Home Comforts

[Deleted member 1258]

With our boiler breakdown today I've had to get our ancient gas fire running, the pilot light went out weeks ago and wouldn't relight, but tonight I managed to get it working and we watched TV sat in front of it, when I washed up tonight I used water boiled in the kettle. I was just thinking how strange all this was when I thought this is how we used to live, before we had central heating we only had the gas fire in the lounge and we kept the hot water turned off except for bath time, it took about 40 minutes to heat the tank and get enough hot water for a bath. Then I thought how things change and how easily we seem to get used to our modern home comforts and how far I'd come, before I was married I lived in a bedsit with a one bar electric fire and a shared bathroom.

 

[Accy cyclist]

My wife thinks i'm weird for sitting in the back room and watching a 14 inch tv in front of an electric fire. How can you see such a small screen? she asks. Funny how we had a small screen for our first ten years of marriage yet we found it ok to watch. Why do they think the bigger the picture the better? When i get the old Bush record player out she thinks that's daft too, but i like crackly records!

 

[growingvegetables]

I remember coal fires! My job as a kid - riddling the smothered embers, and waking the fire again,

Special smell for October cycling - the first coal fires of autumn. Still occasionally get a whiff, riding through what were once mining villages.

 

[classic33]

I remember coal fires! My job as a kid - riddling the smothered embers, and waking the fire again,

Special smell for October cycling - the first coal fires of autumn. Still occasionally get a whiff, riding through what were once mining villages.

Turf fires. You'll never forget the smell. I've had wood & coal, but turf stands out.

I've two DVD'S & can only play them on the computer.

@dave r, regarding the pilot light. Does it remain lit so long as you hold it in place? If so, I'd say its the thermocouple that's gone. Cost £10-£20.

 

[jhawk]

Not that I've ever experienced the heat from a coal stove. But when I first moved here, we had a woodstove in our old house. Beautiful heat, light and just generally a good feeling about it. We've now got a pellet stove to work with, and it's not been too great thus-far. Will have to get it working by the first week of November when it starts to get REALLY cold.

 

[swee'pea99]

Watched a programme t'other day on the reality of service - maids 'n that - which featured the daily schedule of a 'Maid of all work' (lone servants, who made up 60% of all servants in the country - very few Downtons, but every Doctor & bank manager had a servant). Basically, 6.30am thru' to 9pm, 7 days, heating, washing and cleaning. It's what people had before we got central heating, washing machines, dishwashers, hoovers and all the rest of it. Other people.

 

[classic33]

Not that I've ever experienced the heat from a coal stove. But when I first moved here, we had a woodstove in our old house. Beautiful heat, light and just generally a good feeling about it. We've now got a pellet stove to work with, and it's not been too great thus-far. Will have to get it working by the first week of November when it starts to get REALLY cold.

Have you tried soaking the waste material from wood cutting/splitting then using it on/in the fire?

 

[fossyant]

I'd quite like to sleep in a bed. Settee again. I don't ask for much.

 

[classic33]

I'd quite like to sleep in a bed. Settee again. I don't ask for much.

I'd like a nights sleep!

Even the floor would do.

 

[Piemaster]

Used to live in a village without a mains gas supply.Had coalfired room heater/ central heating. Village was only a couple of miles away from one of the biggest gas storage facilities in the UK...
Mrs.Pm eventually said no more to stoking the fire when we had the first child and back to the city we went.

 

[slowmotion]

You were lucky....!
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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo
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[Motobecane]

I'd like a nights sleep!

Even the floor would do.

I thought you never slept and were proud of it!

 

[Motobecane]

Said @dave r ,

Then I thought how things change and how easily we seem to get used to our modern home comforts and how far I'd come, before I was married I lived in a bedsit with a one bar electric fire and a shared bathroom.

I can remember putting on school uniform under the bedcovers because it was so cold (ice inside the bedroom windows). The only heating was a 2 bar electric fire in the living room and a probably very dangerous, portable paraffin stove (usually placed in the kitchen). I didn't like it then, not at all! But I coped. Now, being of a certain age, I can't cope at all unless the temperature is around 70F (21C) or above! Pampered, or what...

 

[classic33]

I thought you never slept and were proud of it!

Like I said a nights sleep

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Turf fires. You'll never forget the smell. I've had wood & coal, but turf stands out.

I've two DVD'S & can only play them on the computer.

@dave r, regarding the pilot light. Does it remain lit so long as you hold it in place? If so, I'd say its the thermocouple that's gone. Cost £10-£20.

Pilot lights on and has stayed on, fires ancient and temperamental, I've had the thermocoupler go twice, with labour fifty quid job.