Preparing for Winter

groatie_queen

Keyhole in metal plated doors - cover with a fridge magnet on inside - easily removed and replaced when key is used.

I've put a duvet under the bottom sheet and it has made a real difference - lovely and cosy. Good tip!

I had the eaves of the house (chalet bungalow) insulated yesterday - joiner lifted the flooring, put the fibre in place, and re-laid the flooring on both sides of the house in just 3 hours! The roof space above the upstairs rooms has already been done by the insulation company, but I opted to get a local joiner to deal with the eaves because the insulation company wanted to lay the insulation on top of the flooring in the eaves. Checked with the Energy Saving Trust and they agreed that would not be satisfactory - would still leave the space under the flooring uninsulated so heat from downstairs would escape.

House is warmer already. £40 to joiner well worth it for job well done.

GQ

kethry

groatie_queen wrote: »

Keyhole in metal plated doors - cover with a fridge magnet on inside - easily removed and replaced when key is used.

you know.. that is one of those disgustingly simple solutions... i read that and thought.. "now why the hell didn't i think of that?"

*mutters*

thankyou! *goes to pinch a magnet off the fridge*

parsonswife8

groatie_queen wrote: »

Keyhole in metal plated doors - cover with a fridge magnet on inside - easily removed and replaced when key is used.

GQ

______________________________________

What a good tip re the fridge magnet!

:T :T :T

mardatha

I will go and pull off my sellotape and stick my Dublin Guinness fridge magnet on instead !

Olliebeak

kethry wrote: »

you know.. that is one of those disgustingly simple solutions.............

You are so right, Kethry! Leaves me feeling very foolish indeed !

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

mardatha wrote: »

I will go and pull off my sellotape and stick my Dublin Guinness fridge magnet on instead !

I'm guilty of the sellotape thing too.

BigMummaF

Those with keyhole troubles, would you be able to hang a little lavendar bag over the offending opening? Being an OS girl I'm imagining the keyhole being directly under the handle/knob, so a little piece of ribbon adjusted to the right length would serve it's purpose & the bag would be easy enough to make from oddments of material.
I was thinking that the perfume from the lavendar or other smellie stuff [can't spell potpourri as in 'poe purr-ee' ] would double up as an air freshener

BigMummaF

Just had another thought....maybe we should be wary of blocking up things like keyholes completely. Isn't there something about a build-up of toxins & things, particularly from coal fires & gas appliances?
I'm now certain that's why I thought of the fabric option, because the loose weave would still allow air to pass through.

frugalswan

Another item crossed off my winter to-do list today! I finally bought some slippers - nice, white fluffy ones from Mr T that are a cross between slippers and ankle boots. Very cosy! I think we're getting there in terms of preparations now.

ceridwen

BigMummaF wrote: »

Just had another thought....maybe we should be wary of blocking up things like keyholes completely. Isn't there something about a build-up of toxins & things, particularly from coal fires & gas appliances?
I'm now certain that's why I thought of the fabric option, because the loose weave would still allow air to pass through.

In a word - yep! Apparently we do need to make sure there is still some ventilation in our homes and not insulate them to "within an inch of their life" - as most people have all sorts of nasty chemicals in their homes - what with chemicals in paints, in chipboard furniture, in carpet, air-fresheners (if they use them :eek: ), conventional type cleaning materials.....quite a long list of stuff in fact. Hence the need for most homes to have a certain number of air changes per hour (cant remember how many 'twas). Of course - if you only use natural cleaning materials, natural furnishings and furniture, etc - then feel free to super-insulate your home (as long as there is enough to prevent dampness).