Preparedness for when

calicocat

I love willow trees, probably comes from being a kid and there was one in between our house and next door. It was my 'cave'/den.....and I ended up creating the W.T club (Willow tree club)....only the very select people were allowed in it. we would hold meetings and have lunches......:D.

To be fair, the rest of them were not as keen on the place as me, so it didn't last long...maybe a long summer.... I dunno...some kids just didn't have the vision I had.. :rotfl: I was prepared to live there if need be. I also dug out holes and kept secret stuff buried there in tins. I think the tenancy to hoard and hide things was just in my blood. Our house got burgled when I was little, after this I was convinced for many years they were coming back, when on the hoarding thread it came out that this could be a reason for it. My main concern at the time was my pet guinea-pigs.....sfter the burglary I made my dad alarm the cages and had them padlocked every night... :rotfl: funny to think of it now.

My dad used to ask why a burgler would want a ruddy guinea-pig....i used to think...why not?...they are the best thing here...:D. He also said I spent too much time hanging out with hamsters, and that this is why I hid stuff...:D.

Anyhow....i have got totally off track nattering on...back to prepping for SHTF scenarios...

For a long time now I have wanted a multi stove so I am less reliant on our 'services' which seem to be being sold off left right and centre. Why China owns my water is beyond me??!.

So i'm quite excited now I have made the decision to get on with it. I have done a bit of research (not that I have a clue to be honest)...and don't have a chimney, but a blokie at work who use to be a builder says it shouldn't be too difficult, but I may have to get planning permission. Another crazy money spinner for councils/government....Hmmm

The bit now is costs (but I think it will be worth it in the long run)...so am now starting a 'stove' saving fund. Obviously you can get all singing all dancing types...but in my brief search so far, the one i'm looking at is around 800 squidaroonies.....does this sound a fair price?...or is it cheap?. I'm assuming this price will be triple to get installed bla bla bla,

Good luck for those about to get more rain, and hope it doesn't cause more disaster for those who have already had enough to cope with.

RAS

calicocat

Is your area smoke free? That determines a lot about what stove you can use.

calicocat

RAS wrote: »

calicocat

Is your area smoke free? That determines a lot about what stove you can use.

I would imagine so (sprawling urban estate), but not sure. So have looked at ones that cover that and comply with this.

Edit...thank you for pointing that out though....as never any guarantee I would have been on the ball enough to think of that.

southantrim3

£800 sounds a fair bit - we got one for £299 (for a 5KW one) and yes, beware of installation costs. by the time ours was fully installed it cost, wait for it, £2000... :eek:

pineapple

The cottage I'm doing up has an old multifuel stove - unfortunately not 'quaint' old.
I've bought a Little Wenlock to replace it (tidgy space, should be ample.
You are advised to get a HETAS engineer to install as future house buyers will want to see certification. However you can self install but you need to contact Building Control as they will need to inspect and will charge you for it. But check as not every council will provide that service (Eden doesn't).
The other option is to try to find a tame HETAS person who will inspect your installation (for a fee) and hopefully sign it off. A bit risky unless you know someone..
Stoves over 5kw (it might be 5kw and over not sure) need to have special ventilation installed in the room by law. Nor will they allow for the fact that your place might be ancient and full of draughts anyway.:mad:
Btw if you shop around it might be possible to get a reconditioned stove at half the cost.

thriftwizard

Must be over 5Kw, pineappple, as ours, installed last year, is 5Kw and original Victorian draughts were perfectly sufficient! But we did have to have a little carbon detector gadget hung on the wall.

Ours was about £500 IIRC - not the cheapest, but not top-of-the-range either. I can boil a kettle, roast chestnuts or keep a casserole simmering on it but the most important factor, in a small living room, was that it fitted into the chimney breast without sticking out, and it's nice & plain & unpretentious like the style of the whole house. As the installation wasn't straightforward - the 1980s open-fire hearth was too small, the flue has a massive bend in it & the chimney pot was cracked & had to be replaced - installation was about £1300 IIRC, making £1800 in all. Not one penny of it begrudged; now we have all the warmth & homeliness that the open fire gave us, but it burns less than half the wood for the same heat, and stays warm much longer, and the heating (thermostat in the hallway) hardly comes on when the stove's going.

calicocat

Thanks guys (been asleep after NS)

The one I have been looking at is 5KW and fairly basic I thought on the brief look. Will continue looking re price then.

Ex builder I work with seems to think as I have some kind of gas fire already without a normal flue (a catalytic converter , disconnected as I don't like gas fires, and some random box outside??)...that it won't be a huge deal.

The fire I have had disconnected when I moved in apparently needed 'approved ventilation', not that I have a certificate for it, for size of room reasons. Plumber was going to check it out but because I got it disconnected he didn't bother.

Thanks for replies folks....more research and pricing needed.

I was brought up with real fires in the house, had one in my bedroom years ago, and every time I come on this or other threads talking about stoves it makes me hanker for a real fire again or something similar as well as having fuel options side of things.



The weather here is blowing a hoolie again (most plants already shot in garden) , hope peeps further west than me haven't got too much rain and further disruption.

moneyistooshorttomention

Passable weather today in West Wales (and I've spent the day wasting my blimmin' time - long story) having to travel through a noticeable chunk of it today.

Overheard a "local" here commenting to someone else that it was a "nice day".:rotfl:Have finally learnt that a day without gales blowing or the heavens opening with rain is called a "nice day" here.:rotfl:

I haven't yet worked out what a day that really IS a "nice day" gets described as - ie warm/blue skies/dry/calm (am wondering if a genuine nice day is described as "Absolutely wonderful":rotfl:).

**************

Will now go off and try and calm down a bit from the fact that it has been a VERY frustrating day today trying to do something that is really very quick and simple to do normally. Well - that's what I've been used to.....and steam still coming out of ears from having told several people how things are normally quite clearly in precise detail...ahem....

Doveling

MTSTM -perhaps it would help if you could alter your mindset a little? Getting yourself so het up can't be doing you any good

You had the opportunity to travel through scenic Wales.:)

Every day can be a "nice " day - the weather is incidental

How lovely to be able to do things at a leisurely pace, now you are retired, and go with the flow of the people around you. Bliss!

How wonderful to embrace a new,laid back lifestyle rather than the quick, rushed way of life that used to be "normal" for you.:)

Create yourself a new "normal" compatible with your new friends and the area you now live in.:)

You are so lucky, waking up every morning and being able to shape your day in a new way.:)

That's it! I've talked myself into moving to Wales :rotfl::rotfl:

I hope I haven't caused offence You can always tell me to mind my own beeswax

ivyleaf

Sounds good to me Doveling!

When we went to Wales on holiday we hated it when we got back here - so noisy, and everyone in a hurry! Even considered asking for a transfer as I was in the Civil Service - then realised that couldn't happen as I'd have needed to be fluent in Welsh for the sort of job I was doing.