Preparing for Winter

downshifter

Confuzzled wrote: »

ok here's a question about the storage heaters...

one would assume then that by controlling the amount of input you can regulate how much energy it uses to warm the house up... but is that true?

it seems obvious but storage heaters don't work the same way a thermostat does so it it more cost effective to leave it at the mentioned 75% input ALL the time or to vary that depending on how cold it is (ie the colder it is the higher the input)

i would be inclined to believe that would be the case but then since i've been here this long and asked many people and this is the first straight answer i've received thus far about the mysterious ways of teh storage heater i thought i should check... i'd like to keep it as tightly managed as possible as we are big consumers of electricity from our computers as i work from home and home educate my daughter. we need the heat obviously being home most of the time but the heat seems like an easier place to cut back on energy consumption than the computers as they ARE needed and i can't just put on an extra layer to save on that electricity

Somewhere on another thread I found a really useful description of how storage heaters work as well as how to get max heat from the electricity they use up. It made it really clear to me as well as giving good advice about turning input up at night and down again in the morning. I can't remember exactly and as I didn't move to the house involved in the end I've wiped it from my memory banks! Do a search, I found some really clear explanations.

DS

CCP

Annie56 wrote: »

Any other ideas would be appreciated, I am all electric so when theres a power cut thats it total darkness, no phone Ive just realised when reading some of the above posts and no TV...Im nervous of using candles, do they do wind up torches? I know they do radios.

They certainly do! I bought one for myself a few weeks ago - it was about £4 in Wilkinsons, so that might be a good place to look if you've got one anywhere near you. I know exactly what you mean about living in an old, high-ceiled house, BTW - I've lived in them since I've had a place of my own, and wouldn't really want to live in any other kind of building, but brrr are they cold in winter!

My winter preparations have got temporarily put on hold due to lack of money (my car broke down earlier this month ) and a family bereavement, but I will be back on it when I get paid this weekend. I just wanted to pop in and say a huge thank you to whoever it was who posted about the cheap hot water bottles on the Boots website - I got mine today and it's great - so soft and fluffy! I almost can't wait for the colder weather so I can snuggle up with it.

Ada3050

The more modern storage heaters will be "semi" automatic in their operation.

I have two small heaters of the same model, one in the bathroom and one in the hall. They both adapt the input according to the temperature, so in warmer weather they will accept less of a charge.
If you look at the base of the heaters you will find a copper sensor which measures the temperature, so a draughty location will mean the heater will be hotter.

My bathroom one is cooler than the one in the hall because the room is warmer and vice versa. You need to set the input to 75% most of the time and this will be a set and forget setting unless the temperature is very cold outside, then you can set at full.
By setting at 75% if the weather warms up a bit the heater will reduce it input charge accordingly. The output can be left at its lower setting most of the time as the "flap" should open when the heater starts to cool, or you can open it up in the evening. I leave mine set to 2 (roughly quarter) and rarely have to adjust the settings.

Hope this helps

jackieglasgow

CCP wrote: »

I just wanted to pop in and say a huge thank you to whoever it was who posted about the cheap hot water bottles on the Boots website - I got mine today and it's great - so soft and fluffy! I almost can't wait for the colder weather so I can snuggle up with it.

That would be me, and you are very welcome I am currently sitting here with mine, and my boys have just gone to bed with theirs for the first time too, it is very very cold in Glasgow tonight. I think we may get frost in the next few days if this keeps up.

Sorry to hear about your bereavement {{hugs}} to you.

midnightraven3

can someone tell me where is the best place to buy fleece blankets please?

wanting to use them to back patchwork quilts i am making to keep us snuggly in the winter, downstairs is open plan, and despite heavy curtains at the doors & windows etc, its still quite draughty

NualaBuala

CCP wrote: »

My winter preparations have got temporarily put on hold due to lack of money (my car broke down earlier this month ) and a family bereavement, but I will be back on it when I get paid this weekend. I just wanted to pop in and say a huge thank you to whoever it was who posted about the cheap hot water bottles on the Boots website - I got mine today and it's great - so soft and fluffy! I almost can't wait for the colder weather so I can snuggle up with it.

So sorry to hear about your bereavement CCP, hugs and sympathy to you.

jackieglasgow

midnightraven the general consensus seems to be Asda, 2 for £3.

NualaBuala

midnightraven3 wrote: »

can someone tell me where is the best place to buy fleece blankets please?

wanting to use them to back patchwork quilts i am making to keep us snuggly in the winter, downstairs is open plan, and despite heavy curtains at the doors & windows etc, its still quite draughty

If you have an Ikea near you they have them very cheap, I got a load there.
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/departments/Textiles/10714-2?sorting=price


Edit: sorry, crossposted with Jackie. Ikea has one for 99p but might not be as good as the Asda ones. Wish we had Asda here.

Janebo12

midnightraven3 wrote: »

can someone tell me where is the best place to buy fleece blankets please?

wanting to use them to back patchwork quilts i am making to keep us snuggly in the winter, downstairs is open plan, and despite heavy curtains at the doors & windows etc, its still quite draughty

Hi, I saw some of these in Asda the other day for around £3 each, they had red, cream and brown.

hth

Janebo12

jackieglasgow wrote: »

midnightraven the general consensus seems to be Asda, 2 for £3.

Thanks, you beat me to it - I knew I hadn't quite got the price right so thanks for that lol!