What, if any standby heating do you have in your home?

What changes can we make to our lives to deal with the economic and energy crises ahead? Have you already started making preparations? Got tips to share?

Moderator: Peak Moderation

Post Reply

What non utility reliant, standby heating do you have

None, my heating is entirely grid reliant
9
24%
A solid fuel stove
15
41%
An open fire
3
8%
A portable gas or oil heater
2
5%
A standby source of power for GCH
1
3%
Not required, normal heating is off grid
7
19%
 
Total votes: 37
User avatar
adam2
Site Admin
Posts: 11040
Joined: 02 Jul 2007, 17:49
Location: North Somerset, twinned with Atlantis

What, if any standby heating do you have in your home?

Post by adam2 »

What heating is available in your home, in case of grid failure?
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more"
Top
User avatar
PS_RalphW
Posts: 6974
Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: Cambridge

Post by PS_RalphW »

Apart from wood stove, I have an off-grid solar hot water system. Not so relevant in the depths of a winter power cut...
Top
User avatar
Andy Hunt
Posts: 6760
Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: Bury, Lancashire, UK

Post by Andy Hunt »

RalphW wrote:Apart from wood stove, I have an off-grid solar hot water system. Not so relevant in the depths of a winter power cut...
Very relevant during a summer power cut though, when home aircons have overloaded the grid. :wink:
Andy Hunt
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
Eternal Sunshine wrote: I wouldn't want to worry you with the truth. :roll:
Top
User avatar
Bedrock Barney
Posts: 319
Joined: 28 Sep 2007, 22:23
Location: Midlands

Post by Bedrock Barney »

We have an open fire (not used much), wood burning stove and a wood burning range cooker. We also have a living flame gas fire which I detest -will replace this with another stove at some point.

We also have a large log store and a smaller store next to the house (for all those wood burning appliances!)
We demand that reality be altered because we don't like it [� oilslick ]
Top
User avatar
Joules
Posts: 255
Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: Canterbury, UK
Contact:
Contact Joules

Post by Joules »

I only have an open fire, but I am mega insulated.
Top
User avatar
skeptik
Posts: 2969
Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: Costa Geriatrica, Spain

Post by skeptik »

Joules wrote:I only have an open fire, but I am mega insulated.
I only have an open fire, but the insulation and draft proofing is crap and I don't care. If I could be arsed to sort out the draft proofing I could probably do without the log fire, but I quite like it. Occasionally have it going in the evening during Jan Feb.. A couple of dozen oak logs last winter...

17:12. Thermometer on my mantelpiece currently reading 82F... with the ceiling fan on low, entirely pleasant.
Top
Vertis
Posts: 35
Joined: 27 May 2008, 20:34
Location: Monmouthshire

Post by Vertis »

Nothing yet, and I don't feel I have the available funds to improve that situation. My bonus this year will go on some insulation of my 1890s mid-terrace, but even that's in a conservation area and the outside can't be tampered with.

I'd like to get a small stove for the living room, and I'll discuss it with Mrs. Vertis tonight, but the costs will probably outweigh the benefits considering I'm the only wage earner as Mrs V looks after the Vertisette.
Top
goslow
Posts: 705
Joined: 26 Nov 2007, 12:16

Post by goslow »

We have gas central heating, though the boiler is old and will probably be replaced soon. House is insulated quite well. It would be nice to have some kind of back up wood or multi-fuel stove in the living room. I don't think its necessarily a good idea to install some kind of wood boiler to replace the whole central heating, that would take a lot of wood and I don't want to deplete our precious forests! I am more thinking, if things get so bad that the gas gets cut off, we should not try to achieve BAU standards of living in terms of home heating. It might be good to be able to gather round a stove in the living room, spend most of our time there, and get by on relatively small amounts of wood and/or coal.

However, a traditional looking wood stove doesn't seem to fit very well stylistically/spacially in our house. We do have chimneys which as far as I am aware should be properly lined, but the fireplace is not very large, it currently fits one of those living flame gas fires. I expect there must be stoves out there designed to fit this type of set-up?
Top
User avatar
adam2
Site Admin
Posts: 11040
Joined: 02 Jul 2007, 17:49
Location: North Somerset, twinned with Atlantis

Post by adam2 »

Vertis wrote:Nothing yet, and I don't feel I have the available funds to improve that situation. My bonus this year will go on some insulation of my 1890s mid-terrace, but even that's in a conservation area and the outside can't be tampered with.

I'd like to get a small stove for the living room, and I'll discuss it with Mrs. Vertis tonight, but the costs will probably outweigh the benefits considering I'm the only wage earner as Mrs V looks after the Vertisette.
Have you considered buying and storing a cheap solid fuel stove?
They would probably be in short supply in the event of gas or electricity shortages, but can be purchased very cheaply at present.

Finding a builder to install it when TSHTF should be easy since many builders would be short of work in a recession.

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/categ ... n-stoves-2

Cheap stoves, probably not the best qaulity, but a lot better than nothing.
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more"
Top
User avatar
Kentucky Fried Panda
Posts: 1743
Joined: 06 Apr 2007, 13:50
Location: NW Engerland

Post by Kentucky Fried Panda »

Thick woolly jumper.
I didn't use my heating last winter.
Top
User avatar
skeptik
Posts: 2969
Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: Costa Geriatrica, Spain

Post by skeptik »

Haggis wrote:Thick woolly jumper.
I didn't use my heating last winter.
Ooh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ygDMHnt-Lg
Top
User avatar
Kentucky Fried Panda
Posts: 1743
Joined: 06 Apr 2007, 13:50
Location: NW Engerland

Post by Kentucky Fried Panda »

shit song, awful band
Top
SILVERHARP2
Posts: 611
Joined: 14 Feb 2006, 17:02
Location: DUBLIN

Post by SILVERHARP2 »

I don't think the issue is that important, for minimum comfort I would be happy with an hour or 2 of electiricy or gas a day, anything above that is a bonus and even without it, wooly jumpers and the occasional log fire is fine, but to be honest I dont see the power grid going down 100% anytime soon
Last edited by SILVERHARP2 on 11 Jul 2008, 11:20, edited 1 time in total.
Top
tomhitchman
Posts: 164
Joined: 04 Jan 2008, 14:57
Location: London EC1

Post by tomhitchman »

goslow wrote: I don't think its necessarily a good idea to install some kind of wood boiler to replace the whole central heating, that would take a lot of wood and I don't want to deplete our precious forests! I am more thinking, if things get so bad that the gas gets cut off, we should not try to achieve BAU standards of living in terms of home heating.
I entirely agree with this. Last winter I installed a wood burning stove in the lounge and used just that for heating and it didn't take long to get acustomed to keeping doors shut and foraging for fuel and made a nice time in the evening when the fire went on.

I am trying to live on minimum of fuel as preparation for the times ahead, based on need rather than BAU and make good use of blankets and thermals and cooking for heat etc.
Top
User avatar
Pip Tiddlepip
Posts: 50
Joined: 16 May 2008, 12:34
Location: Brighton, Good Old Sussex By The Sea

Post by Pip Tiddlepip »

Both mine and girlfriend's places have open fires. This winter, I have told her firmly, will be a winter of woolly jumpers, open fires and sleeping bags on the sofa. The thermostat, I have said, stays exactly where it is. Of course, when push comes to shove I shall probably just do as I'm told...
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Preparations”