Preparing for Winter V

Cherryfudge

SuzeQStan said: am distraught

hearing about people perishing in house fires when they plug something in for their 1st winter warm 

We had a fuse blow when our night storage heaters first came on one winter. They were on Economy 7 so this was about 1 in the morning. I woke up and realised the night light was out and the children might need it so I blearily reset the fuse box and switched off the storage heater as a possible suspect.

When it was checked by an electrician, it had been faultily installed by the previous owner and when it came on it had started to char the wooden skirting board at the foot of the (wooden) stairs. If I'd ignored it, the whole lot could have gone up in smoke - so I have good reason for taking fire safety very seriously.

I suppose it's an apt time to say if you have anything electrical set to come on overnight, be very, very sure it's safe.

SuzeQStan

Good lord Cherry thank goodness you are here to tell the tale and provide the warning to others!

MrsCD

Our warning tale is about carbon monoxide. Daughter's neighbour hadn't looked after his flue and the CO came through the wall and set off her CO monitor! The man who came from the gas board said he was extremely fortunate to have survived. 
If you have a gas emergency or suspect CO...ring
0800 111999
They came out very quickly and checked everything in daughter's house, and on either side. Her house was OK. If you have a chimney or use candles or gas, please be extra careful and get some monitors around the house!

Cherryfudge

Thanks @SuzeQStan .

Thank you for that reminder too, @Mrs CD. I've been up to a CO alarm twice: one showed the chimney needed sweeping and the log burner had to be serviced but much better safe than sorry. I can't remember what happened the other time. The poor chaps come out to check regardless of the time of day or night or foul weather and are very nice about it, and so thorough. Ours even tested the loft for traces of gas. Didn't find any but I had the windows wide open despite a January storm, so I expect the CO got blasted away!

MrsCD

Yes, @Cherryfudge, our daughter thought the battery needed changing in her monitor! She asked us to change it while she was at work, but it still went off after putting new batteries in. Once we rang up, the chap was out within an hour or so. He told us to get out of the house and open doors, but the problem wasn't in her house. It was her neighbour! The readings at his letterbox were so high that he may not have survived another night.

Cherryfudge

That's so scary @MrsCD. Thank goodness your daughter had a working monitor.

catz4m8z

Just hoovered the dust out of the storage heater in the bathroom ready for the turn on (its ancient so another year of praying it actually works!LOL).
No heating in the rest of the house so I have a few electric heaters I get out as needed, although Im going to try and reduce the time I have them on this year as its so expensive. Hoping things will be better as I managed to get my windows replaced this summer and will longer have one stuck open all year long!

Also got down the winter collection of oodies, electric blanket, electric dog bed and assorted snuggly layers. I much prefer to layer myself up rather then heat the house (I have to leave most of the doors open for the dogs so it seems stupid to heat the house much!).
At least I dont have to change bedding. I have a summer duvet year round and tend to just go to bed in jumpers when Im cold as I hate being covered in heavy bedding (TBH tho as a middle aged woman Im still sleeping under a sheet as I overheat most nights!! ).

I suppose last thing to do is check any rechargeable lights are charged and go through my first aid kit and make sure I have plenty of cold/flu stuff in, just in case. 

Cherryfudge

We have a power cut from before we got up, and ongoing. A good test of preparedness but we went out for coffee this morning and are currently in the library for free heat and wi-fi - is this cheating?

Power is expected back at tea time.

MrsCD

Not cheating, just being sensible! I'm sure you're prepared for if it's off any longer. 😄

Primrose

No not cheating.  Our library advertises itself for its "warm space" and other facilities during winter to anybody who wants to make use of it.