Spill the beans... on your extreme energy saving tricks

Zoro17

I'm using that window film which you stick on and then hold a hair dryer to it. Reduces bills, removes easily at the end of the winer (when is that?) and you can still see through!:D:D

Brian99_2

rogerblack wrote: »

http://www.origen.net/ccawood.html
'The Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a family that burned CCA in a wood stove for winter heating. Their hair fell out, all family members suffered severe, recurring nosebleeds, extreme fatigue and debilitating headaches. The parents complained about 'blacking out' for periods of several hours, followed by long periods of extreme disorientation. Both children suffered frequent seizures described as 'grand mal'. The symptoms were finally traced to breathing minute amounts of arsenic laden dust leaking from the furnace as fly ash. The family's houseplants and fish died, too, victims of copper poisoning from the same dust. Peters HA, et al: Seasonal exposure to arsenic from burning CCA wood. JAMA 251:(18)2393-96, 1984)'

Nasty!! Apparently CCA has arsenic in it, used for wood preservation. Very toxic if released to the air when burned.

Bronnie

Swipe wrote: »

I don't own a tumble dryer and dry my clothes in my conservatory if there's any chance of rain. My parents use the same trick but use their greenhouse instead.

Similarly, I have a reasonably sized porch with patterned glass for privacy, sunny aspect much of the day and this winter I have bought a clothes airer ( haven't owned one of those since the seventies) to use in the porch. The porch has opening windows, so I can still ventilate it.

Don't like having washing hanging round the house but there you go!

I also reduce the amount of laundry by returning some of what my daughter piles into the washing basket back into her wardrobe unbeknown to her. A pair of jeans worn for 3 hours does not need washing again in my book. Similarly, training teens not to leave wet towels in heaps on the floor saves the need for having to wash them merely because they've been used once, but smell musty because they've been abandoned on the floor.

Bezique

Zoro17 wrote: »

I'm using that window film which you stick on and then hold a hair dryer to it. Reduces bills, removes easily at the end of the winer (when is that?) and you can still see through!:D:D

Anyone know what this stuff is called and where I can get it? Can't find it anywhere.

Last year we kept the curtains drawn most days during winter and used thermal linings and old bits of board and plastic against the windows to insulate more. Seemed to help as heatings costs stayed about the same despite being much colder.

holmesgroove

Bezique wrote: »

Anyone know what this stuff is called and where I can get it? Can't find it anywhere.

Last year we kept the curtains drawn most days during winter and used thermal linings and old bits of board and plastic against the windows to insulate more. Seemed to help as heatings costs stayed about the same despite being much colder.

There's a load of these available, but I just googled 'window insulation film' and here's what B&Q sell.

mattm4

We have an old tenement house which has been fitted with all necessary ammenities. The house is two storied and there are about 8 fireplaces that were used to heat the rooms. We decided not to use heaters this year and started making coal fires in some of the rooms, especially the living room which is huge. Much better heat and saves a hell lot of cash. The use of non-smoke coal is actually awesome.

Matt.

mrsr

I do my washing on a long wash but cold water,no matter how hard I try I can't get my electric below a fiver a week so I am now cutting down on the hovering.The small rugs I'm beating outside ,brushing the stairs with dust pan and brush.I do have a irobot romba it cost pennies to charge it and will clean three rooms on one charge,so I'm doingLR and hall everyday so it looks ok if anybody comes then alternate the other rooms.Waiting to see have much this will cut down the electric.

Rambosmum

StephenM wrote: »

It most homes water for drinking and food preparation should come from the cold tap in the kitchen. This is the tap that is connected directly to the mains. Anything else will have been stewing in a tankful of bacteria.

And boiling that will kill it!

poshpaws_007

Hiya

I intend to use my loyalty points for Christmas present, it's amazing what you have when you add it up; so far I have:
1. £9 credit on my play.com account (a CD is one gift to someone)
2. By Christmas I'll have £25 of Boots points
3. £5 on my nectar card
4. £5 on my Tesco club card
5. Whatever is in my paypal account
6. Whatever is in my top cash back account

I may be able to use around £50 of otherwise 'forgotten' money - check your loyalty cards now!
:T

martinbsp

I reuse some of my used bath towels on the floor as bath mats for a few days. Saves on washing.