From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

BookWorm

Greying_Pilgrim said:

Hey BookWorm - thanks for popping in.  Are those the bags that have the hydroscopic (or do I mean dessicating?) material sewn inside them?  I think DH had one at one time from somewhere for the car dashboard 🤔  In theory yes, that would be better than an open bowl of salt, but I have bred me a fiddle-faddler  who has to investigate everything........ 🙄  I have only myself to blame, as apples don't fall far from the tree.....🤔

Yes they are desiccant bags I believe...seems there is quite a variety to pick from these days. Not sure if any of them would suit you wanting to keep them from being 'investigated though

Suffolksue

Delurking 
when we had our back windows replaced  6 yrs ago it was the same price cash or interest free credit ! 

We asked if we could have a discount for cash and the answer was no !
We ( my wonderful DH has since died ) applied for the interest free credit and were approved instantly despite both being pensioners !
we took it 
Obviously I don’t know if if credit is still available, but  you could be paying what you are saving monthly 

Just a thought,

I’ve always enjoyed your diaries and am pleased to see you back .

rtandon27

Hooray - happy new dehumidifier - may you have many dry days of warmth until the windows become a reality!

greenbee

You have absolutely done the right thing investing in the dehumidifier. You are helping to prevent further deterioration to the fabric of the building and your family's health. You may find you can save lauderette costs as you should be able to get the washing dry if the house is dry. And mould definitely needs dealing with. 

As for where to invest in windows/insulation, you might be able to borrow a thermal imaging camera from your library or council which will help you decide on where you need to replace windows first (although the frames disintegrating may end up doing your prioritisation for you - one of my brother's windows fell into the garden a week after they moved in!

cafelady

Hello Greying 

Just delurking to say have you considered a window vac in addition to your dehumidifier? We got one a couple of years ago (with a coupon from MSE of course!), and it’s a godsend. We have a mixture of some double and some single glazing and a quick run over of the wet windows in the morning really helps to keep the moisture down. You can also use in the bathroom after showers etc. We got the Ka****r one. 

We have also had windows done piecemeal depending on their condition, so our kids’ rooms, then later on the bathroom and toilet etc, rather than forking out for them all at once. 

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Well.  Colour me flabbergasted.  I know we are having very different weather to the past couple of days (we're probably at + 3 or 4 degrees, rather than -3), but we have woken up to........... virtually clear windows.  

The machine has been going pretty much since I started it, although LG said it wasn't on this morning - since then the kettle has been boiled, sink filled with pot washing water etc.  But I have emptied the chamber once and we're at about half full again.  I woke up at 2am and our bedroom windows were covered over with condensation (not sopping) - but by 8am they only had a slight 'frame' around every pane - same in LG's room.  

It was totally counter intuitive to sit in a room with the heating on and doors open last night, AND be warmer than we have been for heavens knows how long!  It is taking some getting used to, to say 'don't close the doors' and redo thank you so much for the toilet tip.  It hadn't occurred to me, and DH (who had been talking all things de-humid with a colleague), said, 'no way, there is no way that would have occurred to me'.  

I don't want to think about running costs at the minute, and I hope we can get to a stage where under normal circumstances the humidity levels don't go too high, and we get to the 'kicking on and off' stage.

Yes, I think that the windows are going to have to be done piecemeal, and thank you for all sharing what you have done.  I think that priority will have to be LG's room, although the bathroom window (actually the smallest in the house), and the rotten framed window will also have to be actively considered.  cafelady I had forgotten about the window vacs - certainly something to consider.

In MSE news, DH trimmed his own hair last night (it didn't take very long...... 🤭), as he doesn't visit hairdressers anymore.  Unfortunately we noticed that LG has also been experimenting with the scissors and their own hairstyling...... 😕 DH wondered why LG had disappeared and gone quiet upstairs........ 🙄  Right of passage I guess.  And both DH and I are guilty of having done it when we were little......... 🤭

We had burger baps, chips and YS'd coleslaw for tea last night.  Entertainment was watching the steam from the opened cooker door land on the window, and then disappear before our very eyes.........

Tea tonight it a curry plate.  Lunch will probably be a soup of some description, although DH is struggling with a cold manflu and may yet just retire to bed.  

DH gave LG some pennies last night, and LG chose to put them into the 'C4C' pot, along with some other shrapnel out of their purse.  They now have £23 in there.  It's nice that they are still interested in trying to up the total.  We still have not had notice from the school as to how much the school trip will cost 🙄

Thank you all for your support and for popping by.  It's always appreciated - please know that.  

Greying X

greenbee

It’s so good to hear that the dehumidifier is improving your quality of life so quickly!

EssexHebridean

Dehumidifiers are a wonderful thing in a damp environment and I can well remember the pure astonishment we felt as our first one did it’s thing and made the flat far more comfortable. You mention opening the windows for ventilation but from what you have said about the age and condition of said windows, I suspect they may be ventilating quite nicely already with no input….if you can feel draughts around them, that is going to be the case at least! 

On the replacing of windows - we did bit-by-bit in the flat and just the first lot made SO much difference. I’d definitely scout around for local firms too - cheaper, more responsive should you have any subsequent issues, and always nice to use an actual local individual rather than a faceless National with “SalEsmEn” - no? 😁 But yes - a solid vote for just getting them done as you can rather than putting off until you have sufficient funds for the lot. (Also means if the installer you choose is not as good as first seemed, then you can find someone else for subsequent works.) As for CERTASS -v- FENSA there really is very little difference - and the paperwork only becomes relevant when you sell. The flat windows were CERTASS and that certification was accepted by the buyer’s solicitors without any quibble whatsoever. 

Greying_Pilgrim

greenbee - I know, I'm delighted though.  It happens so rarely that things work so well, from the get go.  I hate to think what our RH was, as there has been upwards of 3L of water collected.  I have just wiped off the bedroom windows and I used 1 sheet of kitchen roll for each window (3 panes).  Remarkable.

I have opened the windows slightly for a freshen up, and the machine has switched itself off.  

EH - howdy!  Yes, I agree about swerving the national chains.  I really don't want a 'salesperson to call'. Thank you for the CERTASS and FENSA information.  There is one (sole trader) firm that we are considering and they have C rather than F accreditation, and 'knowing' them, they wouldn't have signed up to something shonky, but my experience has always been with F accreditation.  Anyway, it may prove immaterial as they are based in the next market town down and may not want to travel for smaller jobs.  But gathering all this information now is helpful in shaping both what we will want/need and the surety that we not hampering ourselves in any future sale etc.  

Greying X

EssexHebridean

If you are clear with them that while initially it might be one window, or a window and a door, for example, but that the whole house will be done over a period of 28 months “or so” then I suspect they will be happy to travel what sounds like a relatively short distance. If not they may be able to recon someone closer by. As for F - yes, everyone has heard of that and very few people of C - when Brian told us he was C accredited we researched and realised that it still ticked the same boxes - I suspect they are a cheaper registration for the installer and so are more suited to smaller outfits, but may be wrong! 

And I’ve realised, I forgot on my earlier post to say - “Welcome to your new home” - both literally in the bricks and mortar sense and figuratively in terms of your new home on MFW as well. I took the jump over here myself a few months ago and these days, really it’s just like a cosy extension of DFW isn’t it!