household enery saving advice?

Originally Posted by embee

turn hot water temp down a bit (generally advised to keep to 60C to avoid possible bacteria etc in hot water, but personally I use 50C, haven't died yet

And what bacteria is that? Is that in reference to washing dishes or showering? Ive never heard of that before

[Messie]

Have you got an open fireplace/chimney?

I noticed a cobweb in my now unused fireplace which was moving quite considerably. Then I realised it was because my lovely heated up air was disappearing up the chimney!

I put an old pillow in a black binbag and stuffed in in the hole - room seems a lot warmer now! I think you can get special blow up bags to fit up chimneys but my method was free and worked!

wash clothes on 30 degrees.

unless its whites or towels etc, then they need to be cranked up

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Messie

Have you got an open fireplace/chimney?

I noticed a cobweb in my now unused fireplace which was moving quite considerably. Then I realised it was because my lovely heated up air was disappearing up the chimney!

I put an old pillow in a black binbag and stuffed in in the hole - room seems a lot warmer now! I think you can get special blow up bags to fit up chimneys but my method was free and worked!

Beware of condensation problems with doing this. No problem if the room has other ventilation (e.g. air bricks or tricle vents on the windows).

Originally Posted by keithd

definately shower in the gym -

+100000000
WOW

i just turned the shower on, and had a look at the meter, the dial looked like it had just done a gram of powder*, it was spinning like a good, un

* or like your best L.P going at 78 for the oldies

[Mr Speirs]

Originally Posted by Miss Alpinestarhero

And what bacteria is that? Is that in reference to washing dishes or showering? Ive never heard of that before

Legionellia (leigonairres disease) mainly.

[Messie]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Beware of condensation problems with doing this. No problem if the room has other ventilation (e.g. air bricks or tricle vents on the windows).

Didn't know that but I've had no problem with condensation. But the house was built in 1848 so it has some of it's own ventilation.

Originally Posted by Messie

Have you got an open fireplace/chimney?

I noticed a cobweb in my now unused fireplace which was moving quite considerably. Then I realised it was because my lovely heated up air was disappearing up the chimney!

I put an old pillow in a black binbag and stuffed in in the hole - room seems a lot warmer now! I think you can get special blow up bags to fit up chimneys but my method was free and worked!

yes, but what happens if you light the fire, and forget about the pillow

Originally Posted by Reckless Rat

Yes, one of the questions involving life, the universe and heating I've pondered over.
I'd like the heating timer combined with the thermostat so rather than completly shuting down the heating can be maintained at a lower temperature through the day and over night, and raising for the morning rush, and evenings.
According the the British Gas installer, last year, they could only offer this type of thing with a Combi... don't know why .

combi boilers (gas ones) modulate, and so can use smaller amounts of gas to top up the heat in the system,

e.g. if you turn it on at 7am run it flat out for 2 hours, same again in the evening, you will burn more gas than if you run the house up to temperature, and then keep it on a thermostat, as it shoudl just come on to top the system heat up , they also work but measuring the temp difference in flow and return. They used to heat up to 81, return at 70, all the time, now if the house is up to temp but the return is 50, it will only heat up the rad water to 61, saving 20 Degrees worth of gas..

i think thats it...

so in a nutshell, get your house to a comfortable temperature, leave it there and set it on a thermostat.

hth

Alex

[Mr Speirs]

Originally Posted by hovis

yes, but what happens if you light the fire, and forget about the pillow

You get a bigger fire.