make do and mend for tougher times

jpscloud

Hi all - fuddle, I grew up with those calor gas fires and I can assure you, you're not missing much. They kick out tons of moisture, and I never fully trusted them as regards carbon monoxide. It's also a faff to change the cylinder, they are very heavy when full and lugging one upstairs is not a job I'd envy anyone.

I am trying an experiment this year, it's just too expensive to have the gas CH on so at weekends I'll have the little chiminea lit, burning wood, and for early mornings I've got a small fan heater in the bedroom and one in the bathroom (just inside the door, not near any water!!), on timers and thermostats so they come on for when I get up.

Last night the heating hadn't been on all day, just the little chiminea. My bedroom was cold when I went upstairs, but I put the fan heater on and it was toasty in - literally - seconds.

The little fan heaters cost around £10 - £15 each and there should be no issues with LL for those.

I used them to supplement the gas CH in the two severe winters we had, and to be honest the difference in the electricity bill wasn't huge. I will be interested to see if I can do without the CH and how much bigger the electricity bill gets.

Popperwell

kidcat wrote: »

Forgot to say Ald! had heated throws in today - no price on them in our store but worth looking into I would have thought.

Pity that our's hasn't opened yet!

Thanks for the information Fuddle!

Looks like you have had a busy time but it has been worth it!

2tonsils

Popperwell I think oil filled radiators take about 28 pence an hour on full, but they are not on all the time as they turn off when the room reaches temperature. Here is a link that is informative about different kinds of heater....if you need it just to warm up the bedroom before you go to bed or after you get up maybe a small fan heater might be better. I am not sure what you need

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templates/content_lookup.jsp?content=/content/knowledge/buying_guides/portable_heating/index.jsp&noCookies=false

craigywv

Byatt wrote: »

I can't open the door on my log burner!

I've never opened it since I've been here, I recall I tried once but it wouldn't move then but I thought I was just being a weakling, but as I've never used it, didn't try again.

It won't budge. What do I do now?

Well apart from telling the landlord.

edit, Would WD40 help?

hit it with a tin of the ever handy multi-purpose creamed rice! Bet it opens BYATT:Dif that fails take a hammer to it!;)

RosiePuddingPaws

You used to be able to buy a packet of something that would make nets white again. I don't remember now what it is called (haven't had nets for a while). It came in a small box, say 3" x 4" (from T£sco or wherever) with two sachets in it. You then simply soak your nets with a sachet (from hazy memory!). Might be worth a quick look through the cleaning section of the supermarket.

Incidentally Mar, having previously put a hex on your gas bottle, if you have a car watch out! You may find your near side back tyre with a puncture in the very near future - although I hope not!

RPP

2tonsils

I thought some of you might enjoy this, its the first part of a documentary about Corfu. My friends own the little grill room in this episode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thaeqsu4T5I

JKJ

mardatha wrote: »

AWH bloody landlords!!
I'm looking for ideas on how to dye or whiten Ikea nets. We have them in the bedroom because I never close my curtains here, and from outside they look greyish. What could I use to whiten them or change the colour?

Mardatha do you have double glazing? Because when we had ours fitted they used pilkington K glass and the fitter warned me that whatever it is they use to coat the glass to reflect the heat back into the house, did make net curtains look grey from outside.....could that be why fhey look grey from outside?

Sunny today and should have been gardening but no energy. I've just had to give up working so have all week IF I can make myself get on with it.

Popperwell

RosiePuddingPaws wrote: »

You used to be able to buy a packet of something that would make nets white again. I don't remember now what it is called (haven't had nets for a while!

RPP

Never used it and don't have net curtains but isn't called something like Biotex?

westcoastscot

Thankyou for the welcome back, i've missed you!

Mar I use milton, the stuff for steralising baby bottles on my nets.

Byatt do you have a tool to open your stove door? I have a big clunky bit of metal with a slot that gives leverage - it may just be sooted up.
Our stove door knob turns a latch inside the stove for a perfect seal - its a bit caggy handed.

Byatt

westcoastscot wrote: »

Thankyou for the welcome back, i've missed you!

Mar I use milton, the stuff for steralising baby bottles on my nets.

Byatt do you have a tool to open your stove door? I have a big clunky bit of metal with a slot that gives leverage - it may just be sooted up.
Our stove door knob turns a latch inside the stove for a perfect seal - its a bit caggy handed.

Aha, WCS, I remember seeing something like that, need to have a search, I thought it was for pulling out the ash thingy, but what do I know! :rotfl: