Daydream thread continues.....

RAS

CTC

This is why I want somewhere to grow trees in my mad scheme- check out coppicing as a technique - you plant the tree and cut it down every few years, then let it re-sprout.

Ash is traditional and supposedly burns green. A lot of the commercial size wood furnaces use coppiced willow on a much shorter rotation, Dave probably knows which varieties are considered.

Research was done on using eucalyptus for the same purpose but the research design was dodgy, so you might have to plant the trees and cull the slower growing ones and those that do not like being coppiced.

Dave will have other info but that is what I have learned so far.

lostinrates

Itismehonest wrote: »

Oh LIR
Are you warm in bed? Can you get even that much respite from the cold? I tuck my head under cover so I'm breathing in warm air, too.

Yes, I am ok in bed. I have an electric blanket and the most amazing flannel sheets which cost a fortune but are incredibl
E, at least another duvet's worth of warmth (I know because I have to add an extra duvet when those ones are in the wash. ):D

The irony is, I love a cold bedroom but a warm bed.....or used to! I would rather be too cold than too hot but this year has just been too much for me.

Itismehonest

RAS wrote: »

CTC

This is why I want somewhere to grow trees in my mad scheme- check out coppicing as a technique - you plant the tree and cut it down every few years, then let it re-sprout.

Ash is traditional and supposedly burns green. A lot of the commercial size wood furnaces use coppiced willow on a much shorter rotation, Dave probably knows which varieties are considered.

Research was done on using eucalyptus for the same purpose but the research design was dodgy, so you might have to plant the trees and cull the slower growing ones and those that do not like being coppiced.

Dave will have other info but that is what I have learned so far.

Apparently you need at least 3 hectares of woodland to coppice to produce sufficient timber to heat a 3-bed place, RAS.
The above link I put up for CTC also covers coppicing.

lostinrates wrote: »

Yes, I am ok in bed. I have an electric blanket and the most amazing flannel sheets which cost a fortune but are incredibl
E, at least another duvet's worth of warmth (I know because I have to add an extra duvet when those ones are in the wash. ):D

The irony is, I love a cold bedroom but a warm bed.....or used to! I would rather be too cold than too hot but this year has just been too much for me.

I'm glad you're warm at night, anyway. Maybe the cold bedroom/warm bed is a hangover from living in warmer climes? I hate the cold - always have. As long as there's air I can take the heat. High humidity is grim, though.

ukmaggie45

Davesnave wrote: »

Sorry! I was out planting trees (another 82 went in today:D) and I shall be out for a while tonight, but I have cleared some space now Maggie.

Thanks Dave, when you have time you have mail. It isn't important, but feel prob can't vent about it here as google searchable. The curious regulars here can ask me for copy of mail, my inbox not too full at the mo as just cleared lots of old stuff out. (Sorry to be so "mysterious", it isn't that interesting really)

Itismehonest

ukmaggie45 wrote: »

Thanks Dave, when you have time you have mail. It isn't important, but feel prob can't vent about it here as google searchable. The curious regulars here can ask me for copy of mail, my inbox not too full at the mo as just cleared lots of old stuff out. (Sorry to be so "mysterious", it isn't that interesting really)

Mystic Mag?

RAS

Itismehonest wrote: »

Apparently you need at least 3 hectares of woodland to coppice to produce sufficient timber to heat a 3-bed place, RAS.
The above link I put up for CTC also covers coppicing.

Thanks. Think we cross posted?

I was reckoning on a 10 year rotation but unsure of the acreage. I suspect a lot depends on the tempurature at which you want to keep the property and how much can be done regarding insulation and draught-proofing. At passiv haus standards, the heat input would be much reduced.

Cannot believe we used to keep a 5 bedroom farm house "heated" with a Aga, one open fire-place and second occasional one in the study. We were allowed a one-bar electric fire in our bedroom when we got dressed and undressed. Mind you, we did not use the dining room in cold weather, that was perishing.

Oak was really useful becasue it burned slowly and kept in overnight.

Itismehonest

RAS wrote: »

Thanks. Think we cross posted?

I was reckoning on a 10 year rotation but unsure of the acreage. I suspect a lot depends on the tempurature at which you want to keep the property and how much can be done regarding insulation and draught-proofing. At passiv haus standards, the heat input would be much reduced.

Cannot believe we used to keep a 5 bedroom farm house "heated" with a Aga, one open fire-place and second occasional one in the study. We were allowed a one-bar electric fire in our bedroom when we got dressed and undressed. Mind you, we did not use the dining room in cold weather, that was perishing.

Oak was really useful becasue it burned slowly and kept in overnight.

Yea, we've all gone soft but then, particularly as we get older, there's nothing to be gained by stoicly freezing to death unnecessarily.
My mother totally refused to have CH & didn't until the day she died & we lived in a house where we would scratch through the ice on the inside of the bedroom windows to see what it was like before we got up :rotfl: I'd rather she'd have spent some of her money on making herself more comfy in old age. She could afford it but had this sort of "I've managed so far" attitude. Didn't stop her moaning about being freezing cold, though :rotfl:

COOLTRIKERCHICK

I think what the problem is that not only is it cold, its cold AND damp...

Been thinking if there is a way of 'inventing' some sort of home heating system with burning recycled clothes:cool::rotfl: but I should imagine there would be some sort of problem with the chemicals added to textiles

lostinrates

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

I think what the problem is that not only is it cold, its cold AND damp...

Been thinking if there is a way of 'inventing' some sort of home heating system with burning recycled clothes:cool::rotfl: but I should imagine there would be some sort of problem with the chemicals added to textiles

Yes, the damp. There have been precious few crisp dry days that you can throw open all the windows and air the house, and that gets me down.

Because the bathroom has no ventilation we have to shower in the freezing cold room with the window open a crack, then fling it wide when we have finished to minimise damp damage. Our new bathroom was meant to be done by now, but of course, we cannot do anything til the decisions are made with how we deal with water and heating.

Rummer

lostinrates wrote: »

Yes, I am ok in bed. I have an electric blanket and the most amazing flannel sheets which cost a fortune but are incredible

LIR sorry to hear you are still so cold we have spent a few winters without heating or hot water and it was grim. We spent all our time in the smallest room in our house with oil heaters and loads of layers on.

I would really like to know more about the flannel sheets as I am hoping to invest in some for next year.

We have found our fuel bills are scary high and the last few months we have been chewing through gas so I am dreading our next bill. Over the years we have done what we can to make the house energy efficientish but it is still not enough. Long term we need to drastically reduce our outgoings and utilities is the one that we can have the most impact on now. I regularly check our tariff but realistically we need to reduce our usage

My thoughts have turned again to the garden and the best thing to do with it bearing in mind the ongoing horrendous weather. So much to think about.