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Aug 2022
1:11pm, 26 Aug 2022
92,301 posts
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Hanneke
It us why, in my home country, the government is working on keeping "buying power" level, which means capping energy and other state controlled expenses, trying to reduce inflation and not give people minimal handouts that are nothing more than a drop on a hot plate.
I am watching the different approaches with interest... Like I did with Covid... And hope to learn from it.
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Aug 2022
1:26pm, 26 Aug 2022
92,302 posts
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Hanneke
SOenergy:
"You don’t need to do anything as we’ll automatically apply this grant to your direct debit payments from October to March. You’ll see a credit appear in your online account each month that says Energy Bill Support Scheme."
That makes sense... So my DD is adapted to reflect a credit to my account...
I am also getting actual bills, providing them with a meter reading monthly on their prompt. This means last month was £124, this month is £119... I have been finding them seriously helpful. Paying for real consumption rather than an estimate, like I used to with Scottish Power. I had to pay well over actual usage, even with regular readings, then at the end of the year they'd review my DD, lower it slightly, so that I was still over paying and didn't pay me the hundreds of pounds worth of credit I had built up. "Just in case I would fall in arrears in the future" I had to use the Ombudsman to get nearly £2000 back from them!!!
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Aug 2022
1:27pm, 26 Aug 2022
92,303 posts
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Hanneke
It will be interesting how my consumption goes down going forwards, because I have only just started to be super frugal.
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Aug 2022
1:39pm, 26 Aug 2022
351 posts
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Pegg
On my lounge bay window the windows go all the way to the 'ceiling' of the bay, so there's no spare wall to put a rail on. So I've never had curtains on them. There must be a way but I've never worked it out. Does anyone have any ideas?
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Aug 2022
1:44pm, 26 Aug 2022
92,306 posts
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Hanneke
Pegg, I have this in my new building: glass up to the eaves. I have insulating blackout blinds from John Lewis. Extra long and remarkable good value and boy do they work at keeping the heat out this summer!
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Aug 2022
1:44pm, 26 Aug 2022
92,307 posts
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Hanneke
So obvs kerp the cold out in winter.
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Aug 2022
1:47pm, 26 Aug 2022
92,308 posts
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Hanneke
Oh: blinds can be fitted on the ceiling, or in a window recess or on a window frame of wood and wide enough. The have a relatively small "footprint". I also don't have anywhere for curtains to open to, as it is all glass in that corner, to maximise winter sun = heat ingress.
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Aug 2022
1:48pm, 26 Aug 2022
13,254 posts
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jda
Just hang them from the ceiling! Though you may need to be careful about the load and a bit creative about how you arrange them. Simply fixed in place with rope+pulley to draw them open (up and to the sides) could be a starting point.
Also +1 to whoever said curtains can often be found v cheap in 2nd hand shops. We paid 5 quid for a really decent large pair which have been pressed into service in various ways.
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Aug 2022
2:09pm, 26 Aug 2022
5,328 posts
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K5 Gus
Loft insulation :-
I'm in a bungalow, so have loft space above every room. It is just insulated between the rafters, 100mm. Recommendation is 270-300mm in total, and you should lay 170-200mm strips at right angles to the rafters.
Prices, for the same stuff seems to vary hugely. Cheapest I can see for the 170mm works out at £3.70/m2
My lounge and dining room (open plan) is the living space I spend most time in and keep the warmest, is 36m2, so would cost £133 to insulate above this area. Probably about £250 for the whole house ( excluding the 2 spare rooms that are closed and never used during the winter )
Is this a good use of money ?
Various websites claim going from 0 to 290mm would save 20-25% on your heating bill.
One says going from "old thin" insulation to 290mm would save 7-8%
If my new energy bill is going to be say £3000, then 7% is £210, so would pay for itself in 2 years.
Hmmm, maybe a wee project for next few weeks before the heating goes back on.
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Aug 2022
2:20pm, 26 Aug 2022
13,255 posts
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jda
"payback" calculations are part of it, but comfort is also a thing that's worth paying for IMO. Eg (slightly) faster warming up and slower cooling. Like how double glazing and draught reduction doesn't just cut bills, it probably makes your house more comfortable as well. A lot of home improvements/alterations don't make you any money at all and people still do those!
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