Preparing for Winter V

dreaming

IntoTheForest said:

Hello, I did post on here a couple of times years ago but was locked out of my old account. I got lots of good tips and tricks, I now have a stoneware pig (charity shop find) after a recommendation from a poster. We still haven't had our heating on but have swopped to the winter duvets etc. It has been incredibly mild here and I think we aren't due any properly cold weather until the end of December. Has anyone had any success with insulating a garage door? Our bedroom is over the garage and it can get very cold. I put the silver bubble wrap stuff on the door and tried to plug the gaps but it hasn't made much difference. I don't have much money but was thinking that if I cover some large cardboard boxes with emergency foil blankets then tape them over the whole door that might help? 

If you have a "high" bed with space underneath try filling this with crates of spare blankets, towels etc. as an additional layer of insulation. I noticed the difference when I changed from a divan style bed to the high one I have now. It suits me as I don't like to be too warm but there is definitely a difference.  Could you put the silver bubble wrap under the bed as well and then ttry and get some rugs for the side of the bed - or even a cheap offcut of carpet? I agree that it is the bedroom which probably needs insulating rather than the garage but both would be good if you can manage. Would it be possible to "tent" the garage ceiling with bubble wrap/insulating material? That would then be removable if you move. Definitely would try newspaper under the carpet though, and try to make sure your curtains are lined  - just pinning blankets/fleeces inside makes a difference.

joedenise

You need to put some wire along the top so you can cut out your breath which steams up your glasses!

Laura_Elsewhere

joedenise said:

You need to put some wire along the top so you can cut out your breath which steams up your glasses!

Yes, I make our masks with a six-inch length of quite firm wire, and I use my specs as a test to see if I've got it on, fitted right. 
 
After all, if your specs are steaming up it means your breath is coming straight up out of the top of your mask, and isn't being filtered at all by the mask!!!  

joedenise

I'm using the wire out of some flex which DH has in his work room!  Seems to work in our masks.  Those disposable masks definitely don't work for people who wear glasses!

Laura_Elsewhere

joedenise said:

I'm using the wire out of some flex which DH has in his work room!  Seems to work in our masks.  Those disposable masks definitely don't work for people who wear glasses!

That made me laugh - guess where I got the wire we're using?!?!  

wort

Uniscot,  so sorry to hear about your job, definitely check Martins tips to see what you can claim for. Good luck.

supasick

Not been on for awhile but I did manage to sort my drafty uninsulated loft out. Mostly by making a tee pee of duvets and old horse rugs over the banisters at the top then taping cardboard over the doorway at the bottom of the stairs. Made a huge difference already. 

I’m now off for the month (shielder) so am trying to get caught back up.  

Grabs39

It's been a preparing the cars for Winter day today.

My car is in for a service and MOT on Monday so it's just had a wash, and I've replaced the wiper blades.  It's only done 1600 miles this year (working from home), and sat without moving for two months during lockdown so I'm keen to get the oil changed.

My wife's car has had a wash, oil and screenwash topped up, Winter tyres put on and I've had a good check around.  I would normally have changed the wheels over earlier, but it's been such a warm autumn this year.  It'll need new discs and pads in the next few thousand miles but will be fine over the winter.

Laura_Elsewhere

We found dishwasher-salt granules are the best thing to carry in a car for icy conditions - it works immediately as physical grit, because it is hard little granules instead of normal salt, and then it works as salt once it starts to thaw a little, and thus prevents the cleared area re-freezing as it would if you just used grit. 

And it's cheaper than buying food-grade salt!  

So we keep some by the door in winter for the icy back steps, and some in the car just in case. Just strew it around by hand and it makes an immediate difference!

Uniscots97

Laura_Elsewhere said:

We found dishwasher-salt granules are the best thing to carry in a car for icy conditions - it works immediately as physical grit, because it is hard little granules instead of normal salt, and then it works as salt once it starts to thaw a little, and thus prevents the cleared area re-freezing as it would if you just used grit. 

And it's cheaper than buying food-grade salt!  

So we keep some by the door in winter for the icy back steps, and some in the car just in case. Just strew it around by hand and it makes an immediate difference!

I didn't realise it was cheaper than food grade salt