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| Thread ID: 70814 | 2006-07-17 06:16:00 | power saving / heating | beetle (243) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 471514 | 2006-07-17 06:16:00 | ok after the latest rounds of cold blitzs and a horrendus looking power bill, was wondering what others do to keep the costs down and the place warm?? what form of heating do you each use? is it cost effective? is it easy to maintain? are there ways to rug up your house so to speak? insulation ....yes? no? if so what sort? not asking exact figures just a ruff guide or idea of how you help you to save money / warmth. and really a person can only wear so many clothes at a time...... :p things you do or dont do only at high peak $$ times or low cold times? beetle :thumbs: |
beetle (243) | ||
| 471515 | 2006-07-17 06:53:00 | 1) The right type of clothing is more important than the number of layers. 2) Enclosed wood fire burning free firewood. Any amount available if you care to look for it, I collect "one-way" shipping pallets that are stacked outside businesses and free for the taking. Every batch contains a few made of dense tropical hardwoods that burn for hours. They weigh a ton but are great burning when you have to go out and can't tend the fire for a few hours. Very cost effective! 3) Open curtains when sun is out, draw them as soon as the sun goes away to retain heat. 4) Electric blankets to preheat beds but never sleep with them on. 5) Warehouse gas heater for a quick warmup if coming home to cold house, but turn it off after the woodfire gets up to speed. 6) Roof insulation 7) Keep doors to unused parts of house closed, no sense in heating places people are not using. 8) Two computers + large monitor keep my office (dog kennel?) warm and only need to add extra heat on the coldest of days. Our power bills do not rise significantly in winter, probably 15-20% maybe. We turn out lights when we don't need them, don't stay in the shower for hours on end. I live in the subtropical paradise we call Auckland, of course. :thumbs: Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 471516 | 2006-07-17 06:54:00 | I have only 1 window in a 5 bedroom flat, so the heat just stays inside :D So just board up all your doors and windows and you'll be fine :p | roddy_boy (4115) | ||
| 471517 | 2006-07-17 07:08:00 | being pretty scottish, I: * energy saving light bulbs * cut down on shower times * take advantage of free power at work ;-) * extreme alpine clothing even inside * winter rated sleeping bag * oh yeah and no heater - ok bursts of a small fan heater * and even more painful - turning PCs off completely.. creative plans :-) * long power cord to the neighbours.. * somehow channel the heat from the tenants in the top floor.. * move to Auckland where going by the minimum temperatures it wouldn't even be an issue.. |
gibler (49) | ||
| 471518 | 2006-07-17 08:38:00 | Just ignore the cold. | Metla (12) | ||
| 471519 | 2006-07-17 08:46:00 | Lend me your slippers then sweetie................:D beetle :illogical |
beetle (243) | ||
| 471520 | 2006-07-17 08:50:00 | I'm with Metla . Toughen up girl! hehehehehe T |
allblack (6574) | ||
| 471521 | 2006-07-17 08:52:00 | Firewood. I have plenty that I use for cooking and space heating and heats the water up for a shower as well. My power bill is about 12 bucks a week, less than the rates. I recommend investing in lots of insulation, underfloor as well. Wrap the house up and you won't have to wrap yourself up. For the budget conscious people save the supermarket bags and use them for insualtion. Make masses of air pockets like a fairydown. Historical point. My dad, bless him, was in the long march from Greece to Germany in 1941 as a POW and he picked up every little twig and stick that would burn and he said they always managed to have a fire in the evening and cook what little they could scrounge/steal/hide and that rubbed of on me. Resourcefullness will help anybody out that practices it.......m |
mark c (247) | ||
| 471522 | 2006-07-17 22:01:00 | Those power saving ads on TV make me laugh: Turn off your heated towel rail - what heated towel rail? Cut your shower time down 10 minutes - yep and that would make my new shower time 0 minutes and so on . We do basically the same as Billy T . Wood burner, except we bought wood when we got here, but its a huge amount cheaper than Auckland prices . My neighbour hassles me as we close the curtains in the day time if its rubbish weather and we have lit the fire . Keeps it warm though . Just cause she's "Southern Woman" and walks around in a tshirt during blizzards . :-) Apart from that though, you can't do much else - power has gone up everywhere . And Billy - layers do matter down here! |
pctek (84) | ||
| 471523 | 2006-07-18 00:11:00 | And Billy - layers do matter down here! The Michelin woman strikes again :D Seriously, layers are necessary, but quality beats quantity anytime, that's all I'm saying. I have a swandri that on its own is better than a good woollen jersey and an inferior jacket. Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
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