Cooking & heating during power cuts - 70's style!

Sharon.T.1969

I have very fond memories of the winters in the 70's (when I was a child). Endless power cuts, snow up to the windows, card games by the light of the Tilley lamp... We used to live in the cosy kitchen (the sitting room never seemed to get warm). Mum used to heat the room with an Aladdin paraffin heater, one of those lovely blue ones. When we had power cuts she would boil water and cook soups and stews on the top of it.

Now the nights are drawing in I have been thinking about getting ready for this winter. I would like to know if there is a modern, safe applience which I could use to heat my flat and cook/warm food in the event of power cuts. Obviously a multifuel burner would be ideal, but I live in rented accomodation... When floating the request to my Landlord's agent I was told some of the cottages don't have any heating at all (I have oild central heating - not cheap these days)! I'm also aware that you can buy the original paraffin heaters on Ebay, but they aren't exactly my idea of safe, or practicle for use on a carpeted floor.

So, anyone have any ideas??

born_blonde

Have you got a chimney you could recommission?
Paraffin heaters just don't seem the same any more. Probably a good thing as I used to have one in my bedsit and my clothes really smelt.

mardatha

You can have instant heat with the calor gas super ser or blue flame heaters, but you cant cook on them... you need a calor gas camp stove for that.

PasturesNew

Nuwick candles have always seemed interesting to me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm_wsOJc8_k

Owain_Moneysaver

Sharon.T.1969 wrote: »

I have very fond memories of the winters in the 70's (when I was a child).

I don't.

Sharon.T.1969 wrote: »

Endless power cuts, snow up to the windows, card games by the light of the Tilley lamp... We used to live in the cosy kitchen (the sitting room never seemed to get warm). Mum used to heat the room with an Aladdin paraffin heater, one of those lovely blue ones. When we had power cuts she would boil water and cook soups and stews on the top of it.

And to this day I detest tinned tomato soup.

Sharon.T.1969 wrote: »

Now the nights are drawing in I have been thinking about getting ready for this winter. I would like to know if there is a modern, safe applience which I could use to heat my flat and cook/warm food in the event of power cuts.

A gas or oil central heating boiler with the electronics and pump powered by a battery through an inverter.

A microwave powered by a battery through an inverter. Or a gas cooker that doesn't need electricity for flame failure sensing.

Liquid or gas fuel storage is banned in many tenancy agreements and flat leases.

Butterfly_Brain

I have a camping stove for an emergency or we can use the bbq. We are looking at buying a wood burning stove as soon as we have saved enough for it.

Dippypud

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

I have a camping stove for an emergency or we can use the bbq. We are looking at buying a wood burning stove as soon as we have saved enough for it.

Becareful when using a BBQ indoors, the fumes from the fire and even the residual embers can give off carbon monoxide and kill you or at least make you very ill.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140326/Shropshire-campsite-death-Girl-14-killed-tent-barbecue-fumes.html

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Check with the landlord again. Many expressly forbid calor gas heaters and paraffin heaters due to the risks they present from the storage of combustible/explosive materials.



And those lovely days of the 70s? I remember them as a tiny child. Sat in the cold because demand meant they charged more for fuel. So cold, having it snow meant it was at last warmer - as the water running down the windowpanes would freeze into quarter inch thick ice blocking all the draughts. So cold, you thought everybody slept in their daytime clothes and your abiding memory is of your feet and hands burning.

I hate being cold, even now.

Butterfly_Brain

Dippypud wrote: »

Becareful when using a BBQ indoors, the fumes from the fire and even the residual embers can give off carbon monoxide and kill you or at least make you very ill.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140326/Shropshire-campsite-death-Girl-14-killed-tent-barbecue-fumes.html

Don't worry we only use the bbq on the patio and if I use the camping stove I have the back door and windows open

vanoonoo

an extra cardi and a slanket

main advice would be to use as few rooms as possible and make sure they are as draught free as possible and then you can safely use what you have already as your heat source but perhaps not wastefully if using less energy. I would worry that bringing an alternate into rented accomodation could cause problems and invalidate your insurance.

Butterfly_Brain

Aldi have some lovely thick fleece blankets at the moment - they are £9.99, but if you keep a watchful eye they usually reduce stuff after 3 - 4 weeks - that is how I got mine for £4.99 each last year

Put a quilt under your bottom sheet to keep you snuggly.
Have heavy curtains at the windows
Make lots of draught excluders (You can put these on the window sills as well as in front of doors.
If possible move into the bedroom and just live in there.
Cooking in a flat will be difficult because of tenancy rules, so the only other alternative is to make flasks of soup or stews or wait it out or just have sarnies.