Preparing for Winter V

Si_Clist

cornishchick said:

... my fix ended at the beginning of this month and I rang and got the lowest tarriff I could.

Any particular reason why you did that rather than shop around for the best quote from a different supplier?

Primrose

The problem with switching to  new supplier is that most of them now force you to have a smart meter fitted.  After all the previous scandals about smart meters becoming disfunctional if you switch to another supplier not everybody wants to cope with that kind of hassle, especially in a pandemic when so many providers are functioning pretty disfunctionally anyway! 

Floss

I had smart meters fitted a year ago, 6m after joining my previous supplier (BG) and moved to Shell in May with no problems (apart from the aforementioned request to increase by 50%). The switch was actually quicker & easier than my previous switch while still on the original meters.

greenbee

Energy pricing is complicated - most of the electricity companies will have bought current supplies at prices fixed some time ago, but based on demand at any time will be buying/selling to balance their needs. Energy trading is carried out (I think... it's been a while) in 3 minute intervals). Smart meters will eventually allow us to use energy when it is cheapest (i.e. lowest demand, needs using as electricity is being produced and needs to go somewhere), but appliances need to be manufactured to cope with the interruption to supply if you set your smart meter to a specific price point.


French nuclear energy used to be very cheap at night due to oversupply - so we used to buy lots, and French manufacturers used to carry out energy intensive work on the night shift. I've got no idea what it's like now, but I know a lot of the UK's nuclear fleet is approaching end of life. Realistically, we need a good mix of energy to help balance the costs - and if it is going to get more expensive, then sola panels are starting to look like a good investment even with the reduction in subsidies. 

As far as smart meters go, I believe the SMETS 2 standard means that the meters can be used by multiple suppliers. And most SMETS 1 can be upgraded. But it's worth heading over to the energy boards if you want to get all the details as there are a lot of knowledgeable people over there - including energy company employees who share their insights. 

pollyanna_26

Primrose said:

The problem with switching to  new supplier is that most of them now force you to have a smart meter fitted.  After all the previous scandals about smart meters becoming disfunctional if you switch to another supplier not everybody wants to cope with that kind of hassle, especially in a pandemic when so many providers are functioning pretty disfunctionally anyway! 

Family and Friends have had problems with smart meters so I have resisted having one. I'm thinking of moving house in the next year or so and will leave the choice to whoever buys my house. Some of my neighbours lost buyers when they found the house had smart meters.

I was with Coop Energy for years and everything was fine then they switched us to Octopus. Years on I still cannot enter my readngs online. I've emailed , written and phoned and they aren't accepting my email address or password and all attempts to set up a new ID don't work. The meter used to be read quarterly by a meter reader but they started posting a card through the door asking me to send my readings online or by phone. I've called him back but they don't do readings now just stick a card through the letterbox.

I'm going to have to look if there is an alternative. Coop are still involved but just tell me to contact Octopus.

The idea of a Bothy in Scotland with a turf fire is very appealing.

pollyx

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
OH used to laugh at me for cuddling up under my knitted blanket to watch tv but last year tried it and now just about lives under it in winter.
My mum and aunty used to always layer up and I started during the menopause but have carried on. In winter I wear a vest under my work top and at home have been known to have a thin cardigan under a thick one. Also bootie slippers are warmer cos your ankles are covered. I’m of an age where we didn’t get central heating until I was grown up so can manage if I need to, but I really feel for people who need constant heat.

Our electric supplier is one of the ones that has gone under. Apparently we should sit tight and let another supplier take over which is frustrating because I’ve no control over it. The BBC website says another 4 of the smaller providers might go under this week which is really worrying. We live in strange times.

betony

-taff said:

Get second hand lined curtains from charity shops, ebay, freecycle, gumtree or similar, they make a hell of a difference as I can attest . Velvet type ones are the best. They might not be cheap if you're thinking a tenner, think more thirty or forty quid but factor in you'll use them for years. I bought one set from ebay four years ago, they were forty ish or slightly less quid,massive, so I cut the bottoms off and sewed them to the sides. I put those ones in my hallway in front of the door and two other charity shop sets in the bedroom against the windows [ two sets there, one in the bay and one across] Will be getting another one for the door into the lean to this year. The cats can go out but the curtain will insulate.

If you can't afford or get those, look in charity shops or free sites for those cheap fleecy throws and attach them behind your curtains with safety pins or sew them for extra insulation.

Hi Taff, is this worth doing even with modern double glazing? We've just downsized to a small bungalow with upvc double glazing which is hugely and obviously much better than the old house; the sound insulation is noticeably improved, so I assume it will be the same for heat-loss. 

-taff

I've got double glazing and I have the curtains too. I get draughts through the sies or under the sill, not major ones, but definitely noticeable when it's cold outside.

betony

Thanks Taff. I'm going to do some experiments with a couple of room thermometers and see if I can see a difference. 

VintageHistorian

I think I'm going to buy a spare hot water bottle. My one is pretty new as it was bought last year to replace my old one, which sprang a leak (thankfully while Mr VH was filling it in the kitchen, so we didn't end up with wet bedding) but the last thing I want is for the new one to pop during winter if there are gas supply issues and then find there aren't any as everyone else has rushed to buy them.