Preparing for Winter

jamanda

Oh heck - you've just reminded me about my sloe gin. I hid it under the kitchen table so it was out of the way. Going to look what has happened to it.

Until this year I have had the plastic film glazing over my porch windows (metal with wood surround). This year DH decided to be clever and got some of the twin-wall polycarbonate. Trouble is, we are having trouble sticking it with double sided tape. I don't think it is strong enough. We don't really want to screw it on because of the holes. Has anyone got any bright ideas please?

ktpie

homeaway wrote: »

Are you sure it is efficient to just run the heating for a couple of hours?Years ago we ran an experiment with our gas central heating, we had the timer coming on in the morning and then again for a few hours in the eve and we costed it and then we put the thermostat on a lowish setting but left the heating on all day and costed that . For us the cheapest option was to leave the heating on all day but on a low setting so that the house never really got freezing. Houses lose a lot of heat from windows, doors and the roof. Insulating your roof is something that you can do yourselves. Cavity wall insulation helps as well. HTH

This is a good point, I was worried last winter that being at home during the day with a baby would mean our heating bills would be really high but it actually didn't cost much more than having it coming on a couple of times a day. I think it depends on your house, it's level of insulation and your central heating controls.
I've got thermometers all over the place now and have worked out what the cut off points for us are, for example if it drops to close to 15 or below in the kitchen or bedrooms I put the central heating on for a bit and if it is less than 17 in the sitting room I light the fire, obviously different temperatures suit different people and lifestyles.
It might be a good idea to try and monitor your gas useage for a while (I recently found a great thread about this on the Green and Ethical board, here it is), maybe try a few days with the heating only on a couple of times a day and a few days with it on more often on low and see what the actual difference is in terms of gas.

timmmers

jamanda wrote: »

Oh heck - you've just reminded me about my sloe gin. I hid it under the kitchen table so it was out of the way. Going to look what has happened to it.

Until this year I have had the plastic film glazing over my porch windows (metal with wood surround). This year DH decided to be clever and got some of the twin-wall polycarbonate. Trouble is, we are having trouble sticking it with double sided tape. I don't think it is strong enough. We don't really want to screw it on because of the holes. Has anyone got any bright ideas please?

Hot glue gun in spots to back up DS tape but still be easy to remove..or clear silicon sealant used sparingly probably will do too.

t

jamanda

timmmers wrote: »

Hot glue gun in spots to back up DS tape but still be easy to remove..or clear silicon sealant used sparingly probably will do too.

t

Thank you very much. Will try that this weekend.

timmmers

ktpie wrote: »

This is a good point, I was worried last winter that being at home during the day with a baby would mean our heating bills would be really high but it actually didn't cost much more than having it coming on a couple of times a day. I think it depends on your house, it's level of insulation and your central heating controls.
I've got thermometers all over the place now and have worked out what the cut off points for us are, for example if it drops to close to 15 or below in the kitchen or bedrooms I put the central heating on for a bit and if it is less than 17 in the sitting room I light the fire, obviously different temperatures suit different people and lifestyles.
It might be a good idea to try and monitor your gas useage for a while (I recently found a great thread about this on the Green and Ethical board, here it is), maybe try a few days with the heating only on a couple of times a day and a few days with it on more often on low and see what the actual difference is in terms of gas.

I wasted two weeks doing this a couple of years back...I forgot that other people also open doors and leave them open sometimes..letting all the heat out where the thermostat lives to boot. Worth a post it note warning others what's going on and trying not to leave doors open I think. ;)

t

kingshir

Am I the only person who is fed up with this mild weather? I want to have the fire on and be able to wear my snuggly pj's and have a hot water bottle in bed Instead I'm in the office with my jacket off and the cold fan on :mad:

I've stockpiled wood and coal, my larders and freezers are full, my homemade wines and damson and sloe gins are made and I'm well on the way to being prepared for xmas and now I want some proper crispy Auntumn weather - Is it too much to ask? :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

A note to the people who hate winter - please don't shout at me

nippyone

kingshir wrote: »

Am I the only person who is fed up with this mild weather? I want to have the fire on and be able to wear my snuggly pj's and have a hot water bottle in bed Instead I'm in the office with my jacket off and the cold fan on :mad:

I've stockpiled wood and coal, my larders and freezers are full, my homemade wines and damson and sloe gins are made and I'm well on the way to being prepared for xmas and now I want some proper crispy Auntumn weather - Is it too much to ask? :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

A note to the people who hate winter - please don't shout at me

I agree with you to a certain extent - i've got my winter clothes and extra bedding ready but I don't mind this mild weather:D.

I don't hate winter - I just don't like the snow when it turns to slush and ice in case I fall (I've already got a bad back from an accident three years ago!) But I like the crisp mornings with bright sunshine!

Barneysmom

If you're using the velcro on the windows to hang the fleece linings, staple them as an extra bit of strength.
I got the thermal lininigs from Dunelm for the living room, the difference is amazing, and I've got them forever :cool:

nicki_2

I've just bought DD another pair of ear-muffs and 2 small hotwater bottles from Poundland. Although I already have 2 hotwater bottles, these smaller ones will be wonderful to warm my hands up or, very carefully, my feet when the circulation plays up I think, apart from getting a rug for the dining area I've done everything I can now We'll see

kingshir

Flippin' heck it's very warm here today! Blue (ish) skys and sunny spells:p I'm in a summer dress and a thin cardi (which I'm about to take off).