Brrgh
I have been up since 6:00am getting OH ready for work and it was bitter. OH said it was minus one when he nipped out with Missy. Needless to say the heating went on pretty sharpish.
I tend to keep the heating at a low temperature so that the heating does not come on needlessly as we are on a pay as you go card for the gas and the electric. The house can be cold especially at the rear of the property and if I owned it I would have log burners in both the front room and the dining room. I have sort of had a recce to see how much it would cost and have found the parts i.e. the flue linings and the log burners on ebay. There is quite a selection at not too extortionate a price. How easy would it be to fit the same is another matter however and reading between the lines I think this may be part of why it can cost so much. It might be worth another look in due course. My partner is an engineer but he is afraid of heights, Have any of you done this yourself and can it be done reasonably and by ourselves or are specialist skills required.
I like many others have to keep warm because of my medical conditions and I keep throws and hot water bottles to hand when am sitting down. Because it is rented I do not think the loft has adequate insulation (OH will not go up as he is funny with heights and if I attempt to go up it makes him ten times worse. The Landlord has hardly done anything in the 28 years we have been here and then the work he has had done has been cheap and nasty. In fact I do not even think he would agree to having log burners put in even if I paid for the work so this is really a precursor exercise with an eye to the future. The boiler Is only a couple of years old and works quite well - its gas so I try and be as practical as we can when it gets too warm I turn it down and equally if I go really cold it gets bunged on. I do try and keep to a set amount each month for the gas and the electric though.
I don't want to be here forever and wherever I went if I was buying I would want log burners/multifuel stoves added and ideally I would love an Aga or Rayburn as well (that might have to be a new to me one rather than brand new, but they are a way of life). To me being warm, toasty and cozy means everything as if I get cold and then go cold on the inside that is when I tend to be really poorly so I try and keep a moderate temperature at all times. Also with having the animals I like to make sure they are warm too.
Its been perishing in the office today as well with the office being closed over the weekend we always wrap up well on a Monday.
We have had a very nice Pasta n sauce dish for tea tonight and the dishwasher and washing machine are on. I bought a load of cleaning stuff back from mums and I have got that put away ready for use in due course. Hopefully I will get a few more rows done to my knitting this evening. There are 8 rows to the pattern and I have been aiming for two complete lots per evening. I have been quite enjoying it. I have been pottering around getting some bits ready for work tomorrow as well.
Its now peeing down with rain here and if it gets any colder the roads will be nasty in the morning. So if it does please take it steady in the morning.
Catch you soon
Pattypan
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Hi Patty, whe we moved into our house (victorian terraces) all the chimneys were still intact so we reopened the ones in the living room dining room and our bedroom. My husband fitted them himself with the help of friends who knew what they were doing. It is quite an easy job really depending on the condition of your existing chimneys and as long as you follow all the regulations. However, as you are in a rented house and not intending to stay there I'm not sure it would be worth the expense and effort.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I do love ours though and this year made little faggots out of herb bundles as you suggested in one of your posts!
Please keep warm and keep posting as I am really enjoying your christmas inspired posts at the moment.
love fluffy
Hi Fluffy our Victorian Terrace is over 150 years old. Still has chimneys intact. We have been here 28 years we were only going to stay a couple at most but then life happened, the step-children moved in and OH has been out of work 3 times (in total 8 years). That's life. Glad you made the herb faggots. If you grow herbs like rosemary or anything with a firm stalk keep the, to one side and use in the same way. Also pine cones collect them when you go walking near woods they give off the most beautiful smell when you burn them. So pleased you are enjoying the Christmas preparation ideas. Will try and keep warm. Will see how things go and may approach the Landlord and see what he says if we end up being here a bit longer. You never know whats round the corner. Take care. Pattypan x
DeletePattyPan
ReplyDeleteI know that British Gas were doing free roof insulation (you dont have to be a BG customer - its a grant from the government that pays for it) and i dont think that you have to be in receipt of benefits to get it done for free but with your health issues you would probabky qualify even if they were now charging - when we had our loft insulated by BG we didnt go up into the loft - the surveyor came out and he went up and then the installer came a few days later - might be worth a look at their website and also gov.com for more advice on energy grants - I dont think that you need the LL permission for loft insulation. If you live in an old house like us then you probably have single brick walls and cant have cavity wall insulation - we have a log burner which is brilliant but it was in when I brought the house so didnt experience the installation of it - we did put in a (new to us) natural fuel l burning aga at the old house and it did take a few days but we were lucky as hubby was a plumber/engineer years ago and we were able to do it ourselves - it came with a water pump on it so it pumped hot water around a small heating system that we installed in the laundry and garden room - it was hard work to get it in but sooo worth it - would love another one here but the kitchen is over the cellar and I have visions of the floor boards giving way and it ending up down in the cellar! Xxx
Hi Trudie thank you for that. Will have a look. We are due an inspection with the Landlords Agent shortly so I may raise it with them (new people taken over). Interesting to hear you fitted the Aga yourselves. They are brilliant and very much a way of life. We grew up with my Nan's Rauyburn. OH is an Engineer/Turner by trade. We live in a terrace and It is single brick walls always was in the terraces. The back of the house gets so cold and I think it needs new windows. Could you not put metal RSJ in to support the floor and possibly an Aga that way would not end up in the cellar. Thanks for the information I will certainly have a good look. Take care. Pattypan x
DeleteIf you ave exsiting chimney that can be used for a flue, otherwise you need and outside wall and the flue can be taken out and up, it is a job for the qualified as it has to be signed off.
ReplyDeleteHave you looked at the government funded warm home schemes were you can the loft insulated at no cost to you or the landlord I am not sure if its the warm home scheme.
Hi Dawn
DeleteWe live in a Victorian terrace and the chimneys in the lounge and dining room are still intact to all intents and purposes. And I will look at the government funded schemes for the loft insulation. That would be one way of making the house warmer. Thank you. Hope you are keeping well.
Pattypan
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Hi Pattypan, try visiting the Green Living Forum. They have a good section on woodburners, fitting them, which sort to buy etc etc (the important thing is not to get too big a one for the size of the room it is heating or you will find yourselves sitting up the stairs to watch telly, or else you would faint from the heat!) There are a couple of real experts on there (run their own installation businesses) so you would get top advice. I post there too these days : ) Keep warm.
ReplyDeleteHi BB thank you for that I will have a peep. The house has a good draw (wind under the floorboards) still so I suspect it will be good for a fire. Hope you are okay. Take care.
ReplyDeletePattypan
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