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Preparing for Winter V

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  • Laura_Elsewhere
    Laura_Elsewhere Posts: 2,403 Forumite
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    Just so you know...

    Forecasting weather in an island like Britain is never easy or simple, so any detailed forecast beyond three days is really only speculation, but... they can forecast overall patterns more dependably and at present, there is increasing agreement between all the different systems that we're likely to have another mild week coming up BUT then sometime in the following week the likelihood is that it will flip abruptly to be properly cold.

    So... may or may not be accurate, may be the week after, may even be this week, but I would take the overall message of: you've only got about a week to sort out the cold-weather stuff!

    Get those thermals washed, find the other glove, sort out the kids' welly-socks, put up the heavier curtains...!

    (and jings, talking of curtains - we've had a couple of early evenings lately out in the car and the number of houses we've driven past with lots of lighted windows and NO CURTAINS drawn! No wonder people's heating bills are going up...)
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  • FrankieM
    FrankieM Posts: 2,454 Forumite
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    My heating has been fixed. :)

    New boiler put in :)

    I've never known the rads so hot, it's lovely. I may even need to adjust the timer switch etc and have it on for less time.

    So, I feel all ready for winter now :)
  • SpikyHedgehog
    SpikyHedgehog Posts: 1,008 Forumite
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    FrankieM wrote: »
    My heating has been fixed. :)

    New boiler put in :)

    I've never known the rads so hot, it's lovely. I may even need to adjust the timer switch etc and have it on for less time.

    So, I feel all ready for winter now :)

    I had a new boiler put in this summer (by the housing association so no cost to me :-) but the old boiler had been busy not working since January... ) and a new thermostat downstairs. They come pre-set at super hot and on the assumption that you want heating on every lunch time and all day at the weekend. So it quickly got turned down to something I feel happier with!
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  • Onebrokelady
    Onebrokelady Posts: 7,385 Forumite
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    beenthere_donethat wrote: »
    Do you set your heat to come on at a certain temperature? Could you reduce it, if so, to lower fuel costs?

    I found this interesting:

    https://www.first-utility.com/the-blog/ideal-room-temp
    Yes it's set to come on at a certain temperature,I don't have it on at all overnight and it's not on when I'm at work,I don't have it on all day I just put it on tomwarm the room then usually turn it down so it goes off again or I get too hot ( one advantage of hot flushes)
    My gas billis never too bad it's the electric that costs the earth,Im hoping the fact that we have gone from a three person household to a two person one will make a difference
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    First Anniversary First Post I've been Money Tipped!
    Isn't it always the way? we get the stove installed and then the weather outside decided to warm up again! never mind we'll get the p[leasure from it later in the cold season and it's saving fuel every day we don't have to use our logs.
  • carrielovesfanta
    carrielovesfanta Posts: 2,978 Forumite
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    Onebrokelady wrote: »
    Yes it's set to come on at a certain temperature,I don't have it on at all overnight and it's not on when I'm at work,I don't have it on all day I just put it on tomwarm the room then usually turn it down so it goes off again or I get too hot ( one advantage of hot flushes)
    My gas billis never too bad it's the electric that costs the earth,Im hoping the fact that we have gone from a three person household to a two person one will make a difference


    We have the same problem. The elec bills are the worst. I just can't think how to reduce them further without being very deliberate (i.e. not having a brew, not turning the lights on)
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  • fuddle
    fuddle Posts: 6,823 Forumite
    I haven't had mine on since the weekend MrsL. There's a strange feeling of 'goodie I can save my wood stocks' conflicted with 'I want my fire on!'

    DH fixed our boiler for the second time (different issue) and it's worked but the hot water still runs out cold then hot. He's had a plumber in to his work boiler today and asked his advice. Basically he is to take something off, wash the gunk with caustic soda and the problem will be fixed. DH has replaced the diaphragm on our our boiler as well as the fuse so the plumber reckons he's competent enough to do this as well. 3rd time lucky!
  • Frith
    Frith Posts: 8,148 Forumite
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    Have only had the stove lit 2-3 times in October/November.


    Have been given a new garden shed so our old one will go on the allotment. If it gets down to -12 again we'll be able to shut the hens up in it.


    New front door has been fitted! A massive difference from the ancient wooden one where you could see daylight down the edges.


    Son2 has a coat now, from Sainsburys.


    It hasn't really been too cold yet!
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    First Anniversary First Post I've been Money Tipped!
    It's still strangely mild here so the stove stays laid ready to go but unlit! We're still not craving warming winter foods and it's not necessary to wear hats or gloves when we're out and about.....it really is peculiar!

    The weather forecast is for it to chill down later in the week and I'll be glad if it actually does, I like a nice crisp morning and a frosty starlit night and snuggling up by the stove with a good book when the days chores are done, I quite like winter but suspect I'm in the minority here!
  • phoebe1989seb
    phoebe1989seb Posts: 4,452 Forumite
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    Still haven't had the (oil-fired) central heating on here, but we have lit one of the wood burning stoves most evenings. The reconditioned cast iron radiators we bought for two of the ground floor rooms aren't connected yet - and are unlikely to be this side of Spring as they are in the same rooms as the stoves :D

    Been outside today, clearing more of the overgrown forest we inherited when we bought this place, so loads more free logs for future Winters! The ginormous fallen beech tree trunk will have to wait till next year though. AFAIK, it has been down at least six years and at well over 40 ft long (without the branches which are long gone) and some 12 ft circumference, our chainsaw isn't up to the job.

    Also managed to get the polytunnel erected a couple of days ago so anything we've not had a chance to plant has gone in there to overwinter - it's where we've been eating lunch on these milder, dry days.....

    Last of the tulip bulbs planted too.
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