Preparing for Winter

Gigervamp

parsonswife8 wrote: »

Just watching BBC News and the river Taff in Wales, flooding.

People sitting on the roof of their cars.

And more rain expected there.

My husband's just sent me a couple of pics he's taken of the river going through Bridgend. Some stupid bod in the council thought it would be a good idea to spend 2 million on building a walkway over the river. It's almost under water in places and the scaffolding under it (they're still building it) is under water.

Triggles

Argh! we've got soot and rubble dropping from inside our chimney! The council is coming out to inspect it next week. I've had to put a huge piece of screening in front of it so that DS doesn't get near it. Once they've checked it and made sure it's structurally sound, we'll need to get someone to come out and clean it thoroughly as I'm sure it hasn't been cleaned in years by the previous tenants. I want to use it to keep the house a bit warmer here and there instead of turning on the heat - but I can't because I'm concerned about what condition it's in!

We've also got a problem with a vent the council installed - we just recently realised when they put it in, they fastened it funny so that you can't actually close the silly thing without pulling the vent out of the wall! Rather useless as he plastered around it - so it'll pull the wall apart. *sigh* So another call to the council to have that fixed as well.

Not my week. On the other hand, we've got a nice thick curtain for the front door, I'll be hemming it tonight so it's the proper length and hanging it up.

bertiebots

cady wrote: »

Hiya i thought id pop in !!!! its soooo dark here and pouring of rain ive got soup on the go and my socks and cardi on (im only 23 i sound like my nan LOL) just wanted to say my MIL bought us some energy lightbulbs from morrisons 3 4 £1 they had click and screw in ones if anyone is after some!!! My list AGAIN!!

*Energy bulbs for all lights all but 4 now cant do the bed room as its a dimmer
*put thick duvet on almost we have one of those duvets you pop together so we have the medium bit on now will add the last bit wen it gets colder
*Remote socket for behind TV stand (its on stand by and we cat reach it to turn off at the wall) these are expensive so have got a timer switch off my mam to use for now will set the timer to cust off at 11pm till 7am better than nothing
*Fleeces for couch seen some lush ones in mataln 2 4 £20 but need £20 first if not home bargins had some
*Big custains for bedroom window gonna cost a bit we have a HUGE victorian bay window so gonna be expensive we may have to do without and try n get some in the sales
*Insulate window box still not sure how to do this? maybe foam hmmm
*foil for behind all radiators a trip to B&Q i feel can i add it behind the bathroom one if its tiled or is there no point?
*close off loft (we live in an upstairs flat and the loft is a room but sill woman who lived here hasnt insulated it properly so until we have the £££ its getting closed for winter) was thinking of a bit of wood wrapped in bubble wrap wrapped in foil to go over tha hatch (its open and all the heat escapes)
*fleece blanket or ct bed for !!!!! cat will look at asda or home bargins as she usually sleeps infront of the rads but there not gonna be on much this winter
*Pipe insulation for round front door B&Q
*Mat for front door ???????
* set energy monitor to new prices so can see how much its all costing Done
*sock and PJs DONE primark we love you
*winter coats i have a new one just washed boyfs today so is drying now
* airer done not using the TD unless i ABSALUTLY have to

EEEKKKK thought i was better organised than this must get sorted its sept now after all!!!

If you have an ikea close by their fleece blankets are very cheap and trendy...ideal for snugglin on the sofa;) less than £3:T

newlywed

Just a quick note...
Those who are planning on using candles - just seen a report of an elderly lady whose room caught fire from a tealight candle - she had no smoke alarm but thankfully a neighbour smelt the smoke and raised the alarm.

So CHECK YOUR SMOKE ALARM - and be careful where you place candles

MRSMCAWBER

Hi folks..

RE: the candles... don't forget to stand them on an old mirror so you get more light whilst using less candles..plus it looks nice

I am in the midst of making my draught excluders ...I have kept the living room door shut today -just to see how much difference it makes -and the answer is "a lot" im sweltering :rotfl:so im not sure we will need them but better to be prepared Im so used to having doors and windows open ..Im making a conscious effort to keep them closed -apart from our bedroom..can't sleep with em closed

Have made sure the hot water bottles..normal and jelly filled microwave ones are accesible -down in the basement with the food stores

Think Im about sorted apart from getting some cough n cold bits in ready...
I have :-

candles
loads of batteries
torches including a head torch :rotfl:
hot water bottles
blankies
extra duvets/throws if needed
loads of towels as drying might be a nightmare... although our laundry is in the basement -so at least the house wont feel damp
Have got most of my extra food store built back up...

im sure i will come up with loads more things to do

ailz95

Went to Ikea on Wednesday and looking through the bargain box OH found a Huge pair of curtains which had been on display. They are about 8 feet long and pretty wide too. We're going to use one on our bedroom doorway as we don't have a bedroom door, and I'm sure that there are plenty of places for the other one. Anyway, when I asked the guy for a label he looked at me in my wheelchair and them and labelled £4.80 - brilliant.

We live in an old Edwardian house. It's lovely with stained glass windows in the upper part of the front bays - but in each window the stained glass has cracks or even little holes in them. I'm thinking of putting bubble wrap over them - guess who gets to sleep near the windows.

We had a quote for new double glazing 'cos our hardwood window frames are rotten - £6730 just for 5 downstairs windows - including 1 very large and 1 other bay window - and a door.

We also have a cellar which takes the run off from unde the solid kitchen floor so from halfway down the stairs, at the moment, is a nice river.

I did manage to buy 3 quartz heaters for £30 including postage, they are small, light and relatively - compared to a fan heater - cheap to run.

We're determined not to put the heating on unless really freezing cold. I've also bought some cherry red, all-in-one pyjamas from the States, complete with non-slip feet and an opening seat so that you don't have to take them off to go to the loo. I'm not going to wear them as pj's but for in the house - where I am most of the time.

sassypie

Hi there, newbie posting, I've come in part way thru, so if these ideas are listed later in the thread - oops!

My friend lives in a bungalow built on a slope - so most of it is over space, kind of on stilts, I guess! Its cold all year round, but winter - brrrrrrr!! I've recently moved from a flat that was built over a shared walkway, and over my landlady's storage rooms, so again, unheated.

My real sanity saver whilst there, which my friend is now using, was bubble wrap. I bought it from a garden centre (its sold to cover greenhouses, I just smile sweetly and say, yes, its a v large greenhouse!). Check prices though - I've seen a self-store place advertising it quite cheaply for packing etc., so that may be a cheaper option.

I covered my windows with it (draughty, leaky things), didn't care what it looked like. Also, which my friend loves, I placed it under my rugs (cold, vinyl tiled floors) to act as a layer of insulation. I tend to place rugs strategically - i.e. one under my feet at the pc as I type this!, one under my armchair/feet, covering the main areas I used the most in each room. I also put a large rug under the bed, in fact I layered several smaller ones on top of the larger one.

You do get used to the popping eventually! And yes, it can be addictive! It also helps stop rugs slipping on smooth floors, but pls DON'T rely on this, its not a substitute for proper rug gripper stuff.

Finally, I hung wall hangings made from spare throws/blankets - sewed on small curtain rings, hammered in nails or hooks near the top of the wall, and hooked them on these. But you do need to keep checking that damp isn't creeping in behind them - I have a dehumidifier that I ran from time to time, cold is bad enough, cold and damp is hideous.

I know how horrible a cold home can be, and I didn't have a little one to worry about. I do hope that these ideas help a little, its about physical and mental health - both equally important. God bless, sas x

parsonswife8

Hi sassypie and welcome!

Thanks for sharing all your ideas.

For me it's also the damp that I can't abide.

And I really hate the dark.

sassypie

I know what you mean, parsonswife! Wind and rain combined - yuck! Just adds the that whole SAD battle, sigh.

Oh well, back to the knitting - someone's going to get a HUGE scarf for Christmas!

sas x

ShelBell

ailz95 wrote: »

We're determined not to put the heating on unless really freezing cold. I've also bought some cherry red, all-in-one pyjamas from the States, complete with non-slip feet and an opening seat so that you don't have to take them off to go to the loo. I'm not going to wear them as pj's but for in the house - where I am most of the time.

Where from? These sound AMAZING!