What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

[Medusa]

I threw all of our old hot water bottles out a few weeks ago, for safety reasons. They must have been at least 15 years old. I can't remember the last time we used them, but felt obliged to replace them anyway. Back up to 3 now and will probably get one more. Also bought more hand warmers, mostly for youngest daughter who has taken on a second job working outdoors and struggles with Rynauds in one of her hands, but useful to have anyway. Was about to order some heating oil, when son who is a heating engineer told us he has emptied lots of oil tanks recently and has some for us. I knew he would come in handy one day

[Frnc]

Winter is coming....early! It doesn't officially start until December 21 this year. However weather is going cold in a week's time. Forecast 8° day, 2° night. That is typical UK winter temperatures. Be ready. I've barely used my central heating so far, although I have used the Dimplex electric radiator in my room a fair bit, but set to only about 25% on the thermostat dial. These are supposed to react to temperature. The device is simply on or off. But you do need to adjust them a fair bit depending on the weather and room temperature.

[Yorkshire Andy]

I threw all of our old hot water bottles out a few weeks ago, for safety reasons. They must have been at least 15 years old. I can't remember the last time we used them, but felt obliged to replace them anyway. Back up to 3 now and will probably get one more. Also bought more hand warmers, mostly for youngest daughter who has taken on a second job working outdoors and struggles with Rynauds in one of her hands, but useful to have anyway. Was about to order some heating oil, when son who is a heating engineer told us he has emptied lots of oil tanks recently and has some for us. I knew he would come in handy one day

Lidl have some rechargeable hand warmers o
coming up on the 16th

https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/crivit-grey-re ... /h10067549

[Yorkshire Andy]

Well if im not winter ready now its tuff.


Just need to get some diesel for my diesel heater and a bag of split logs for my back up wood fired oven...


Got a far infared heater ordered. For the lounge it looks like a picture frame 600w of infared heater to supplement the gas central heating not expecting it to heat the whole room but over the sofa if Mrs A is cold when everyone is at work no point in heating the whole house for one person finishing work 'early' or last thing at night when the kids are in bed ..

Got a portable free standing infared heater too so these combined is close to the recommended calculation for the room size ..

Vital if the boiler packs up for example

And if we get some good windy days and the tentical powered smart meter gives us 2 hours free leccy for example we will kick the backside out of their "generosity " plus a 2kw convection heater and 3x 500w plug in fan heaters (one for each bedroom ) they are only small but they really warm the kids smaller bed rooms well.. plus both kids have an electric blanket

I've calculated load on the ring main and im well within especially when I have 3 different circuits I can plug into (ring main) cooker socket and a legacy boiler spur in the lounge chimney breast for the old back boiler ...

Cars are about prepped

Snow chains are handy in the shed along with shovels and snow brooms screen wash will be topped up next weekend that should bring them upto a good strength.. deicer is currently on the living room windowsill ready to go in the cars

Need to dig the accumulated 'crap' out my car boot and have a tidy up

Back yard needs a clear out and de clutter before the snow comes and the sledges need getting ready

Got some goretex safety work boots on order nothing worse than cold wet feet

[Lonesurvivor22]

My prepping this week has consisted of noting down natural food sources ie, sweet chestnut trees, wild cherry, apple etc that are accessible within my local area plus water courses that I can use to wash and cook. Looking costs nothing but knowledge is everything

[Frnc]

My prepping this week has consisted of noting down natural food sources ie, sweet chestnut trees, wild cherry, apple etc that are accessible within my local area plus water courses that I can use to wash and cook. Looking costs nothing but knowledge is everything

Excellent strategy. I've tried to learn plant ID. It's not easy. Also I made a list of the most commonly found wild plants in the UK, so as to know the best ones to study. I have a few books, which include ID keys. Regarding water, look for springs on a map. Water emerging from underground should be cleaner.

[Frnc]

I still have one electric radiator under my bed, seeing as I went from 2 lodgers and no C/H last January, to one who's slept here only a few nights this year. Mine are Dimplex 700W oil free. They are great, cheap to run, heat the room quickly and then hold the temp. You do have to adjust the dial depending on room temp and weather. I keep an eye on use on the Tapo app. So far I'm averaging 1.2kWh per day.

If anyone wants a good electric heater, grab one now as they are 42% off, reduced to £50 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002DGTMJE

You'd want a bigger one for a large room of course.

Still using a cotton filled Tog 3 summer duvet, and changing to a cooler cotton long sleeved t-shirt for bed, so I don't overheat. I have to make sure the room stays under 21° at night. More would be wasteful anyway. Dropped to 19.2 this morning and I was very comfortable. Cotton filled duvets regulate heat better. With synthetic I can be too hot, but have cold feet.

[Frnc]

Got my ivy trimmed. They couldn't take any off the top, which was a bit of a let down, but it looks a lot better anyway. So the front and back gardens are all pretty ship shape for the winter. Lot of leaves at the front. The ones at the back so far were blown away by the tree trimmers. My silver birch looks a lot better without the ivy and pyracantha growing into it. Builders cabins behind it have gone as well, so it's all opened up nicely. The new houses are to the side, and their gardens go up to about the middle of next door. Behind me is still the school.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Car winterised foam extinguishers swapped with powder..

Screenwash boosted up with-20°C concentrate

Bottle of deicer added

Snow shovel and chains dug out (not in the car just yet)

[GeeGee]

As the weather is blooming freezing atm I invested in heated socks I think a few of us on here have various forms of raynauds
Mines raynauds phenomenon
Sale on amazon at 29.99 USB power packs they've even got a left and right on the socks which is great for twits like me who have the "other " left or "other " right or so people say to me
Best buy in ages Wear them on a evening and the massive purple lumps on toes are easing the packs last the evening as I have them on full but various settings...
Off to sunnier climates to drink the sangria dry and swim in outdoor pool in a couple of weeks but ill need those socks when back !
The range had a sale on of wool rugs less than half price so I grabbed a couple of large ones and they're down just to add to heating it all helps ...
Was over in YA land when the car decided to yell at me that the tyres were under their normal pressure
Fortunately the multitude of stuff in the boot included a automatic air pressure machine
Also going to be trying to winterize it when I'm back ..