Preparing for winter III

prepareathome

tugrin wrote: »

Judi -What a nghtmare to try and work out the greenest way to keep your bed warm!!
any thoughts on green costs people?

I have out of curiosity over the years tried a few ways, was to try to work out a way if power went down - one before the central heating was fitted was to pop a hot water filled with room temp water on top of gas fire ( it got warm not hot so safe enough) from when I got up till just before just before I went to bed and popped it in said bed. It did warm up fairly well, but did need at least 6 hrs to warm up enough. This way of course predisposed my gas would still be on. Due to this working, since central heating was fitted I have, if I remembered filled hot water bottle with room temp water and placed it on radiator in hall during the winter, as its one the comes on most, as only one without a thermostat on it. Not done so yet this year as main thermostat at moment is set for 18 (default, which we leave it at and just put it up when needed during winter) and so CH has only come on a few times when its got rather cold.

If you have an open fire you could put a pan of water by it to warm up, oh yes also before central heating we used a calor gas heater for upstairs ( 1 carbon monoxide detector in ceiling almost above it and one on wall nearby, was not taking any chances and a window in our bedroom was hallway open while it was on with the door open - heater was in the hallway upstairs and never left on when we went to bed)when it was really cold and I put hot water bottles on top if it, and although never on as long as above gas fire, it did warm the bottle up enough to snuggle in bed, long enough to take chill off.

When we were young mum used to heat up cast iron lids from pots in oven when using it for cooking then pop them well wrapped up in our beds, but if you have pyrex and are using oven then you could put some lids in as well and put them in your bed, they should not be hot enough to burn bedding but they could be covered in a towel.

This has got me thinking I wonder if you can buy a solar powered water heater - but would expense be more than what you would spend on using fossil fuels as it would have to be fairly big to catch enough energy to heat up water for bottle daily in our climate.:question:

tumptyteapot

I'm a big fan of hot water bottles, what do you think are the best materials to cover them and are there any tricks to keeping them hot for longer?

Sunnyday

tumptyteapot wrote: »

I'm a big fan of hot water bottles, what do you think are the best materials to cover them and are there any tricks to keeping them hot for longer?

I remember having a hot water bottle wrapped in an old handtowel when i was small, i had a stripey one and Dsis had a flowery patterned one

I`ve not used one for years but now have two in case i need one to snuggle up with on the sofa in the evenings.

I`m also going to follow the very good advice that someone on here gave a few pages back and fill it in the morning and pop it on the dashboard in the car to help thaw the windscreen whilst i get ready for work

SD

rising_from_the_ashes

tumptyteapot wrote: »

I'm a big fan of hot water bottles, what do you think are the best materials to cover them and are there any tricks to keeping them hot for longer?

I've just made some really easy covers for mine - cut an old hand towel in 1/2 and stitched up the sides so it's like an open ended pillow case.

Keeps the bottle hot for longer an no chance of any scalds:D - you've reminded me I need to make another 2!

Another task for today - find a suitable towel!:D

pinkmami

KIds have fleecy covers & full sized bottles. I have a smaller one whcih I got as a Secret Santa gift a few yrs ago. Also had a fleecy cover with a photo of Santa on it!

Pooky

I think I must be the only person here that loves getting into a cold bed....I always have the window open and love to feel the fresh air, no matter how cold it is. Luckily DH is the same, no hot water bottles or electric blankets for us! Can't bear the restrictions of wearing anything in bed either, but fleecy jimjams are a must for comfy evening tv viewing.

We generally only have a 13.5 tog duvet on in the winter (a bedspread and sheet in the summer) but if it's really cold then the bedspread will go on top of the duvet just to weigh it down a bit.

Remarked to DH this morning that I've never known being able to have the windows and back door wide open at 8am in November....it was a gorgeous morning - now quite windy and threatening rain but still not cold. Whilst I'm appreciating the fact that I've yet to turn the heating on, it really will seem quite bizarre to go watch this evenings firework display without being bundled up for the cold.

splodger_seedswapper

tugrin wrote: »

Judi - Im curious to know why you are determined not to replace your electric blanket - is it because you want to save on electricity for 'green' reasons maybe - in which case good old hot water bottles (made from water that has already reached room temperature) are the way to go. Although come to think of it how much DOES it cost to boil the kettle???? I know lots of peeps use the hot water from the tap so thats probably a saving - or is it - doensnt the water heater then have to come on to heat up the new cold that has entered the tank#? What a nghtmare to try and work out the greenest way to keep your bed warm!!
It is important tho' as getting into a cold bed really isnt the best start to a good nights relaxing sleep - any thoughts on green costs people?

although i do have a hot water bottle to use if required - i prefer to use a heated wheat bag or two to warm the bed - not really because of the greeness element - but i reckon they must be quite a good green option - needing just a minute in the miccy - using less leccy than heating water in a kettle - and are made from "natural" materials

Winchelsea

Yes, I'm a hot water bottle person, and am intrigued by greener suggestions on how to heat them. As soon as my central heating goes on (yes, I'm still managing without it) I'll try laying my HWB on my fattest radiator. And, fill it in the morning so the water's at room temp instead of the temp of the cold water pipes. Or, and I just thought of this, keep the water in it for more than one night, as it comes out of the bed in the morning fairly warm.

This has got me thinking - what else could be warmed on a radiator? - the water to go in home made bread is a starter!

About solar - I haven't tried this, but apparently painting a large plastic bottle black and putting it out in the sun (if any) will trap heat in the water. Maybe from "sun bottle" to radiator is a greener route? - who knows?

[Deleted User]

I have done a lot of water heating with solar and yes you do need something painted black, like a lightweight camp kettle or a solar shower bag. It will absorb some heat if placed on the inside of a warm sunny window but realistically, it won`t be worth the bother. A solar shower bag works really well on a hot summers day if placed on a table outside. We have solar panels for hot water and the most you will realistically get at the moment is 30 ish degrees and only if the sun shines. Our collector tempmperature is registering 28.9 and was 11.2 at 7 this morning and that is a very efficient sytem

Quasar

For all those who use water bottles (as I do): put a pinch of salt in the hot water, as sodium will help it retain heat for longer.