Leaving heating (mostly) off during winter months.

Bendy_House

twopenny said:

I've done this in the twice past just a gas fire in one room, electric blanket and hot water.
Just kept an eye on temperature with the idea that if it dropped below 6C I'd put the heating on to protect pipes - though both tank and pipes were well lagged well.

Over 2 winters the only downside was some mildew on oak door handles in unused rooms. Some books in an enclosed cabinet got just a little foxing. The piano was fine.

The upside was no sinus or colds. I was healthier if a little grumpier. I saved enough for a 6 week trip to Oz 

The most annoying thing was the things you touched like cups were so cold and made you colder.

The rooms with the mildewy handles, were they properly ventilated? Ditto for the book cupboard - was it kept open for air to circulate?

Phil4432

Bendy_House said:

Phil4432 said:

I'm a musician and have expensive guitars, amps, recording equipment.  Loads of books. 

Something to consider....

Hmmm, yes... Do you use hygrometers for your guitars?

I posted an observation on another thread (also to do with heating over winter) about swapping books at a local 'bookshop', which is an open-to-the-elements, tho' covered, bus stop in a nearby village. All the books therein are in very good order, with not a sign of a wrinkled page, regardless of how heavy it's peeing down just 2 feet away. So, my take from that is, provided there is plenty of ventilation, there should be very few problems.

This might not work well with items as sensitive as guitars, tho'. The issue will likely be that, although they could well be 'ok' at 10oC for most of the time (proviso for ventilation) as they will 'acclimatise', you will most likely be taking them into warmer and more moist atmospheres at certain intervals? You know what happens when you take a cold body in to a warm room? Yup, condie. And, very likely, movement. Anathema to geetars.

I'd seek advice on this. Are you able to keep one room - the 'music' room - at a more controlled state. Ie, greater, consistent, background heating, coupled with a dehumidifier triggered to come on at required settings? I really don't know what is needed, but it's worth investigating - there must be lots of specific forums that could help (but you'll likely have to trawl through numerous, "Are you mad?! I'd never treat my 'Paul like that..." sanctimonious 'trap.)

I keep the guitars in their hard cases, the issue can be if you take them out from cold to hot or vice versa.  Didn't have any issues last year, when I kept them at around 10-12C. 

Direct sunlight during summer is maybe more of a hazard.  At 5C things could get a little difficult for them.  Also, really wouldn't want condensation in the tube amps!

Have the spare room as a music studio.  I'll research this, its a good point.

Am thinking of getting a small electric heater for a room that I'm in, but that may work out not that much cheaper than the occasional boiler burn to 12/14C.
 

Phil4432

twopenny said:

I've done this in the twice past just a gas fire in one room, electric blanket and hot water.
Just kept an eye on temperature with the idea that if it dropped below 6C I'd put the heating on to protect pipes - though both tank and pipes were well lagged well.

Over 2 winters the only downside was some mildew on oak door handles in unused rooms. Some books in an enclosed cabinet got just a little foxing. The piano was fine.

The upside was no sinus or colds. I was healthier if a little grumpier. I saved enough for a 6 week trip to Oz 

The most annoying thing was the things you touched like cups were so cold and made you colder.

We actually lived like this when I was a kid in the 80's, just the living room area would have a gas fire.  Seems barbaric, but we were actually quite comfortable. 

House had single pane windows though.

Bendy_House

Phil4432 said:

I keep the guitars in their hard cases, the issue can be if you take them out from cold to hot or vice versa.  Didn't have any issues last year, when I kept them at around 10-12C. 

Direct sunlight during summer is maybe more of a hazard.  At 5C things could get a little difficult for them.  Also, really wouldn't want condensation in the tube amps!

Have the spare room as a music studio.  I'll research this, its a good point.

Am thinking of getting a small electric heater for a room that I'm in, but that may work out not that much cheaper than the occasional boiler burn to 12/14C.
 

I think humidity would be a larger issue than overall temp, so in theory you could store them at very cold temps as long as the humidity was kept at an acceptable level. As you say, though, it's the transition from hot to cold, and vice versa, that can be problematical.

twopenny

Now this is weird. I posted this yesterday I thought but arriving here it was still sat in the box.
Try two.

No Bendyhouse.

Large high ceilinged rooms but I kept doors and windows closed most of the time. Didn't think.

And one other important thing was I was able to have the small bathroom radiator functioning an hour each end of the day. This dries the towels and mats to stop them smelling funny as well as comfort.

I can't do that here and I've been trying to track down the funny smell. Even with a window open the air is too damp and chill to dry them.

Bendy_House

Ventilation really is key.

I have all sorts in our garage, from a piece of oak furniture to - gasp - a car. Also lots of cardboard boxes, tools, stuff like that. None of it is suffering from damp in any way, because it's nicely draughty. Items placed up against the inside wall can suffer, because air can't get around it, and there may be some damp coming through the single-skin wall, but other than that, all is fine.

twopenny

Indeed I had successfully stored items in the attic for decades.
Once it was insulated to within an inch of its life as per regulations there were problems.

Phil4432

twopenny said:

Indeed I had successfully stored items in the attic for decades.
Once it was insulated to within an inch of its life as per regulations there were problems.

That's interesting.  My attic is very draughty, but nothing seems to perish up there.  But as you say once it gets insulated, that may actually cause problems.

Phil4432

Bendy_House said:

Ventilation really is key.

I have all sorts in our garage, from a piece of oak furniture to - gasp - a car. Also lots of cardboard boxes, tools, stuff like that. None of it is suffering from damp in any way, because it's nicely draughty. Items placed up against the inside wall can suffer, because air can't get around it, and there may be some damp coming through the single-skin wall, but other than that, all is fine.

Was thinking of insulating all the items in the garage.  I'll probably get some pallets to keep them off of the ground and finally organize them.  (Have to do this with both stuff in attic and garage.  Been putting it off for years)  Not sure if any insulation apart from old cotton sheets is required though. 

Bendy_House

Phil4432 said:

Was thinking of insulating all the items in the garage.  I'll probably get some pallets to keep them off of the ground and finally organize them.  (Have to do this with both stuff in attic and garage.  Been putting it off for years)  Not sure if any insulation apart from old cotton sheets is required though. 

You need to think about what insulation actually does. It reduces the transfer of heat from one side to the other. But, there has to 'be' heat in the first place.

If you cover an item of furniture or a box or anything like that in a blanket, it ain't going to become any warmer. A sheet will keep the dust off, and also allow it to breathe, so it would be a 'good thing'. But it won't keep things dry because it's warmer, 'cos it won't be. Unless you stick a heater under the blanket with it.