Preparing for Winter V

Laura_Elsewhere

fuddle wrote: »

I'm cross with myself actually I should have realised this stuff.

Why? I only know it because I was partly brought up by a very old-fashioned Gran, and because one of my nieces had to have her heart re-started aged 14 due to asthma, and I frantically read up everything I could find about how to minimise the risks!
(Did you know vacuum cleaning makes asthma worse because unless it's got HEPA filters which are changed very very frequently then all it does is suck the dust up and spit it out into the air, which is worse than leaving it lying! The things you learn on asthma website,s eh?)

I think my generation (I'm 48) was brought up to think housework is just vacuuming and spraying expensive chemicals around. Thanks to Gran, I tend much more towards the white-vinegar for almost everything and washing-soda for the rest, and fresh air, and elbow-grease, and airing things!
Even when my poor partner was ill a couple of years ago, he had to endure me bundling him up in my lacy-woolly shawls round his head for five minutes each day while I "changed the air" in the bedroom! Poor soul - although he did appreciate it not being so stale in there...

We're all having to re-learn a lot of Old Mother Common Sense, and chuck out some of what we were told what right by the marketing and advertising people...

fuddle

It might seem a silly idea to take up laminate and put carpet down when I have asthma but it's been the asthma that has been the driving force behind the decision we made. I'll explain as it's quite relevant what we found out.

The house was damp when we bought it. It has had a lot of destructive and reconstructive work done to it to sort the damp. We're aware that the floor will most probably need more money sunk into it in terms of a damp membrane and possibly a floating timber floor. Therefore we needed something that wasn't to be an investment and that we could keep an eye on the underneath.

A cheaper carpet is a synthetic carpet. Synthetic fibres are better for resisting dampness compared to natural fibres so we ensured the backing and the carpet was completely synthetic. It went against my very core but that's what the research flagged up. We then chose rubber backing for the underlay as opposed to the foam that was heavily pushed on us. The reason being is the foam is far more porous than the rubber. The older rubber backing is difficult to get on the high street now so that hasn't been easy.

So we chose a cheap synthetic carpet that we could peel back to keep an eye on the floor. This is why I'm cross with myself for not airing the house once we exposed the concrete. I know I'm to keep the house generally heated and ventilated to help the floor. :cool:

The first sign of mould or degeneration of the fibres and we will have to act but it has to be a quick fix for now.

Lucy5781

Thankfully having done one winter here all we discovered in terms of issues really was that during the day the lounge gets a bit chill, but using the fan heater that's attached to our mock fireplace reduces that and DS's room gets a bit cold at night when the heating's off between 10pm and 6am so we have a small oil heater in there as he's still in cot and can't get to it. He's one in about six weeks :eek:

parsniphead

Goodness, its wet wnd cold here today. I'm chilled to the bone. I just want to go out and buy boots and jumpers. I have a nice piece of tweed I'm going to make into a long winter lined skirt. I think i will start it today. I made some lined dresses last years which were lovely and warm with long boots. A few more needed i think. I always feel cold in jeans.

I need to get a new portiere rail for my front door curtain too.

I think I'm going to force DS of his trampoline. Its way too cold.

[Deleted User]

mould needs humid air and cold temperatures, the moisture comes out of the air if the house is cold. Warm air holds more moisture and does not release it but if walls and windows are cold then the moisture condenses on those and mould will form.

Some nasty chemicals are released by building materials and furniture and by laminates, for a few weeks at least. Those chemicals rise and need to be released via open windows or taken out by special filters and purifiers which take out perfumes, chemicals and VOCs (volotile organic compounds). Dust mites and their poo are only a tiny fraction of what can cause adverse reactions. Obviously anything new is worse but the amount released over time reduces a lot

Wood smoke is bad, when neighbours start up their wood burning stoves. Some people are very sensitive to wood smoke and it can cause heart problems and severe lung problems and can get into homes through any vents or faulty stoves

I only came on here to say that I feel as though I am slowing down, the allotment is certainly in its mad rush before sleeping for winter. I think autumn is coming early

[Deleted User]

It certainly feels like it here Kittie, the crops are much earlier than normal and things are going to be over way before the end of September, we've lifted all the main crop potatoes as the haulms had died back, the onions are going over and starting to dry and we've even got some whacking great Pumpkins that almost look ripe, the wisterias and magnolias in village gardens are on their third flowering of the year and next doors roses (and mi single little patio rose in the pot) are on their second flowering of the year and I've many ripening figs on my tree, it's most peculiar weather too.....changes afoot planetarily I fear!

Thriftkitten

Good Morning all and Happy Sunday...Now that the nights are on the turn ( getting dark at 9:30 here now)I have de lurked and ready to prep again... After 3 days off pottering around in house because of torrential downpours I'm finally back at work today and the sun is shining:cool:.
I'm looking forward to the warm coziness of this threat, we may not get the extreme's of weather here in Cornwall but I do like to pretend and prep for Armageddon...Ok, I'm lying, I like to hear all about peeps who are snowed in and pretend that I'm stuck up on a hill in the Highlands with nothing but a few candles, snuggled around my woodburner with the pooches at my feet and a cup of coco... We can all dream eh...
Anyhoo, Happy Sunday folks where ever you are let the roasties and yorkie puds be plentiful xx

Laura_Elsewhere

parsniphead wrote: »

Goodness, its wet wnd cold here today. I'm chilled to the bone. I just want to go out and buy boots and jumpers. I have a nice piece of tweed I'm going to make into a long winter lined skirt. I think i will start it today. I made some lined dresses last years which were lovely and warm with long boots. A few more needed i think. I always feel cold in jeans.

I need to get a new portiere rail for my front door curtain too.

I think I'm going to force DS of his trampoline. Its way too cold.

People are so often blatantly disbelieving when I try to explain that my big skirts are much warmer than jeans for me - they seem to think I'm lying to them about it and actually I choose to wear colder, less comfortable garments whilst insisting they are more comfortable... er, what?!?!
I wear leggings (cotton or thermal) with long socks, and either long boots with boot-socks, or little wool ankle-socks and stout lace-up low-heeled shoes (I buy dance shoes, checking they are leather as many aren't, and then add soles for outdoor wear, and Blakey's large non-metal segs on the heels, and they last years for much less than a pair of winter shoes in a shoe shop). My preferred skirts are quite full, often with a petticoat or lining, and gosh it's toasty in there!

My gran had portieres, of dark-red chenille. I would have them in this little flat if we ever closed doors, but it has to be bitter bitter weather for us to bother! We're lucky with fabulous double-glazing and have yet to use our central heating.

Laura_Elsewhere

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

it's most peculiar weather too.....changes afoot planetarily I fear!

Well... we did have two inches or so of snow settling on July 4th, 1980, in Edinburgh. I'd only just moved there, aged ten, and was fairly stunned at this bizarre place my parents had brought us to

So weird weather isn't a new thing...

But yes, I'm halfway through making a sundress, and I'm quite seriously trying to decide whether to go on and finish it, or simply put it away half-made til next spring and get started on he two new wool skirts I will be wearing in autumn...

Wednesday2000

It felt like winter was coming yesterday as it was a bit nippy and gusty outside. I took down my living room curtains to wash them, probably a bit early and will do them again before it gets cold.

I will get my gutters cleaned around September.

I'm actually fine for winter clothes as I bought a lot of warm jumpers and cardigans in George Asda a while back.