Preparing for Winter V

bellabella

Just bought the Lakeland heated airer so will use that in the winter instead of the TD should warm the room up as well 

[Deleted User]

We pay £20 for 50kg sacks from our coal merchant. I am having 10 sacks delivered next week as he has warned us the prices are set to rise again by month end xx

boultdj

I've just bought long sleeved thermal vests for OH and myself, got the last one in his size, and I'm knitting bed socks like crazy.

Living_proof

Just taken delivery of a new dual control electric blanket as the existing 10(?) year old one only works on one side and has occasionally stopped working altogether for no apparent reason. I can’t imagine next winter without one if we are to be so strict with the heating so it’s a relief to have sourced another at a reasonable price. 

MrsCD

bellabella said:

Just bought the Lakeland heated airer so will use that in the winter instead of the TD should warm the room up as well 

We have ours on the landing. It warms all of upstairs when it's on, but I've started to just use it overnight, if I can't get clothes dried outside, as that's when we have our cheaper electricity. I only put the bedroom heater on for an hour in the evening, if it's really cold. I wouldn't be without our Lakeland airer now.

Kaylataste

bellabella said:

Just bought the Lakeland heated airer so will use that in the winter instead of the TD should warm the room up as well 

I have a dri-buddi and it warms up the landing beautifully.

Laura_Elsewhere

In our tiny rented flat we have to be very careful about damp - there were black patches in several rooms when we arrived 8 years ago and we do have to be very careful, so a clothes airer, heated or not, would be disastrous for us. We have a very efficient tumble-dryer, which I use for only as long as is needed, and once a fortnight or so in colder months I do my handwash woollens and socks and then put the heated towel-rail on in the bathroom, with the extractor fan on and door to the rest of the flat closed, to dry those. 
But mostly, we really have to use the tumble dryer, which means I'm really quite good about only washing things that *need* washing instead of washing everything regardless, hanging once-worn clothes to air for another wearing, spot-drying stains or sploggles, misting cardigans or jumpers lightly with vodka under armpits, etc. Most of what I wear is natural fibres which helps a lot - when I dig out an old cotton-synthetic blend top or socks and wear them, jings does everything get sweaty and stinky!!! 

I also try to do mixed washes when possible - it does mean using those Colour Catcher sheets but half a sheet does what's needed, so they go further that way - and then the used square becomes a kitchen wiping-up cloth, used for lining cake-tins, etc., all the jobs we used to buy kitchen-paper for, but free and washable to re-use! I think our current roll of kitchen-paper has lasted since last summer now...! 

Primrose

H Laura-elsewhere.  Having been a reliable tenant of your flat for so long I,d be tempted  to ask your landlord to put some anti damp measures in place to ease your damp problems.  If you list all the measures you have to put in place to keep your flat reasonably liveable in, landlord might realise what a responsible tenant you are.  I think you,ve been there long eniugh to merit some anti damp measures being installed.  After all, you,re protecting the structure of your landlord,s property! 

Laura_Elsewhere

Thanks, @Primrose! It's controlled now - we're just very careful about what extra sources of damp we introduce, iyswim... it's just the poor design of the flat, we think - very nice home in almost all ways (and a very very lovely landlord who hasn't actually changed our rent in 8 years and sorts out everything we've ever raised very quickly), but definitely with airflow that misses some areas completely. Mind you, the estate has some houses built at the same time (early 90s) which have all windows and front door opening on the same wall, with three unventilated walls, so it's impossible to have any kind of through draught, and I know some people find those a real damp-struggle. 

We were very lucky earlier this year and were able to work with our landlord to have another 27cm of insulation put in (we're the top of three flats), laid on top of the existing 8cm, so we're expecting to feel cosy this coming winter!

Primrose

@Laura-Elsewhere. On the topic of ventilation I remember in my parents pre-war house that builders used to incorporate ventilation bricks in some outside walls to improve the airflow.   When you only had a single coal fire downstairs to heat the entire house draughts  were everywhere so there was a lot of "voluntary" ventilation.  The ventilation brick in my bedroom used to let a howling gale through it in winter. We had to cover it over with cardboard!