diet coke in the pub the other day (we were going for a meal mums treat but like to buy a round and then the we had to wait 4 hours for our food and it was a nightmare so we didnt eat in the end so i have put in a complaint and am hoping we will get a free meal as compensation).
We are going to fireworks with dad on saturday which will cost £20 as they will want to go to the pub after.

So im feeling terribly MSE guilty this week.
We have made about £150 on ebay though and my christmas shopping is nearly complete and i will be able to spend only £25 on food next month (bread, milk, fruit, loo roll etc) as our freezers and cupboards are full. We will need to buy our christmas dinner but probably wont need to buy anything food wise for a month or so after christmas too so i can squirrel the spent money back.

Unbelievably poppy is still with us!!
we lost 2 out of 4 guinea pigs though

so anyways it looks like those of us in the south east have about 2 weeks more to get our prep finished - blessing!

will catch up and be back with you in a couple of days.

lots of love and hugs
chirps

Ceirdwyn

Disposable BBQ's are great, but definitely only outside. HUbby's birthday is early January, and last year he decided he fancied a BBQ...


Great fun was had by all, the looks from people walking past were brilliant:rotfl: BBQ's in the snow are cool:cool:

prepareathome

Oh am so sorry about that VJsmum, its so hard for those they leave behind. On a happier note you can maybe get to make snow angels on your birthday, remember on your birthday you can do things like that.

I admit I would never do it myself ( use a BBQ indoors), but have known some who have but really others are totally right to say I was wrong, it is very dangerous, as I said in my post I would opt for cold food really straight from tin, stick to a candle stove, or camping stove ( I used one for a year but then I have back door open every day for dogs, usually its left open except on really the coldest day or there is a bad gale, but still make sure fresh air coming it - the flame burns the oxygen and it will stop burning after you pass out, so don't do it in a closed room if its small and are you are using a few candles. Year ago homes were draughty places and only the wealthy had money to burn - literally, so it was never really an issue, and those that could burn plenty usually had massive houses with massive rooms, but if you were burning plenty for light during a power cut then crack open a window, the heat of the candles will soon offset any coldness coming in for the window in most small modern homes. If it really is to cold then leave doors open between rooms so air can get in and open in window in another room, remember candles burn oxygen and you need it to breathe Just remember to make sure you carbon monoxide alarm is working well and if you do not have one put it on your list of what to do for winter preps.

This reminded me of something, if you have a broken window during bad weather, until it can be fixed fit either cling flim or a bin bag over the window to keep draught out then cover the window with an old duvet or a few fleece blankets, these will help keep the heat in. So make sure you have tape or drawing pins depending on your window surround to tape/pin these up - I know we did it once over Christmas and very cold, admit we have the windows made up of lots of smaller ones so pane broken was only about 12'' by 9''. Glazier told me he had seen people use the cushions from couches if it was a bigger window and in one case of a big window they had wedged a double bed mattress into window recess to keep heat in and cold out.

prepareathome

When kids were young, if it was dry we used to do a BBQ with the bonfire on Nov 5th, so with that and the fireworks kids had a great time. It was always the first time usually they would wear their winter woolies that I had spent all summer knitting - hats, mitts, thick cardigans, jumpers etc so were nice and snug and no one ever caught a chill.

kmiller4

Frugal wrote: »

Has anybody heard from Kmiller? She is in NY isn't she? Or nearby... I hope she is ok... When she gets back online she will probably have a few stories to tell - at least her and her hubby will be well fed on oatmeal

Haha!!! Have been busy with work assignments so not posting much. The big snow storm missed us entirely, but my brother in Massachusetts was buried in snow and without power too!

Yes, hubby is "glowing" from the inside outward thanks to his oatmeal! LOL!

Emmala

Long time lurker here, may I ask a quick question? I have been given some velvet curtains which i would like to use in my daughters room, but they are a little faded and the wrong colour.....does anyone know if I'd be able to dye them????? I've dyed lots of things before, but not velvet, what do you think?

Thanks to so many of you who have given me so many good ideas!! xx