British Expatriate Network

Fireplace in front room, about to be joined with a fan which will hopefully send hot air down from upstairs open plan landing, gas fired underfloor and out of walls bloody expensive totally ineffective heating, silk long johns and a really cuddly man. wink

Really wished I pushed up the fireplaces on my to do list, this ole house can get chilly in places this time of year thou it's only our first winter here. We have three fireplaces, two under a chimey capped off under the roof line but those are in the bedroom and office and would be great to have them fired up. The other in the living room we had the chimey out the roof rebuilt but never had the fire box rebricked to make it safe to burn coal yet (too cheap to stump the 5k to bladder the chimney).

So the crappy old central air is chugging away roaring under the house cos I was too cheap to replace the system this year as the misses wanted in the spring oops

We have a fireplace but have never used it, and we have a forced air heating system but hardly ever use that because it hardly ever gets that cold. I mean right now I'm sat working with the rear sliding door open in shorts and t-shirt and it's 65 degrees inside and out.

On the rare occasions I turn the heat actually on, it's usually if we've had a frost and so that Emily doesn't have to get out of a warm shower into a cold bathroom.

Other than that I'd say the forced air is run for a a maximum total of say 24 hours a year max.

(And we don't have a/c either - not many folks in Santa Cruz/Capitola have a/c as there's really no need for it)

Andrew :)

I haven't turned the actual heater on since 2002. Mrs Rude is a hardy type who says things like "try a blanket" or "put some socks on". It only gets freezing in the Valley for like seven days a year anyway.

Gordon Bennet, you're hardy folk alright. 65F is considered long underwear and mustn't grumble, it's bound to be snowing somewhere, weather.

65F is below the acceptable working temperature. It should be between 68 -75F for winter.
http//www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/hot_cold.html

Well obvious its acceptable if 68 is too hot !! My apartment is set to 66 because I cannot tand it too hot, if you're cold put a jumper on.

Talking of fireplaces, I wondered if anyone has ever tried/knows about these ones with "sunjel" Apparently you don't have to install them

http//www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=in_pe_recently-viewed-items/601-1496273-8455355?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B0002MQ8XE

I'm thinking of getting one but don't know anyone who has one and hadn't actually heard about them until a week or so ago.

Very nice if you don't need the heat and just like the abience(sp?). I would use one like it in a bedroom maybe but not for warmth in a living room.

That's really it. I think I just want it for the ambience/effect. And I don't think I like the look of the one in the link but now I know they're out there I'll probably be shopping around for one.

We have gas forced hot air heat which is useless. The house goes from quite warm to freezing again in the cycles - it never maintains a steady temperature.

There is no fireplace although last year we went out and bought a little electric heater which looks like a little wood burning stove. It has the flame effect so gives the room some character and the little electric bit puts out some lovely warmth.

The next house is having at least 2 fireplaces that can take a gas fire - I can't be faffing around with logs (and spiders!).

I do realise that in your part of North America they don't have the insulation or efficient heating we have.
I was in San Diego last Jan/Feb for 6 weeks and can attest to that fact. The place we were staying in was only 4 years old, but the heating was pathetic and not well distributed.
In most houses in Ottawa they are so well insulated and the room temperature's are adjustable so that you can have your bedroom at a cool 65, and the rest of the house at 72 ( a more acceptable temperature for sitting to watch TV etc.

After nearly 5 years in the house, we just sealed the crack in the fireplace grouting and lit the first fire. Marvelous! We did get as far as buying the sealant about 3 years ago..... roll

lol

Forced air otherwise. Damned expensive as we have open plan and a cathedral ceiling in the lounge (family room for the indoctrinated), so it's heat the whole house or nothing. Can't have it cooler upstairs etc. Still, it's nice to be warm. Our UK house was so damp, it rarely felt warm in the winter, regardless of what the thermometer said. We always had to put the ugly gas fire on. Here, we have to add humidity to the air -a pleasant change.... )

Ah yes, cathedral ceilings, only of use in bloody cathedrals. Must get the fan installed, although Pacific gas and Electric have an offer going for a fireplace insert which once it's warm blows warmth into the room. Only drawback, no one who has one will honor PG&E's $200 thingy.
Insulation, California's never heard of it. roll