Preparedness for when

GreyQueen

If you cut off the gas supply to a combi boiler for more than a few weeks, you will destroy the boiler; it seizes up and can't be recommissioned. As told to me by a senior gas engineer in the past few days.

Rainy-Days

jk0 wrote: »

Sh*t a brick. They're going to be able to turn the gas off as well:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/2010/07/smart-metering---prospectus.pdf

The boiler cannot work without the electricity supply. We are on oil but if the electric goes we are stuffed just as much as you are on main grid!

I really don't like the sound of this at all. In 2009 I could kind of understand it, it was a terrible winter it was cold for days - weeks - on end and it put huge strains on all the grid! This is the first week of November it's not exactly a comforting thought for me!

Karmacat

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Well we've still got the power supply but today isn't cold and mid winter so although there will be the evening 'spike' I hope the National Grid have their finger on the pulse. I'm not worried IVYLEAF, we have enough sensible things by way of preps to let us be very comfortable should the power go down for any reason, I'm actually wondering what the actual 'real' situation is with the generating capacity as the government seem to really want us to take aboard the message that there isn't a capacity and supply problem at all despite the reports we seem to get every year in the media that there will be power shortages in the coming cold season. I'm a born sceptic though so don't listen to my doubts!

I'm equally sceptical, Mrs LW, and equally thoughtful about what the real situation was behind this.

GreyQueen wrote: »

If you cut off the gas supply to a combi boiler for more than a few weeks, you will destroy the boiler; it seizes up and can't be recommissioned. As told to me by a senior gas engineer in the past few days.

Yikes! I didn't know that.

Really, there are so many straws in the wind.

Karmacat

Has anyone on here ever made their own solar heat collector, out of tins? I gathered loads of tins together, nice and clean, cut out both tops and bottoms, but I've never been well enough, frankly, to get it together to build the thing - sand them, stick them together in lines, paint them black, construct the case, blahblahblah.

Am I dreaming, thinking of doing it in this latitude? If I could chuck them in the recycling, it would give me another plastic crate to store things in

mardatha

Longannet could have been feeding power into the National Grid but they charged it so much money that instead, it closed down. So the workers from Longannet are on the dole, presumably the workers in the factories who were paid to stop production (where is this money coming from?) are send home, so we lose out all down the line.
Anybody who has a chimney should open it up now. If you haven't, then get a multi burner stove installed on an outside wall.

jk0

Thanks Mardatha,

I'm mystified by the economics around Longannet also. Presumably it was the same distance from the users of the electricity when it was built? Maybe if the grid have to pay £2.50 a unit for very long this year, they will have a change of heart.

Regarding chimneys, yesterday someone mentioned chopping up pallets to burn. Would they be okay to burn, or would I risk a tar build up in my chimney?

GreyQueen

jk0 wrote: »

Thanks Mardatha,

I'm mystified by the economics around Longannet also. Presumably it was the same distance from the users of the electricity when it was built? Maybe if the grid have to pay £2.50 a unit for very long this year, they will have a change of heart.

Regarding chimneys, yesterday someone mentioned chopping up pallets to burn. Would they be okay to burn, or would I risk a tar build up in my chimney?

All chimneys require sweeping, jk0, look on it as an annual chore once up and running and probably something you should do before commencing using a chimney which has been dormant for some time.

Pine is more resinous than other woods so will cause a bit more build-up, although proper drying out mitigates this somewhat. And pallets will be old. Pine and other firs are always a bit spitty and sparky on the fire, you will need to regard a hearth rug as a sacrificial item and to have a fireguard to use whenever you're not in the room to stamp out any sparks.

I have some vague recollection that pine isn't suitable for woodburners, due to resin build-up in the flue, but it is vague, and I am sure one of our woodburning afficianados will be able to give better advice.

Karmakat, the issue for my employer as a landlord is that some of our tenants have self-disconnected from their gas supply by not feeding their pre-payment gas meters. And some haven't had a gas supply to their combi boiler for years, and the boilers are now dead. It's north of £3k for a new system, so the consequences for budgets are extreme and the problem is worsening each year.:(

There are unforeseen consequences to a lot of things, hey?

ETA Whoops, confused Karmakat with Rainy-Days, sorry ladies!

thriftwizard

Our installer told us that some pallets are OK for burning; it's the ones with spacer blocks made from re-combined wood which are no-nos. The ones made from real wood are no problem but the wood does burn faster & more smokily than hardwood. We tend to use them in the outdoor stove for a bit of summer outdoor cooking, but wouldn't hesitate to use them in the indoor one in an emergency.

sb44

jk0 wrote: »

Sh*t a brick.

Thanks for making me laugh, I haven't heard that phrase for a while.

Karmacat

GreyQueen wrote: »

Karmakat, the issue for my employer as a landlord is that some of our tenants have self-disconnected from their gas supply by not feeding their pre-payment gas meters. And some haven't had a gas supply to their combi boiler for years, and the boilers are now dead. It's north of £3k for a new system, so the consequences for budgets are extreme and the problem is worsening each year.:(

There are unforeseen consequences to a lot of things, hey?

Wasn't me, I'm afraid, GQ, I'm inclined to take anything you say as gospel I've multiquoted my query immediately below, about home made solar collectors .... It would be a good day for me to get rid of those tins prepped for the task, if the task isn't feasible in these climes. If it can only be used 3 days a year, and takes up so much space and so much effort to use it, doesn't seem sensible.

Karmacat wrote: »

Has anyone on here ever made their own solar heat collector, out of tins? I gathered loads of tins together, nice and clean, cut out both tops and bottoms, but I've never been well enough, frankly, to get it together to build the thing - sand them, stick them together in lines, paint them black, construct the case, blahblahblah.

Am I dreaming, thinking of doing it in this latitude? If I could chuck them in the recycling, it would give me another plastic crate to store things in