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Martina
Posted: 04 September 2022 19:19:22(UTC)
#216

Joined: 28/11/2012(UTC)
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Lindisfarne;237354 wrote:
Martina
"Our CH doesn't need to be on till 0815 and can go off at 7pm as dad is in bed by then in the winter months and I'm pottering around in the kitchen which has been warmed from the oven having warmed this space up for 20-40 minutes. I don't know if its false economy by timing it on to come on twice a day or leave it continuously on tick over at 18 degrees."

I think you can read a case for either. As I am well retired, I leave it on as stated. I have just tweaked the boiler flow temp to 50, (Octopus recommend) so will see if that makes a difference. However last year when it was freezing, I increased from 60 to 70 as the rads were not hot enough. Will do the same from 50 if I am cold.

A friend of mine in a large Victorian Semi, told me that when she moved from twice a day to all day, it made cost about £5 a quarter more - but that was a long time ago.
If you can see your usage online, or on a smart display, why not try both for a few days from October.
Not sure of the point of all day if folk are out at work C7am-7pm. Even then letting it tick over at say 15 till you come back would make life more pleasant.

P.S.
The last 2 years have been £60 and £65pm, which was not a problem for "all day" However, from Oct, I expect it to be £250pm -£66 (Gov Help) based on the Cap price until Jan. Using less than average, I don't expect it to actually cost that, and it is not the coldest 3 months anyway.


Bulb fitted us with a smart meter recently and so I'll give the comparison a whirl. Incidentally, earlier this eve cooked our salmon fillets from chilled for 20 minutes and according to the smart meter used only 4 pence of gas.
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Lindisfarne on 04/09/2022(UTC)
Easyrider
Posted: 04 September 2022 21:49:18(UTC)
#217

Joined: 09/11/2020(UTC)
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If you have an open fire and it's not being used a considerable amount of heat is lost by escaping up the chimney.
It seems that one can buy a rubber "ball" with can be inserted slightly up the chimney and inflated to stop heat escaping.
if you are tempted to do this, do remember to deflate it and take it out before lighting a fire.
We will be using a piece of thick cardboard to place over the fire when it's not in use.
We cut a cardboard panel to size initially to seal the fire after a blackbird and then a jackdaw fell down the chimney and made a bit of a miss of our sitting room.
Once when having a bath I heard a bird chirping under the bath. I took off the bath panel and found a blackbird alive and well.
I've no idea how it got there.
Now we have little wire domes on your chimneys.
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Tim D on 04/09/2022(UTC)
Dave123 Jones
Posted: 04 September 2022 22:45:49(UTC)
#219

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Easyrider;237362 wrote:

Once when having a bath I heard a bird chirping under the bath. I took off the bath panel and found a blackbird alive and well.
I've no idea how it got there.

Is your house built pre 1960s if so then your bath soil pipe probably goes straight outside through the bathroom wall then down the side of the house rather than being run internally inside the house. Check were the soil pipe exits the house you may find some cement has fallen out of the hole and there is a gap large enough for a small bird to get through.
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Easyrider on 05/09/2022(UTC)
Dave123 Jones
Posted: 04 September 2022 22:46:52(UTC)
#218

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Easyrider;237362 wrote:

Once when having a bath I heard a bird chirping under the bath. I took off the bath panel and found a blackbird alive and well.
I've no idea how it got there.

Is your house built pre 1960s if so then your bath soil pipe probably goes straight outside through the bathroom wall then down the side of the house rather than being run internally inside the house. Check were the soil pipe exits the house you may find some cement has fallen out of the hole and there is a gap large enough for a small bird to get through.
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Toadfish
Posted: 05 September 2022 10:57:21(UTC)
#187

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Lindisfarne;237320 wrote:



I do wonder what some here do, to get bills of C£3000.


They live in a large Edwardian house, built in 1913, with large badly fitting sash windows, solid walls and suspended flooring and next to no insulation. My, nearly 90yr old, dad spends his days during winter in the living room, which alone has 7 large, full height sash windows and a pair of french doors. To insulate this one room would cost an absolute fortune and would no doubt change the airflow of the room potentially leading to damp. One house near us (they're all roughly of the same vintage) did insulate their top floor and then had to throw out all the furniture due to damp and mold. My dad has spent nearly 50 years in the house, moving him out isn't an option, so we suck up the heating bills, a combination of gas and coal. He also has dementia so trying to explain why we need to be careful and not jack the heating up to 30 is a futile experience, I pray for mild winters...

Edit: Should also add, his income is enough to not qualify for any state help when it comes to insulation but not enough to be able to afford the horrendous cost to replace everything that needs changing.
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4 users thanked Toadfish for this post.
Lindisfarne on 05/09/2022(UTC), Tim D on 05/09/2022(UTC), Guest on 05/09/2022(UTC), Martina on 05/09/2022(UTC)
bédé
Posted: 05 September 2022 11:08:11(UTC)
#201

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Toadfish;237396 wrote:
Edit: Should also add, his income is enough to not qualify for any state help when it comes to insulation but not enough to be able to afford the horrendous cost to replace everything that needs changing.

Have you applied for Attendance Allowance? About £90 per week. Income not considered.

An horrific form: ca 30 pages of questions that require detailed answers with documentary back-up. No doubt Age UK would help, butthey would then be rattling tins in your face forever.

Easyrider might be worth approaching for the odd £25.
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3 users thanked bédé for this post.
Lindisfarne on 05/09/2022(UTC), Tim D on 05/09/2022(UTC), Toadfish on 05/09/2022(UTC)
Toadfish
Posted: 05 September 2022 11:46:58(UTC)
#202

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bédé;237399 wrote:
Toadfish;237396 wrote:
Edit: Should also add, his income is enough to not qualify for any state help when it comes to insulation but not enough to be able to afford the horrendous cost to replace everything that needs changing.

Have you applied for Attendance Allowance? About £90 per week. Income not considered.

An horrific form: ca 30 pages of questions that require detailed answers with documentary back-up. No doubt Age UK would help, butthey would then be rattling tins in your face forever.

Easyrider might be worth approaching for the odd £25.


Thanks Bede, I'll look into it..
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Lindisfarne on 05/09/2022(UTC), bédé on 05/09/2022(UTC)
Bulldog Drummond
Posted: 05 September 2022 11:59:38(UTC)
#188

Joined: 03/10/2017(UTC)
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Toadfish;237396 wrote:

They live in a large Edwardian house, built in 1913, with large badly fitting sash windows, solid walls and suspended flooring and next to no insulation. My, nearly 90yr old, dad spends his days during winter in the living room, which alone has 7 large, full height sash windows and a pair of french doors. To insulate this one room would cost an absolute fortune and would no doubt change the airflow of the room potentially leading to damp.

You might consider putting up some of the StormGuard temporary double glazing stuff I keep suggesting on at least some of the windows in the room over winter, maybe those facing prevailing winds. I am pretty sure that it would make a huge difference. From your description it would cost about £50, perhaps a little more, for the entire room.
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Lindisfarne on 05/09/2022(UTC), Toadfish on 05/09/2022(UTC)
Toadfish
Posted: 05 September 2022 13:10:42(UTC)
#189

Joined: 04/10/2020(UTC)
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Bulldog Drummond;237409 wrote:
Toadfish;237396 wrote:

They live in a large Edwardian house, built in 1913, with large badly fitting sash windows, solid walls and suspended flooring and next to no insulation. My, nearly 90yr old, dad spends his days during winter in the living room, which alone has 7 large, full height sash windows and a pair of french doors. To insulate this one room would cost an absolute fortune and would no doubt change the airflow of the room potentially leading to damp.

You might consider putting up some of the StormGuard temporary double glazing stuff I keep suggesting on at least some of the windows in the room over winter, maybe those facing prevailing winds. I am pretty sure that it would make a huge difference. From your description it would cost about £50, perhaps a little more, for the entire room.


I did look at that Bulldog and the draft excluders on their website for the door, now to find something for the skirting boards!
thanks
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countrymum
Posted: 05 September 2022 13:47:01(UTC)
#191

Joined: 05/08/2019(UTC)
Posts: 1,489
Toadfish;237412 wrote:

I did look at that Bulldog and the draft excluders on their website for the door, now to find something for the skirting boards!

Forgive me if I've got the wrong end of the stick - is the issue with skirtings that they don't align with the floor so there are gaps?

It wouldn't be aesthetic, but would a pair of tights filled with rice (or equivalent packing material) laid across the skirtings stop the draughts - like a DIY sausage dog draught excluder?
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