Preparing for Winter V

Elisheba

amber03 said:

Going to stock up on bags of smokeless coal the next few weeks. DH prefers the logs as less messy but I think you get more heat from the coal. We live in a smoke free zone so have to be careful what we burn, we do have busybodies around here who will tell if anything is burnt that shouldn’t be. We also live in an area of high industry that produce a lot of pollution that get away with it, so you do wonder at times. Blankets washed, need new HW bottles and starting to stock up on tinned food.

Do you have a favourite type of smoke free coal?  I tried a few last year but wasn't very satisfied with any of them.

enkeltliv

Elisheba said:

amber03 said:

Going to stock up on bags of smokeless coal the next few weeks. DH prefers the logs as less messy but I think you get more heat from the coal. We live in a smoke free zone so have to be careful what we burn, we do have busybodies around here who will tell if anything is burnt that shouldn’t be. We also live in an area of high industry that produce a lot of pollution that get away with it, so you do wonder at times. Blankets washed, need new HW bottles and starting to stock up on tinned food.

Do you have a favourite type of smoke free coal?  I tried a few last year but wasn't very satisfied with any of them.

If I had to choose a smokeless fuel for a stove I would go for Phurnacite. It is at the higher end of the cost bracket though.

halfamo

Katkin said:

If I could I'd like something like this, below. Seen it on a camping trip - and did use it, and it works! Maybe I should be looking long-term to get OH to fashion something similar. 

....Katkins picture above is  a clever drying tent made by https://www.shielingdryer.co.uk/
Hope that link comes up alright.........
if not it is shieling dryer company or right click the above picture and click on search image with google lens
Looks like something we will definitely be doing soon.

Van_Girl

halfamo said:

Katkin said:

If I could I'd like something like this, below. Seen it on a camping trip - and did use it, and it works! Maybe I should be looking long-term to get OH to fashion something similar. 

....Katkins picture above is  a clever drying tent made by https://www.shielingdryer.co.uk/
Hope that link comes up alright.........
if not it is shieling dryer company or right click the above picture and click on search image with google lens
Looks like something we will definitely be doing soon.

£350!! Holy moly. I'd like to try making one though

halfamo

Van_Girl said:

£350!! Holy moly. I'd like to try making one though

I just spoke to the very nice man who makes them as we wanted one and he is sold out. He says they may be introducing a smaller version in the future.
Sadly the prices have to change due to everything going up.
I think it is one of those things that will pay for itself if you normally would need to use electricity to dry your laundry.
We do already dry outdoors in the good weather but my son uses the dryer at every given opportunity and if it is raining so do we, so it would likely pay for itself over the winter.

Anyway I'm not affiliated or anything, it's just something we will definitely have in future if we can.

CJRyder

sarahlouise1972 said:

Good morning and happy Tuesday everyone.

I'm a newbie and want to start preparing for winter. I live in a mid terrace council house, being in the middle the house warms up quickly. We only have gas central heating and no fire. 

What should I start doing ? 

Thinking of getting a door curtain for the front door but that’s all I can think of. 

Any suggestions would be grateful received.

Have a wonderful day xxxx 

Welcome! I am in a similar position (mid-terrace prepping) albeit with an open fire.

I am installing a door curtain between the living room and hallway myself. £15 for the curtain in Arg0s and a tenner for the curtain pole. We have a cat so need to pick between keeping the door open for her moving around or getting up every time she wants to come in or out. I also acquired some washable electric blankets (heat the person, not the space!). Draught excluders are your friends - I have ordered four under door cut-to-size ones and will be ordering a few snakes for the front and back doors.

Also, invest in some alternative light sources - candles and solar preferably. I am a firm believer that rechargeable lighting will be a godsend this year.

Start gathering your nuts now rather than waiting until later. With the price hikes expected I am considering the strong possibility of power cuts in a heavy winter.

machasraven

For this winter I'm making window toppers - we have curtain poles not track so will make them for the bedrooms and livingroom. It was on here that someone said about them. Basically they are draught excluders you put along the top of the curtain pole.  Our house is about 300 years old built of stone and the fire is essential in the winter to warm the walls. 

Van_Girl

halfamo said:

Van_Girl said:

£350!! Holy moly. I'd like to try making one though

I just spoke to the very nice man who makes them as we wanted one and he is sold out. He says they may be introducing a smaller version in the future.
Sadly the prices have to change due to everything going up.
I think it is one of those things that will pay for itself if you normally would need to use electricity to dry your laundry.
We do already dry outdoors in the good weather but my son uses the dryer at every given opportunity and if it is raining so do we, so it would likely pay for itself over the winter.

Anyway I'm not affiliated or anything, it's just something we will definitely have in future if we can.

I absolutely appreciate that, particularly small makers/businesses, need to charge a fair price. And I'm sure it's a great saving over using a tumble dryer!

I'm fortunate to have a very large conservatory so I utilise that for drying, which works quite well if I can get enough of a through breeze. I have to keep the door to it open anyway to let the cat in 

YoungBlueEyes

katkin said:

If I could I'd like something like this, below. Seen it on a camping trip - and did use it, and it works! Maybe I should be looking long-term to get OH to fashion something similar. 

David Bellamy on his uppers is he? Good on him for inventing this though eh! 

katkin

halfamo said:

....Katkins picture above is  a clever drying tent made by https://www.shielingdryer.co.uk/

Hope that link comes up alright.........
if not it is shieling dryer company or right click the above picture and click on search image with google lens
Looks like something we will definitely be doing soon.

Thank you for the link. 

Maybe its worth looking at making one - a frame from an old steel poled tent well secured to the ground, and either tent canvas / tarp for the cover. I often wonder what companies, events etc do with their pvc banners after use - you know those big long ones used to promote something attached to fences, roundabouts etc. That would be a good heavy cover and there are already eyelets in place. It's just washing lines strung up inside. 

Will need to discuss with my OH who is handy and good at putting silly notions out of my head if he thinks they'll never work 

I'm all for zero tumble drier use this winter!



Don't think David Bellamy invented this youngblueeyes.