What Preps are you doing this week? Part 4

[shocker]

Been away caring for parents...elderly, infirm, not long for this world. And thats just me

Seriously though, thats what I have been doing. Finally got them to talk about wills and so on, albeit in a roundabout way. Thats a relief, not that I am expecting to inherit anything but bills. Theres a disowned (by them) sister (of mine) down the road who will cause trouble unless everythings on paper.

Other than that, managed to get some Brit Army 24 hour ration packs for a decent price on fleabay. Useful to stash away. Theres a fair bit of that on there at the moment for not too much money. Well, less ludicrously extortionate than usual.

Oh yes! My 30 year old Range Rover has developed a limp. Ok Deeps, Ive set you up for a line there, mate.

[Arzosah]

Been away caring for parents...elderly, infirm, not long for this world. And thats just me

Seriously though, thats what I have been doing. Finally got them to talk about wills and so on, albeit in a roundabout way. Thats a relief, not that I am expecting to inherit anything but bills. Theres a disowned (by them) sister (of mine) down the road who will cause trouble unless everythings on paper.

Sorry to hear this, Shocker, I wondered if thats where you were.

The inherited bills thing wasn't a problem I had at the end of last year, but my business partner did, and he was very firm that debts are not inherited - if there's nothing in the deceased's estate to pay them, then they don't get paid.

I might be pushing something you already know, sorry if so, but for others' sake, I thought I'd stick in a few links to official sites:
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/wh ... meone-dies
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/e ... o-has-died

Troubling relatives make this time worse than it needs to be hope you're doing okay.

I'm having huge problems myself at that level, now that probate's been granted. I'm the one doing the paperwork, and I can't get agreement to go up there and sort things. Hopefully I'll be able to in 10 days or so. It *is* a prep, as it's about taking possession of a lot of money and all sorts of things could be done with that.

[Deeps]

Good to see you back Shocker, hope you get things sorted, I'll not be touching your limp 'thing' though.

[General DeGaulle]

I am in the process of installing a radiator in my greenhouse. I have acquired a tall, slender, rather nice old cast iron rad which I have painted black, and placed at the back of the greenhouse, facing the door as you walk in. The radiator is not hooked up to any water supply, it merely collects heat in the daytime and keeps the greenhouse a couple of degrees higher at night. I am hoping that this extends my growing season from February into November, and keeps the entire structure at least above freezing during the two months of severe cold you get round here.

[peejay]

I'd imagine a few concrete blocks painted black might actually store/retain a bit more heat as they'd be more solid rather than a radiator with gaps in it?

I did something similar when working overseas a few years back. Our cabins got pretty cold at night but we slept in concrete bunkers (military base which was regularly attached) so I placed my one radiator tight up to my bunker which heated the concrete blocks overnight creating nice storage heating, even when the leccy went offline. I also used to keep a couple of 2L bottles of water rested on the top of the rad which gave me hot water to wash with when our hot water supply either got used up (through inconsiderate shower use) or due to electrical issues which was a very common occurrence (at least weekly)

[General DeGaulle]

In effect I suppose anything painted black and of a dense nature would do the job. Concrete blocks - or bricks from a Storage heater would do the job great. The thing about radiators, the gaps/holes etc increase the surface area, which effects more efficient heat absorption/radiation. The optimum thing would probably be to Raise my growing beds on concrete blocks painted black - with the radiator at the end.

[ForgeCorvus]

General: Is it full of water? Extra thermal mass will help.
I've got a link somewhere to a design for a Thermal Sump.... I'll see if I can find it

[General DeGaulle]

I was thinking of keeping it empty. Here in western - Central France it gets very cold indeed between mid November and early March, and for long periods temperatures struggle to climb above zero. I would worry about the radiator bursting in one of the hard frosts.

[Deeps]

I was thinking of keeping it empty. Here in western - Central France it gets very cold indeed between mid November and early March, and for long periods temperatures struggle to climb above zero. I would worry about the radiator bursting in one of the hard frosts.

You could 3/4 fill it.

[Yorkshire Andy]

or add a % mix of car antifreeze