Reducing our energy consumption.

[sycophantia]

Had to bollock the missus last week, she put the washing machine on 2 days running, wtf? Apparently you can't mix the whites and the coloureds, told her I was having none of that apartheid shit in my house.

 

[BillyDee]

Yeah, fts. All in one go, 30 at 30°. #thinkofthepolarbears

 

[Bigbadwulf07]

we've gone solar panels, batteries (only just fitted), heat pump, and plug in hybrid car and also low tariff to charge car and top up batteries at night. Not much else I can do

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Might get a wood burner and cut down to the two trees on the front.

 

[pr0sl0]

Heard a few people also talking about getting their chimneys unblocked and putting in wood burners.

It's not a bad short-term fix but in the long-term they're extremely bad for air quality inside. Wouldn't want to rely on one if I had any kind of respiratory issues, or if I had young kids/old people living with me. But then I guess a lot of this is choosing between a rock and a hard place right now...

 

[EpsomWolf]

Funnily enough on the wood burner front I had a large pine bookcase that wouldn’t fit in the new place and didnt sell on Gumtree despite reducing the price again and again.

Eventually figured the thing would be worth more in fuel that any token figure received so chopped it up ready for autumn. Wouldn’t ordinarily do such a thIng for the obvious health and environmental reasons and it’s as much for convenience sake as anything else, but with cost being what they are it makes you think about such things.

I guess they’ll be all sorts of shite getting chucked in log burners and open fires this year.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Heard a few people also talking about getting their chimneys unblocked and putting in wood burners.

It's not a bad short-term fix but in the long-term they're extremely bad for air quality inside. Wouldn't want to rely on one if I had any kind of respiratory issues, or if I had young kids/old people living with me. But then I guess a lot of this is choosing between a rock and a hard place right now...

If the seals are good in your stove and around the door, and the flue going up into your chimney is properly sealed then whatever you burn shouldn't be affecting the air quality in your room. Ours did for the first few months but that was just burning the enamels and finish off the cast iron . now it looks lovely and doesn't smell at all.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Funnily enough on the wood burner front I had a large pine bookcase that wouldn’t fit in the new place and didnt sell on Gumtree despite reducing the price again and again.

Eventually figured the thing would be worth more in fuel that any token figure received so chopped it up ready for autumn. Wouldn’t ordinarily do such a thIng for the obvious health and environmental reasons and it’s as much for convenience sake as anything else, but with cost being what they are it makes you think about such things.

I guess they’ll be all sorts of shite getting chucked in log burners and open fires this year.

There'll be lots of people looking into skips that's for damn sure!

 

[Tredman]

I remember going to Athens in the midst of the last financial crash - there was a really odd smell in the air, turned out to be burning varnish from furniture

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Might get a wood burner and cut down to the two trees on the front.

Careful Mark. It'll take a year to dry out enough to burn / generate heat, rather than just smoulder and cover the glass on the inside of your stove door with black, sooty sap.

 

[EpsomWolf]

There'll be lots of people looking into skips that's for damn sure!

Funny you should say that too because when advertising the bookcase contemplated putting it in the ‘Free stuff’ section on Gumtree, and there was loads of old wooden tat that people just wanted shot of rather than take it to the tip.

Wouldn’t do it myself which I guess is just good fortune, but wouldn’t blame anyone getting a load of that stuff and burning it to keep warm.

What a bloody state of affairs that we’re even discussing such things

 

[pr0sl0]

If the seals are good in your stove and around the door, and the flue going up into your chimney is properly sealed then whatever you burn shouldn't be affecting the air quality in your room. Ours did for the first few months but that was just burning the enamels and finish off the cast iron . now it looks lovely and doesn't smell at all.

Unfortunately even the best modern ones leak a little (especially the smallest particulates that don't really smell), and the amount that comes out when the doors are opened for refuelling, even if it's only a couple of times a day, is enough to flood a room enough that it'll take a couple of hours to dissipate (by which time it's probably time to refuel). Comparable to standing near a busy road and breathing in the exhaust fumes apparently.

If the window's open to vent the room as well it's not as big an issue of course, but if you're using it to keep warm then the windows aren't gonna be open!

For occasional use it'll be fine but as a long-term solution it's unfortunately just one of those things, smoke is gonna act like smoke.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Basically put all your appliances on an eco setting. Taking 4 hours to do clothes wash is more efficient on energy and water then the standard cycles that take less time.

Dishwashers (eco cycle) tend to be more efficient than hand washing, and you get the benefit of things actually being clean (and dry)

Tumble dryers are obviously just terrible. Dry outside when it’s dry, dry next to the radiator when cold and wet.

Other than that it’s just a case of how cold do you want to be this winter.

 

[Tredman]

Basically put all your appliances on an eco setting. Taking 4 hours to do clothes wash is more efficient on every and water then the standard cycles that take less time.

Dishwashers (eco cycle) tend to be more efficient than hand washing, and you get the benefit of things actually being clean (and dry)

Tumble dryers are obviously just terrible. Dry outside when it’s dry, dry next to the radiator when cold and wet.

Other than that it’s just a case of how cold do you want to be this winter.

Yep, not much else to add really - other than if you have an old boiler have a look around at any scheme to replace it with a more efficient solution.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Yep, not much else to add really - other than if you have an old boiler have a look around at any scheme to replace it with a more efficient solution.

I’m on a water meter now so my water is no longer free! But actually much cheaper…

 

[Tredman]

I’m on a water meter now so my water is no longer free! But actually much cheaper…

Amazing how many people don't realise that..

 

[PuntsWolf]

Amazing how many people don't realise that..

Meter already here in my new house and the old house being a stepping stone house just wasn’t something got round to do it. Looked into it before covid but then that came and then after that was looking to sell anyway.

Reckon I’ll pay a 1/3 of what I used to being on a meter now which is crazy.

 

[Tredman]

For new meters, and if there’s an option, get it installed in the house. Might be a faff but if there’s a leak on the comm pipe it’s their problem not yours.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Basically put all your appliances on an eco setting. Taking 4 hours to do clothes wash is more efficient on energy and water then the standard cycles that take less time.

Dishwashers (eco cycle) tend to be more efficient than hand washing, and you get the benefit of things actually being clean (and dry)

Tumble dryers are obviously just terrible. Dry outside when it’s dry, dry next to the radiator when cold and wet.

Other than that it’s just a case of how cold do you want to be this winter.

About 2 years ago we had a bit of trouble with our (then) 8 year old dishwasher and the guy came round at €70 call out and asked, "What setting do you use it on?"
"Eco" I said,.
"AH! That's the problem. All companies are obliged by law to put an 'ECO' setting into washers and dishwashers. But there's only one thing that'll get grease off a plate. and that's hot water!"
So that's what we did, and we've never had a dirty dish since.

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

I would do if they could fit it, or indeed if they could tell me where my incoming water actually is.

Turns out I was laying my old neighbours water bill for several years as he had 2 supplies to his house