Preparing for winter IV

mineallmine

I've got over 30 things still to do on my list. :eek:It's the first year I've tried to prepare.

Will try to prioritise things a bit.:j

jem132

I am preparing my kitchen today all my stocks were at the back of a very big long but not wide under the stairs cubard with my fridge freezer at the door so had to send my son down with wind up lantern lol I have decided I need to know what's there he told me yesterday there was only 2 box's of tea bags :mad: today there is 20 still not enough butnot as dire well I better get on kids now think the empty cubard is a den not for much longer does anyone know where there is a food bank in leeds I have loads we don't like anymore xx

Fruball

nicki wrote: »

I've just ordered a dehumidifier as I've had enough. DD came home yesterday and this morning her bedroom window was soaked after being dry yesterday Its due to arrive Thursday so I'll put it upstairs Thur then bring it downstairs late Fri, then Sunday (since its bath day) it can go back upstairs again for a day or two. I'll keep doing this until I can get another one, which will probably be end of November when I'm thinking of getting the mini one available from arg0s to leave in DDs bedroom permanently.

ETA: Even better. Just had the gas-man ring and he's coming to fit a gasfire for us tonight *Happy dance* We have CH but it'll be nice to have a fire again after 2 years! I just need to move stuff out the way now!

You won't regret it. One thing though, de-humidifiers are very heavy! I'm not entirely sure why but they are! I wouldn't like to be carrying mine up and down stairs frequently hence the need for a second one in my house Look forward to you singing the praises of homely water extraction very soon! haha! :rotfl:

I think it is going to be a shocker of a winter too. Reading all the posts here, I am even more convinced :eek:

I am considering bringing my WM back in the house just for winter (is in outhouse atm, along with TD), and draining down the pipes As some of you who have been on this thread for a few years will know, twice now I have had burst pipes out there and I don't fancy going for a third as the stress nearly kills me. And if the pipes haven't burst, the WM has stopped working for up to a week at a time in the coldest snaps. However, I would need to move the DW out so it would be out of action for winter which is the reason I haven't moved the WM in, before.

Either that, or, I get some sort of small heater for out there... but am very worried about cost of elec Not sure tea lights in a lantern would be enough to stop pipes freezing. Even considering putting the SC out there, permanently on, through the coldest days :rotfl:

Uniscots97

For all those that commute via public transport (this includes me now) I carry a large pashmina. Its lightweight, meaning I can carry it easily but they are very warm meaning if I have to walk or the train stops outside a station and we aren't allowed to get off I have something to act as an extra layer. I'm also going to put a foil blanket in a freezer bag along with some large paper clips into my handbag. This can be wrapped round you under your coat secured with the paperclips, ok it looks cute (not!) but it will help keep you warm. I also keep a few cereal bars in my bag, change and going to see if I can get a mini torch.

Uniscots97

Fruball wrote: »

You won't regret it. One thing though, de-humidifiers are very heavy! I'm not entirely sure why but they are! I wouldn't like to be carrying mine up and down stairs frequently hence the need for a second one in my house Look forward to you singing the praises of homely water extraction very soon! haha! :rotfl:

I think it is going to be a shocker of a winter too. Reading all the posts here, I am even more convinced :eek:

I am considering bringing my WM back in the house just for winter (is in outhouse atm, along with TD), and draining down the pipes As some of you who have been on this thread for a few years will know, twice now I have had burst pipes out there and I don't fancy going for a third as the stress nearly kills me. And if the pipes haven't burst, the WM has stopped working for up to a week at a time in the coldest snaps. However, I would need to move the DW out so it would be out of action for winter which is the reason I haven't moved the WM in, before.

Either that, or, I get some sort of small heater for out there... but am very worried about cost of elec Not sure tea lights in a lantern would be enough to stop pipes freezing. Even considering putting the SC out there, permanently on, through the coldest days :rotfl:

what kind of lagging do you have on the pipes? Is there a door on the outhouse? If so could you put an extra layer on this? Where is the cold getting in? Would a few layers of bubble wrap over the windows help even a little? Friends who bought an older house a few years ago found that the bedroom above the garage was freezing, always! Even the carpet felt cold. I suggested (as they didn't use their garage for a car, just as storage) to adapt the plastic fringe doors that the supermarkets use. They got off cuts of vinyl and overlapped them slightly and secured them above the garage this meant the fringes were loose and you could move between them but the weight meant they would seal together and keep the cold out.

Fruball

unixgirluk wrote: »

what kind of lagging do you have on the pipes? Is there a door on the outhouse? If so could you put an extra layer on this? Where is the cold getting in? Would a few layers of bubble wrap over the windows help even a little? Friends who bought an older house a few years ago found that the bedroom above the garage was freezing, always! Even the carpet felt cold. I suggested (as they didn't use their garage for a car, just as storage) to adapt the plastic fringe doors that the supermarkets use. They got off cuts of vinyl and overlapped them slightly and secured them above the garage this meant the fringes were loose and you could move between them but the weight meant they would seal together and keep the cold out.

There is a door on it but the building isn't attached to the house. To be honest, the pipes have only been lagged on the outside wall rather than inside the outhouse but in extreme temps I am not convinced it would make a difference, although I have bought some insulation tape and lagging to do it in case I decide to try another winter of it being out there.

There are no windows in there.

I didn't think of insulating the door as there is no actual heat in there to prevent escaping... Do you think it would help?

2tonsils

Have got a slight chill in the air here this morning so it looks like autumn might be here at last after some freakily hot weather for late October. We are the only island with a ferry service still operating today as there are storms and high winds everywhere else in Greece.

It is a bit chilly but the sun is out and its a bit windy. Perfect for drying my sheets as long as the big clouds in the distance don't decide to creep up on us and empty the rain out.....

Just waiting for our ton of wood to be delivered. Hope it comes today as you never know how long the weather will stay dry for. When the man comes we will ask how much to repair the balcony as he is the local builder as well as wood man lol. We realised we have a high excess to pay on any claim on the insurance so it might be better to get it done and pay for it ourselves .

HOuse is just about finished with prepping for the winter. I treated myself to three jumpers yesterday for just 3 euros each in the sale. It's sods law that they look really nice, nice enough to go out to a function in !

The thermal leggings I bought (fleece lined) fit me like a dream so will be worn for most of the winter once it gets colder. I bought three pairs in different colours and I am well pleased with them. I had the idea of putting my winter thickness tights onto a coat hanger and putting them in my wardrobe so they don't take up all the drawer space, I just knotted them on like ties.....my OH thought it was hilarious but he had to admit it was a good idea. I can also see what I have available in colours and thickness of tights at a glance...

Wearing my fleece lined new boxer boots today and they are so warm and comfy...don't think I will be taking them off till next May lol

greenbee

Fruball wrote: »

You won't regret it. One thing though, de-humidifiers are very heavy! I'm not entirely sure why but they are! I wouldn't like to be carrying mine up and down stairs frequently hence the need for a second one in my house Look forward to you singing the praises of homely water extraction very soon! haha! :rotfl:

I think it is going to be a shocker of a winter too. Reading all the posts here, I am even more convinced :eek:

I am considering bringing my WM back in the house just for winter (is in outhouse atm, along with TD), and draining down the pipes As some of you who have been on this thread for a few years will know, twice now I have had burst pipes out there and I don't fancy going for a third as the stress nearly kills me. And if the pipes haven't burst, the WM has stopped working for up to a week at a time in the coldest snaps. However, I would need to move the DW out so it would be out of action for winter which is the reason I haven't moved the WM in, before.

Either that, or, I get some sort of small heater for out there... but am very worried about cost of elec Not sure tea lights in a lantern would be enough to stop pipes freezing. Even considering putting the SC out there, permanently on, through the coldest days :rotfl:

I had a small heater in my utility room before it was insulated and it had a thermostat on it I could set to frost. It seemed to keep things warm enough and used very little electricity even when it did get cold.

Shortie

The chimney sweep can today and all is sorted there, a job well done . We need to add ventilation to the house as there is none to make the fire more efficient (something to do with the air flow ensuring the smoke is sucked up the chimney apparently?) so I'm guessing the last owner must have filled it and decorated over it

All in all that was fine and happy there, but I'm also gutted OH asked about a log burner and while he doesn't install or sell them he agreed they were far better than open fires, but he then mentioned about the cost of installation and the paperwork being around £500 :eek: I had no clue they needed to be done by registered peeps and paperwork submitted to the council, I naively thought it was just a case of buying one, wrestling it into the fire place, fitting the flu and off we go On a good note he said the lining of the chimney looked fine

Problem is the £500 installation fee has now blown a log burner out of my budget as we've only just moved and we still have to find money to redo the kitchen (it's blinking awful and I'm sick of having no draining board, and I want my range cooker working back - but we need to pay £350 for a bottled gas supply to be installed) and the bathroom which has an energy hungry power shower and no bath, and we've noticed some of the floor tiles are cracked (and stick out sometimes with sharp edges :eek:) so I really can't justify the extra £500 at the mo when we can still use it as an open fire for peanuts (ie just the cost of adding ventilation)

Bottoms

bettycrumble

I have really enjoyed reading the last chunk of this thread.

I feel like we're more prepared than ever for winter this year and I thank the person who mentioned water stocks as I only have 3x 2 litre bottles. For me, I'd feel better over the winter period with more.

I've come to the realisation just now, that it is going to be a long hard winter and that I must not scrimp on the heating. We won't be wasting it but we won't be feeling guilty either. The cost does worry me which is why I'm going to add a winter fuel savings pot. The plan is to pay a lump sum off in the spring as well as the direct debit.

I've subscribed and looking forward to helping each other get through the harsh winter.