Preparing for Winter V

Primrose

elljay said:

I never really understand fuel poverty as a measure of poverty.  Like others on here I keep my fuel costs down by using hot water bottles, thermal undies, thick curtains and the rest of it.  My neighbour has her heating on loads, including when she's out.  She's also borrowed an electric heater from me to keep her cats warm. No curtains whatsoever and doesn't bother with jumpers etc, she just turns up the heating or puts the stove on.  So she is in fuel poverty (greater percentage of her income goes on fuel) but I am not because I am frugal/careful.  Doesn't make sense or am I missing something?

I think affordable heating has previously been within the grasp of the majority  so until the present crisis it has been less of an issue.  People have just switched  on their washing  machines, ovens or central heating without thinking because they,ve been able to do so.  The current crisis is suddenly bringing home to everybody that fuel, like water, is a precious commodity.

Perhaps  like the last wartime austerity years habits will change and once people realise the  financial realities some will permanently change their habits.  A shrinking wallet is generally a very good incentive!

Laura_Elsewhere

@Primrose, when we first moved here our electricity was on a pre-payment 'key' and also we had only one plug-socket where the washing-machine and tumble-dryer go, so not only did I have to think about whether I had enough electric to do laundry, I also had to time it right because I couldn't run one load, then dry that while the second load was washing, etc., because I could only plug in one of them at a time! 

It certainly taught me a LOT about laundry and electricity! 

Primrose

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@Primrose, when we first moved here our electricity was on a pre-payment 'key' and also we had only one plug-socket where the washing-machine and tumble-dryer go, so not only did I have to think about whether I had enough electric to do laundry, I also had to time it right because I couldn't run one load, then dry that while the second load was washing, etc., because I could only plug in one of them at a time! 

It certainly taught me a LOT about laundry and electricity! 

My childhood wartime and post war home was like this. Only one socket per room. Unless you had a two way adapter you couldn,t listen to the wireless and plug in an electric fire at the same time. My dad was an electrical engineer and rigged up all kinds of probably potentially lethal  cables to get round the problem but I guess nobody had so many electrical gadgets and appliances in those days.  

We have about five sockets in our lounge/dining room and still seem need loads of extra adapters for all the gadgets and equipment we seem to have !

florianatwobob

Having not that long ago rewired my house we’ve gone from a single socket in 2 of the bedrooms, 3 sockets in the main bedroom, 3 sockets in the living room, 2 in the kitchen and 1 in the hall. 

We went for more than we thought we needed when we rewired and I could still do with another in the kitchen! 

However having previously been short on sockets were used to having so many!

sammy_kaye18

Laura_Elsewhere said:

What was perhaps 7 out of 8 cars running their engine for 40 minutes or so is now maybe 1 or 2 out of 8... and a LOT fewer cars in general - apparently 90% of the children live within half a kilometre of the school and there are excellent footpaths and bridle-ways to it. 

So we hope that's a lasting change... 

Do you know what always made me laugh when I was doing the school run is that I live in a welsh village (population of about 5000) but most of the kids live within about half a kilometre of the school too and the carpark holds about 18 cars MAX. It was like a free for all down there and my sister-in-law would drive from her house to the school and wait an hour early to pick her kids up and half hour before the school opened to drop them off. Engine on so she could listen to the radio whilst her son played on her phone. 
Never understood it. I live on top the mountain so can see the school and come rain, snow, ice we walked down. I can remember having to form a human mum chain to pass kids along when the ice got so slippery, we couldnt walk. It proved a good laugh, and we all made it in one piece. We have got drenched more times than I care to count but wed come home, get into cosy pyjamas and have a hot chocolate. 

Plus, when I was younger, I had to cycle or walk to school which took me half hour each way, and that was living in Germany, through winter and I had to wear a skirt. 

Fingers crossed with the cost of living etc - like you have said - hopefully it will be a change now and there will be less problems with parking / traffic etc as people are trying to save money. 

Floss

Found out today that Octopus will be adjusting my DD for the 6 months of the Govt £400 subsidy so I can stash a bit extra in my savings each month. 

LittleGem

Anyone know if it would be ok to burn fence posts and wooden slats in a log burner? We have some excess wood from putting up fences but I wasn’t sure how safe it is to burn indoors if the wood has been treated?

Laura_Elsewhere

LittleGem said:

Anyone know if it would be ok to burn fence posts and wooden slats in a log burner? We have some excess wood from putting up fences but I wasn’t sure how safe it is to burn indoors if the wood has been treated?

Well, it’s illegal for one thing, to burn treated wood, but also I certainly wouldn’t want to be in the same building with the toxic fumes (not all of which are detectable by people)…

Uniscots97

LittleGem said:

Anyone know if it would be ok to burn fence posts and wooden slats in a log burner? We have some excess wood from putting up fences but I wasn’t sure how safe it is to burn indoors if the wood has been treated?

Please don't risk it. I do remember growing up (we had an old cottage and lived near an open coal seam) my Dad always saying don't burn untreated wood and saying he knew someone that had done it and ended up in hospital. My Gran used to add the junk mail (minus any plastic) to the fire along with toilet roll tubes stuffed with a few fir cones 

Si_Clist

LittleGem said:

Anyone know if it would be ok to burn fence posts and wooden slats in a log burner? ...

FWIW we saw Tanalised structural and fencing timber into short lengths then split and use for kindling.  Have done for years.  Creosoted wood is a different kettle of fish though.

As regards it being illegal, my reading of the legislation leaves me unclear whether that's actually referring to the burning of treated wood by commercial entities.  But whatever, who's going to know if you chuck a few bits in your logburner at home?  Your neighbours won't be able to smell anything different.  But if you think it's going to kill you or hasten the planet's demise ...