When I say ancient way to dry clothes the clothes pulley has probably been about for 150 years – not that ancient but ancient enough.
A clothes pulley, also known as a ceiling airer or a laundry rack, is a device that hangs from the ceiling and allows you to dry your clothes by using the natural heat and air circulation in your home. The “Pulley” as it’s known in Glasgow has been around for a very long time approximately 150 years. Every home would have one when I was a bit younger but were removed for the preferred new tech – the tumble dryer.
They have been used in homes for very good reasons especially when you compare them to the tumble dryer.
Clothes Pulley in action
Benefits Of a Clothes Pulley
Some of the main benefits of fitting a clothes pulley are:
A pulley saves energy and money by reducing the need for a tumble dryer, which is one of the most expensive household appliances to run.
Pulleys reduce the environmental impact of your laundry by avoiding the carbon emissions and waste associated with tumble drying.
A pulley can preserve the quality and lifespan of your clothes by preventing them from shrinking, fading, or damaging in the high heat of a tumble dryer.
There are no maintenance costs – once fitted there is very little to go wrong and it does they are easy to fix
A pulley uses no energy
A pulley takes up no floor space
Why Fit a Clothes Pulley?
You might want to fit a clothes pulley in your home if you:
Have limited space for a tumble dryer or a clothes horse, as a clothes pulley can be raised and lowered to the ceiling as needed.
Want to save on your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint, as a clothes pulley uses no electricity and relies on natural drying. .
Care about the quality and durability of your clothes, as a clothes pulley avoids the harsh effects of tumble drying.
Appreciate the aesthetic and historical value of a clothes pulley, as it can add a touch of charm and nostalgia to your home.
The cost of a clothes pulley compared to a tumble dryer depends on several factors, such as the size, type, and model of the device, as well as the frequency and duration of use. However, based on some average figures, we can use the following as a rough guide:
The initial cost of buying a clothes pulley ranges from around £30 to £150, depending on the quality, design, and features of the product.
The initial cost of buying a tumble dryer ranges from around £250 to £1000, depending on the energy rating, capacity, and technology of the product
The running cost of using a clothes pulley is negligible, as it does not consume any electricity or require any maintenance.
The running cost of using a tumble dryer varies depending on the type, load, and cycle of the device, but it can be anywhere from £0.17 to £1.76 per use, or £0.56 to £1.43 per hour
The lifetime cost of owning a clothes pulley is low, as it is likely to last for many years without needing any repairs or replacements. The lifetime cost of owning a tumble dryer is high, as it is likely to need servicing, parts, or replacement after a few years of use, as well as adding to your energy bills and carbon footprint.
Fitting a clothes pulley can be a much more economical and eco-friendly option than using a tumble dryer, as it can save you hundreds of pounds and tonnes of CO2 over the years. However, the choice ultimately depends on your personal preferences, needs, and circumstances.
In a country with a climate like Scotlands a pulley is essential for drying clothes. It can be expensive to dry clothing especially for a large family. The pulley offers an almost free way to get your clothes dry.
I have personally used one for the last 15 years and have never missed the tumble dryer. We have positioned ours above a radiator and most clothes will dry overnight.
Here is a video about how to fit one if you are interested.
I am getting more inquiries into what a smart home is and how to set one up. Luckily I have been dabbling in smart home technology for about 8 years now. So, let’s look and see – what is a smart home?
Well, for starters, it’s not a home that can do your homework for you, or tell you jokes, or give you advice on your love life. Sorry to disappoint you, but a smart home is simply a home that has devices and appliances that can be controlled remotely or automatically, using the internet or other wireless technologies.
A smart home can make your life easier, more comfortable, and more convenient. For example, you can use your smartphone to adjust the thermostat, turn on the lights, lock the doors, or check the security cameras. You can also set up routines and schedules for your devices, such as having the coffee maker start brewing when you wake up, or having the music play when you get home. You can even use voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant to control your smart home with just your voice.
But a smart home is not only about convenience. It can also help you save energy, money, and the environment. For example, you can use smart plugs to monitor and reduce the power consumption of your appliances. You can use smart bulbs to change the color and brightness of your lights according to your mood or the time of day. You can use smart thermostats to optimize the temperature and humidity of your home. And you can use smart sensors to detect leaks, smoke, or carbon monoxide, and alert you in case of emergencies.
So, how do you make your home smart? Well, it’s not as hard as you might think. You don’t need to buy a whole new house or spend a fortune on gadgets. You can start with just a few devices that suit your needs and budget, and then add more as you go along. You can also choose from different platforms and ecosystems that work with assorted brands and products. For example, you can use Amazon Echo, Google Nest, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT, or Home Assistant to connect and control your smart devices.
Of course, a smart home is not perfect. There are some challenges and risks that you need to be aware of. For example, you need to have a reliable internet connection and power supply for your devices to work properly. You also need to protect your devices and data from hackers and cyberattacks. And you need to respect the privacy and preferences of other people who live with you or visit you.
But don’t let these challenges stop you from enjoying the benefits of a smart home. A smart home is not a futuristic fantasy or a luxury for the rich. It’s a reality that is accessible and affordable for anyone who wants to make their home more intelligent and responsive. A smart home is a home that works for you, not against you.
So, how do you set one up?
How do you set up a smart home?
If you’re like me, you’ve always wanted a home where you can control everything with your voice, or even your mind. A home where you can automate your daily tasks, save energy, and have fun. A home where you can impress your friends, family, and potential dates with your futuristic gadgets. Sounds awesome, right?
Well, the reality is just a little different in that there is more potential to alienate friends and family, put off potential dates and if you are married it might be time to call a lawyer. But don’t let this put you off – it can be a lot of fun and your family and friends will be impressed. There is a lot of fantastic smart home technology out there and it’s getting more reliable and cheaper every year.
But how do you actually set up a smart home? Is it easy? Is it expensive? Is it worth it? Well, fear not, because I’m here to answer all these questions and more. In this blog post, I’ll guide you through the steps of setting up a smart home, from choosing the right devices to installing them, to using them. By the end of this post, you’ll be ready to turn your ordinary home into a smart home.
Step 1: Choose your smart home platform
The first thing you need to do is choose a smart home platform. This is the software that will connect all your smart devices and allow you to control them from one place. There are many options available, but the most popular ones are:
– Amazon Alexa: This is the voice assistant that powers the Amazon Echo devices. You can use Alexa to control your smart devices with voice commands, play music, get news, weather, trivia, jokes, and more. Alexa is compatible with thousands of smart devices from various brands and categories. This is a good starting point and is relatively cheap and easy to set up. Alexa will work with most smart products.
– Google Assistant: This is the voice assistant that powers the Google Home devices. You can use Google Assistant to control your smart devices with voice commands, play music, get information, answers, jokes, and more. Google Assistant is compatible with thousands of smart devices from various brands and categories. Again good starting point, I find Google Assistant to be a bit flaky sometimes.
– Apple HomeKit: This is the software that powers the Apple HomePod devices. You can use HomeKit to control your smart devices with voice commands, play music, get information, answers, jokes, and more. HomeKit is compatible with hundreds of smart devices from various brands and categories. Not as widespread as Google and Alexa but still a great place to start especially if you are invested in Apple products.
– IFTTT – This allows a lot of smart products to talk to one another – this is now a paid service (for any meaningful setup) and works through the internet so can be a bit sluggish.
– Home Assistant – This is what I use. It allows just about every product to speak to any other product. It really is the ultimate set up in my opinion BUT it does have a steep learning curve and takes some time to learn. There is a huge community all working together to make this even better. I have been using this for about 4 years and home assistant has got way better and easier to use over that time. Check it out.
Each platform has its advantages and disadvantages, so you should choose the one that suits your needs and preferences best. You can also mix and match different platforms if you want to use different devices or features but there may be some difficulties getting them to work together.
Step 2: Choose your smart home devices
The next thing you need to do is choose your smart home devices. These are the gadgets that will make your home smarter and more convenient. There are many types of smart devices available, but some of the most common ones are:
– Smart speakers: These are speakers that have a built-in voice assistant that can control your other smart devices and provide various services. Examples are Amazon Echo (the Echo has Zigbee built in, the Echo Dot does not), Google Home, Apple HomePod, etc.
– Smart lights: These are light bulbs that can change color, brightness, and schedule using your voice or an app. Examples are Philips Hue, Nanoleaf, Sengled, Govee, etc.
– Smart plugs: These are plugs that can turn any appliance on or off using your voice or an app. Examples are TP-Link Kasa, Wemo Mini, Gosund Smart Plug, etc.
– Smart thermostats: These are thermostats that can adjust the temperature of your home automatically using your voice or an app. Examples are Nest Learning Thermostat, Ecobee SmartThermostat, Honeywell Home T6 Smart Thermostat, etc.
There are many more types of smart devices available, such as smart blinds, smart smoke detectors, smart vacuums, smart sprinklers, smart garage openers, and more. You can choose the ones that fit your budget and lifestyle best.
Step 3: Install your smart home devices
The third thing you need to do is install your smart home devices. This may vary depending on the type and brand of device you have chosen, but generally speaking, you will need to follow these steps:
– Plug in or insert batteries into your device
– Download the app for your device or platform
– Connect your device to your WiFi network
– Follow the instructions on the app to set up your device
– Repeat for each device you have
Some devices may require additional steps, such as pairing with a hub, mounting on a wall, or wiring to a power source. You should always read the manual or watch a video tutorial before installing any device.
Step 4: Use your smart home devices
The final thing you need to do is use your smart home devices.This is the fun part where you get to enjoy the benefits of having a smart home. You can use your voice, your app, or your routines to control your devices and make your life easier and more enjoyable.
Some examples of things you can do are:
– Say “Alexa, good morning” to turn on your lights, adjust your thermostat, play your favorite music, and get a brief news update
– Say “Hey Google, good night” to turn off your lights, lock your doors, set your alarm, and play some relaxing sounds
– Say “Siri, I’m leaving” to turn off all your devices, arm your security system, and close your garage door
– Use the Philips Hue app to create different lighting scenes for different moods and occasions
– Use the Nest app to monitor your home from anywhere and get alerts if something is wrong
– Use the Wemo app to schedule your appliances to turn on or off at certain times
– Use the Ring app to see who is at your door and talk to them without opening it
– Use the Ecobee app to save energy and money by adjusting your thermostat based on your habits and preferences
– Use the August app to grant or revoke access to your guests or service providers without giving them a key
If you dont want to use all these separate apps then you will need to spend a bit of time learning to use something like Hubitat or Home Assistant
These are just some examples of what you can do with a smart home. You can explore more possibilities and features by browsing the apps or websites of your devices or platforms. You can also create custom routines or scenes that suit your needs and preferences best. If I was starting from scratch I would start with the Nest Thermostat – Looks good, is easy to set up, and will save you money if you don’t already have a thermostat.
Conclusion
Setting up a smart home is not as hard as it may seem. All you need to do is choose a platform, choose some devices, install them, and use them. You can start small and add more devices as you go along. You can also mix and match different platforms and devices if you want to.
The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the convenience and comfort of having a smart home.
If you have a toilet seat that’s loose or broken and you want a nice solid seat to sit on comfortably while you pass the hours on TikTok or Facebook then this is for you.
Changing a toilet seat is one of the easier jobs you can do in your home and if you are lucky you won’t even need any tools, well maybe a tape measure and a screwdriver, but there are a few of things that are good to know.
Let’s get into it –
If you are thinking that toilet seats are all the same and you can just go and pick one up you would be wrong There as so many to choose from so where do you start?
1. Toilet Shapes
The first thing to consider is the shape of your toilet. There are several different shapes of toilet bowl. You have to choose one that is the shape of your toilet. There are Oval, D-shape (or U-shape), V-shape, or Square among others but these are the main ones for the UK, not really sure about the rest of the world.
Look at the shape of your toilet bowl and work out which one is your shape. Once you have decided on the closest shape to your toilet it’s time to move to the next point.
My toilet is the most common shape – the O shape.
2. Measure the Size
Once you know what shape of seat we have we then need to measure the size of the bowl from side to side and from the fittings to front.
Once you have measured the size of your bowl you may not have the exact same measurements as the replacement seat. What I tend to do is get one that is about up to 20mm larger and usually you can adjust it to sit perfectly on your toilet without a ridiculous overhang.
Then you need to order the seat that will fit your size of the bowl.
But Wait! There is something else we need to consider.
3. Decide on the Material
Before we order there are a few things to consider, mainly, the types of materials that toilet seats are made from. There is MDF, wood, plastic, Duroplast, and a few others.
Mdf is really quite common- that’s what my old seat is made from. Now if water gets into MDF it starts to swell. Once swollen it’s not going back to the way it was. The toilet seat is basically finished.
This toilet seat started swelling about 2 weeks ago and once the swelling started it very quickly lost strength and fell off one side.
Usually, your toilet seat won’t get wet and I have no idea why this happened to this seat so quickly, obviously, it did get wet at some point and pretty much exploded.
So I thought about a wooden one but wood really doesn’t like the moist environments of a bathroom.
Plastic is a good option but some plastic seats are really flimsy and the cheaper ones tend to discolour over time.
Then I found something called Duroplast. These seats seem to be tough and durable, colour fast, easy to clean, and strong- most importantly they don’t mind getting wet. The one I chose is UF Duroplast which should look good and last a very long time.
Now we need to order – well, not yet – one more thing to consider
PlasticMDFDuroplast
4. Different Seat Fittings
If you have access to the rear of the toilet and can reach the seat fittings you are in luck.
So there are a couple of ways to fit the seat to the bowl – generally you either have access to the rear of your toilet or you don’t
If you have access to the seat fittings you can fit the bolt-type fittings. These are probably the most common type of fitting. They are quite easy to put on and can be tightened up so they don’t move again. Fitted properly they will last a very long time without moving.
The main downside is that they can rust and seize and they become very difficult to get off.
If you can’t get to the rear of your toilet you have no choice but to use the top fixings. These are great for fitting and are generally easy to put on. The downside of these is that they can loosen off over time.
But usually, they are very easy to tighten again so it’s not a big problem and you won’t have to pull the toilet off the wall for access to the screws.
5. Time to Order
Finally, time to order but before you do just double-check you have the info required.
So the four things to know
1. Toilet Shape
2. Measure the size
3 Material preference
4 Type of fittings required
Once you have done this and order a seat with this in mind fitting the seat should be an absolute breeze
All there is to do now is wait for your new seat to arrive.
Here is the toilet seat I ordered for my toilet, we have been using it for quite a while now and had no problems with it. It seems to be very durable and is very easy to clean. Click the image to find out more.
6. Fit Your Toilet Seat
The very first thing to do is check out your new seat and make sure all the parts are there and the fittings are there. If you do this first then you won’t have to do without a toilet seat if there are any parts missing.
So when you are fitting you have to take the old seat off. Go to the back of the toilet and undo the fittings. Now sometimes they may have rusted up and you may need a pair of pliers or grips to get it to turn
Undo the fittings
2. Remove the old seat
3. Clean up the toilet before fitting the new seat.
I have to use the top style fitting as access is really restricted making the bottom fittings almost impossible to fit.
4. Fit the fittings so they can move a little
5. Put the seat gently on the fittings and straighten the seat up with the bowl
6. Tighten the fittings
Fittings are generally hand-tight and but you can just give them a little more with some pliers – I’m talking about a quarter turn above hand tightness. Any more and you can cut through or warp the rubber or plastic washers, which can cause your seat to go loose sooner than it normally would.
Test the seat.
Start Scrolling
Here is a video I put together showing the whole process.
Once silicone goes black it is very difficult to clean but there is a very easy method and if you are lucky it may work for you.
I always seem to be trying to stop silicone from going black. You know the silicone seal that goes around the bathtub or your shower. It looks lovely for a while and then goes black over time and looks really unsightly. Well here is how to fix that problem.
Why does SIlicone go Black?
Silicone goes black when it is damp and there are soap deposits on the silicone. This encourages mould growth and it’s the mould that causes the silicone to go black.
The good news is this is preventable. I have fitted silicone in some houses that only last a few months before going black and I have fitted silicone seals in other houses where it has stayed looking brand new for years.
The difference between these two examples is that one household has many teenagers using the shower once or twice a day. The shower was getting used about 6 times a day, it was never cleaned down or dried after use and the silicone became black very quickly.
In the other household the shower was used once or twice a day, was dried and cleaned after use – that silicone lasted about 6 years before renewal.
I use the same make and type of silicone in every job.
Now both these scenarios are quite different and there could be differences between both bathrooms with regard to airflow but in general, if you dry off the seal after every use it will last for many years. The less you clean it the quicker it will stain and the harder it will be to get those stains off.
I guess what I am saying if you want silicone to last you have to dry it after use. That’s the best way to keep the silicone from going black in the first place. But, you’re here to find out how to fix it once the silicone has gone black.
Let’s proceed.
Three Methods to Clean Silicone Rubber
There are three methods that I use for cleaning black, mouldy silicone. Each method gets progressively more difficult so it’s a good idea to start at method 1 and progress from there.
Methods 1 and 2 are both chemical solutions and method 3 is a mechanical solution.
Before even starting any of these fixes the seal should be inspected for any damage. Make sure there are no splits, make sure the silicone has not come away from one of the surfaces. If the seal appears to be intact then the first two methods are good to try. If the silicone is coming off the wall or the bath/shower then Method 3 is your only option.
Method 1
Use a product called HG Mould Remover. (check the cost here – https://amzn.to/2r9whII)
This is a great spray to use as long as the silicone seal is in good condition – that is if it has not been compromised and the seal still works.
I have used this on some really black stained silicone and the results can be surprising. the less time the silicone has been black the better the chance of removal with the mould killer.
All you have to do is spray this product directly onto the black silicone, leave for about half an hour and rinse off. The results can be amazing.
The advantage of this method is it’s fast and easy to do.
The only disadvantage is that it’s not quite as powerful as the other 2 silicone repair methods. It does smell very much of bleach so be prepared.
This spray works really well with grout. If you have mouldy grout give this spray a try. No home should be without it.
If it helps I made a video about this mould spray, have a look below.
If this method is not working for you then you may want to try method 2
Have a look to see how to clean up black mould.
Method 2
This method involves the use of neat Bleach (undiluted bleach) – the thick stuff, so you may want to have some rubber gloves and safety glasses. Be very careful when using bleach and don’t get it on anything you don’t want it on.
For this method of getting silicone back to white, you will put bleach directly onto the silicone and leave it for 12 to 24 hours. To hold the bleach directly onto the silicone you will have to use some toilet roll and place this onto the silicone and add more bleach is required. You want that bleach soaked tissue on the silicone seal.
It is important that you check that your fittings and wall will not be adversely affected by the bleach and is good to test in an unseen area first.
Once the toilet paper has bleach and is sitting directly on the seal then all you have to do is wait. Obviously, keep children and pets away for the time required.
I found that 24 hours works great but if it’s still not completely gone then just repeat the process. You should get rid of most of it if not all.
I have found the results of this method surprising and should get rid of almost all the staining.
In the pictures, this part of silicone was black for years and after 24 hours most of the black was gone. Amazing! Usually, for that degree of discolouration, I would use method 3.
Method 3
Silicone removal.
This is the most difficult method. Silicone is designed to seal two surfaces and in order to do that has to adhere incredibly well to both of the surfaces. If the silicone is not stuck then it’s not sealing.
There are several ways to remove silicone but I have found that the chemical silicone removal products are not very good. My prefered method is to cut it out using a knife. This can be very tricky as you do not want to damage your tiles or scratch your bath. If you are not confident with a blade, a silicone removal tool like the one below would be good.
You can use a Stanley knife to get the bulk of the seal off. Then you can use a blade holder to get the rest off the tiles and just work away until you get it all off the wall and the bath. That may sound easy but it is not. It takes time and patience so give yourself at least two hours to complete this method.
Once all the silicone has been removed clean the wall and the bath with some white spirit and let it dry.
Only when the wall and the bath are completely dry put on the new silicone. To put it on cut the nozzle at about a 45-degree angle and apply a bead of silicone at a consistent speed so you get an equal thickness. Then run over the silicone with either a wet finger (i recommend you wear rubber gloves) or a silicone finishing tool if you have one – a bit more difficult to use but will give you a better, neater seal. I use the finishing tools below which are excellent. There are cheaper ones available. Click on the pictures below and have a look.
The crucial thing about silicone is to be very tidy, keep it clean. Wipe up any silicone you don’t want to be there, if it doesn’t look good it won’t look better when dry and you will be stuck with removing the silicone again. A little bit of care goes a long way. When doing a bath I like to do one edge at a time, usually working from left to right – short edge, long edge, short edge. make sure the edge you have just done looks good before you move on to the next edge.
Easy!
Stop Silicone Turning Black
Silicone is one of the main sealants used for sealing sanitary fittings for good reason. It seals extremely well, it’s very strong and it remains flexible for many years. It is perfect for sealing.
The only problem is it discolours, it gets attacked by mould. There are silicones that resist mould and these are the types to use in your bathroom and kitchen. The mould resistance does not work permanently so – is there a way to prevent the silicone from turning black in the first place?
Yes, there is. Just follow these simple steps and you will save yourself a lot of work.
Wipe off any soap scum or residue from the silicone around the bath.
Dry the shower area – if you dry up any wet silicone this will prevent anything growing on the silicone. Warm and damp are best for growing mould so bathrooms and kitchens are great for this. Just keeping the area dry will significantly slow down the growth.
Occasionally spray with a bleach cleaner if you see it is beginning to discolour or go black.
If your bathroom has a window or a fan make sure you use them to provide good ventilation. A lack of ventilation can be a cause of black silicone. I have vents on the bathroom window and make sure I have them open. If you have a fan make sure it is on, this will help a lot with keeping the bathroom dry.
If you follow these simple steps your silicone will last for years. I have been back to jobs the people who look after the silicone still have white silicone. The people who don’t keep the silicone soap-free and dry have black mould on the silicone within months. I always use the same brand of silicon so the difference really is down to care
It can be a real shame to go back to a bathroom that we fitted and see its rapid deterioration just because the seal has not been kept dry.
Choice of silicone.
There is a wide range of silicones available. Over the years I have used different types from £4 to £10 per tube and more. You may think that the more you pay the better the silicone will be at sealing but that is not necessarily the case. I have used various types and found that some of the cheap ones are rubbish and so are some of the expensive ones. I use a type of silicone that gives consistent results.
A few years back I started using silicone at £7 per tube (that was more than double the price of cheaper silicones at the time) and under a trusted brand it was absolute rubbish and had to go back over the jobs I used it on to replace with a tried and trusted silicone. The silicone was literally peeling off the surface so the good thing was it was easy to replace.
I have used this No-Nonsense Sanitary Sealant (https://amzn.to/2w1ATpQ) for some time and it works, gives a good seal, is very strong, is mould resistant and will last for many years if looked after. Mine is now six years old and still white.
Many of the best ways to save energy are completely free and only require some simple changes of habit. To many people, these methods may be common sense but you may be surprised.
Have a read and let people know in the comments of any other ways you may have found to save energy that I’ve missed.
Free Ways to Save Energy
Heating
Heating is probably where a lot of your energy bill goes. It’s also very useful to have in the winter but if you are like me you will have noticed it’s getting really expensive to keep your home warm in the colder months.
Here are some tips that don’t cost a penny but will make your home warmer.
1. Close Your Windows in the Winter
This is a no-brainer – a lot of people like to have a window open for some fresh air. I am with you on that. But, if it’s really cold, heating becomes the priority so shut those windows and doors or you are literally throwing pound coins out your window.
2. Keep Room Doors Closed
Keeping your doors closed throughout your house is a simple but effective way to save energy. Just doing this will help to keep all your rooms warm and cosy. You have to try it to really appreciate the difference it makes.
We loved having the doors open between rooms but once we tried closing them we have never looked back. If you like having your room doors open, this will make a big difference to you.
Close Room Doors
3. Close Curtains or Blinds at Night
Again a simple one, as soon as that sun goes down shut your curtains, blinds, or whatever covers you have for your windows. A tremendous amount of heat is lost through windows – even in modern homes.
4. Open curtains during the day
Make sure you open your curtains during the day. Even in the UK with its weak winter sun, there will be some heat to be gained through your windows.
5. Don’t Put Wet Clothes on Radiators
Radiators are designed to give out heat. Anything you put on a radiator will insulate it making it difficult to transfer the heat from the radiator to the air in your room. Give the radiator in your room some space to allow airflow.
Keeping your radiators clear will allow them to work efficiently. So, really I am not just meaning clothes here – radiators should have nothing on them.
See below for more information on drying clothes.
6. Clear Any Dust or Debri from the Radiator Fins
Radiators fins can get really filthy. The fins are at the rear of the radiator near the wall or in between the two hot parts of a double radiator. They allow the efficient transfer of heat to the air by increasing surface area. If there is dust, hair, or old socks in there, the efficiency goes down.
A small, long brush is ideal for cleaning these. The fins can be a pain to clean out but if they are full of debris it will make a difference.
Make sure the fins are clear, especially at the bottom.
7. Ensure Radiators are not Obstructed
What I mean by this is not obstructed by furniture. If you put a couch in front of a radiator it will act as an insulator reducing the amount of heat your radiator will be able to radiate into the room. Try to keep furniture away from the radiators. If your sofa has to be in front of the radiator then pull your sofa forward a bit to give it some space – 15cm (6 inches) should be enough but more is better.
Radiators need a bit of space to work correctly.
8. Make Sure Radiators are Working as They Should
Check your radiators. They should be nice and warm across the surface when they are on. There should be no cold spots. The bottom should be slightly cooler than the top but it should not be cold.
If your radiator is cold at the top there is a good chance it will need bleeding. If it’s cold at the bottom there may be a lot of sludge in there – not easy to fix this, you will need help from a professional.
Once your radiators have been bled they will work way more efficiently.
9. Only heat the rooms you are using.
Turn down the radiator thermostats in the rooms you are not using. Personally, I have the thermostats turned down to 1 so the temperature in those rooms is generally below 16 degrees C. This is plenty of heat for empty rooms, when you go lower you may have problems with condensation.
It’s good to experiment and find the temperature that works in your home where the temperature is low but free from damp and mould. Rooms you are not using should feel cooler than the rest of the house.
Cooking
Cooking can use a fair bit of energy. As with all things that use energy there are some methods you can use to make good use of that energy or trim your usage down a bit.
Hob Tips
When using pots, use the correct size for the hob. You don’t want flames licking the sides of the pot or be able to see the glowing electric rings. The base of the pot should equal the size of the ring or be larger, if possible. The more of the pot base touching the ring the better.
If it’s an induction hob this doesn’t matter as much, as the induction hob just heats the actual pot directly, but for gas and electric it makes a difference and will cut down the waste.
Always use pot lids. You will notice a huge difference in the time it takes to heat up.
Use a steamer if you have one. They allow you to cook up to three vegetables at once using just one ring on your hob. We have had ours for years and use it almost every day.
If you have a slow cooker, these use very little power and you can cook some great one-pot meals. They take a bit of planning and you want to get the correct size for your family. We have a 3.5 litre one and there are three of us. Any more in your family and I would get the next size up, especially if you have teenagers.
Another great energy saver is the pressure cooker. They have come a long way since the 80s and are much safer with a lot fewer steam noises and sounding like they might explode. These can cook a meal literally in minutes. They are especially good for soup. The large Crockpot pressure cooker shown below is also a slow cooker and steamer so may be worth thinking about if you don’t already have those.
Oven
Make sure the oven seals are good. These allow the oven to heat up and keep the heat in there.
After you have used your oven, leave the door open to let the heat out and into your home. This can give the room a boost in heat.
Washing
Enjoy a bath? A bath is quite expensive with regard to energy use. Unless your whole family is sharing a bath (which sounds disgusting now but was the norm not very long ago) you will be pouring money down the drain. I am not saying never to have a bath, just be aware that it uses way more hot water to fill a bath than to have a shower.
A shower is way more efficient, the shorter, the better.
If you enjoy a long shower you may want to cut it down a bit – 5 minutes is plenty of time for a shower, in my humble opinion – though it’s difficult to get my family to agree.
Quick maths for a shower –
I have a 10.5kW shower. If I have a 10 minute shower I will use 10/60 x 10.5= 1.75kWh
I am paying 19.4110p per kWh
So each shower cost me 0.194110 x 1.75 = 0.34, so 34 pence per shower.
That doesn’t sound like much but I have a shower just about every day, so over the year
0.34 x 365 = £124.10
That’s quite a lot of money and that is just for me there is also my wife and teenage son. So if we all have 10-minute showers every day of the year, that’s £372.30 in a year. Cut the time of the shower to 5 minutes and your bill for showers will half. Simple.
That’s it! Shower timer ordered!
Other appliances
Think about how you use appliances. There are efficient ways to use them.
Washing machine.
Everyone tells you to turn down the temperature and that’s great for lightly soiled clothing. What if you have kids or a really grubby other half?
Make sure you put in full loads. Many small loads will use way more power than one big load as well as more soap and more water. Hold back the washing till there is a pile of it ready to go if you can.
If the clothes are lightly soiled you can get away with turning down the temperature.
Ask if this clothing actually needs to be washed – it is possible to use clothes for more than one day without washing them (underwear would be an exception in my book!)
Dish Washing
If you are lucky enough to have a dishwasher then you are in luck. New dishwashers are very efficient but to reach maximum efficiency they have to be full when you switch them on. Just like the washing machine – if you use it for small loads it loses efficiency so make sure the dishwasher is full before you put it on.
If you have to rinse dishes before filling the dishwasher, use cold water.
If you don’t have a dishwasher, fill the sink with hot water, rinse with a little bit of cold water. Never leave the hot water tap running while doing the dishes, only use the hot tap for filling the sink. If you use hot water to rinse you are literally pouring money down the drain.
Kettle
A kettle uses a fair amount of energy to boil water. If you only boil what you need you will reduce the energy it takes. If you want a mug of tea, just measure the water in the mug, chuck it in the kettle, and boil it up. You will save by not boiling water you don’t need.
Standby
Anything that is plugged in should be switched off at the socket, or even better, pull out the plug when it’s not being used. Most electronic equipment will use small amounts of power to keep them on standby. Alone the amount of power is small but together it can add up very quickly and can be like having a lightbulb on 24 hours a day.
Take a moment and unplug anything that doesn’t need to be plugged in.
Fridge
A fridge is essential and it runs all day. If you keep your fridge in good order it will work well for you.
Make sure the fins at the rear of the fridge are dust-free. Unplug your fridge while working at the back to keep yourself safe.
Make sure you defrost your freezer regularly. More than 5mm of ice will greatly reduce the efficiency of the freezer, making it work harder and use more energy.
Keep the doors closed – only open the doors for a minimal time, the longer the doors are open the more cold drops out and the fridge then has to work harder.
Keep an eye on the door seals. If they are damaged they should be replaced. Poor seals will let warm air in and cold air out. This means your drudge will be working harder to keep itself cool.
Small investment to save energy
Spending even small sums of money can make a big difference to your energy bills. It’s more of an investment than just buying stuff. Most of these products will pay for themselves over time.
Heating
Boiler Service
Generally for under £100, you can get your boiler serviced. They should take a good look at your boiler, clean it out, make sure the expansion vessel is good, make sure everything is in good condition and ready to go. Getting your boiler serviced can be a real hassle, but it means that your boiler will be running as efficiently as it can and may pick up faults early before they become much larger problems.
A small investment could save you thousands in the future.
Thermostat
Most homes will have a thermostat now but for those who don’t you should really think about getting one. A wireless one is easy for a professional to fit and it will make a huge difference especially if your home is prone to get overheated or you forget to turn off the boiler before you go out.
Thermostats range in price from about £40 to about £250. Some are really fancy but ultimately they all do the same job – keep the temperature steady in your home. If you have the budget, a smart thermostat is great as you can control your heating even if you are not at home. So, if you leave it on by mistake you can switch it off.
We have the Nest Thermostat. If it does not see you in the house (if you don’t walk past it for 2 hours) it will automatically think you are out and switch off the heating.
Radiator booster
I used one of these devices for many years. It’s one of the few ideas that I think actually works. It works well for a couple of reasons – it forces air across the radiator and it helps to move air about the room.
In your home, most of the hot air is up near the ceiling. The air in your room generally doesn’t move much so all the good hot air is stuck near the ceiling. These small fan devices provide a little bit of extra movement to bring the hot air back down again.
Cut Down the Draughts
Draught Excluder
Any draughty areas need to be dealt with. A lot of draughts will come from your skirtings and floorboards. I would start there.
Check around your windows and doors. If you have PVC windows and doors they should be well sealed though sometimes the mastic/silicone may have come away from the walls and will let the wind blow straight into the house. So, if you feel draughts about the doors and windows check the outsides first.
The goal is to stop as much wind as possible from getting into your home. If the wind is getting in, it’s also getting out with a lot of your heat. Check out the price of draught excluder here.
Curtains
Invest in heavy, lined curtains. They might take up a bit of space but they will cut heat loss from the windows in your home. There is probably no better way to stop the cold from a window. Not cheap but get the heaviest curtains you can afford. They may cost a few hundred pounds (although you can pay way more) but they are well worth it.
Ikea has a good range of curtains at a reasonable cost.
Chimney Balloon
If you have a fireplace you may notice a bit of a draught. A chimney is designed to suck up smoke from the fire and that works whether you have a fire on the go or not. You want to cut down the air going up the chimney but it’s not a good idea to completely cut it off.
That’s where a chimney balloon comes in. It will fit up the chimney and greatly reduce the amount of heat lost. They work well and are not too difficult to fit. If you have the time you could make something similar yourself.
Clothes drying can be a big problem. If you live in a flat and the outside space is limited it can be difficult to find a space to hang your clothes. Here are a few ideas.
A pulley (Clothes Airer)
A clothes pulley is the ultimate clothes drying device. It is one of the most eco-friendly ways to dry your clothes. If you set it up correctly your clothes should be dry overnight.
In the olden days, the pulley was put in the kitchen. The kitchen used to be the warmest room and so your clothes would dry faster there. Now with central heating that has changed.
Glasgow tenement houses have high ceilings which means your laundry is well out the way, In modern houses, there is only 2.4m to play with so the location of the pulley has to be chosen carefully so you are not walking through your laundry.
If you have the space a pulley is a great investment.
I have included a fancy new one below but the basic ones are great and very little to go wrong with them. We use a 6 lath pulley which is ample for a family of four.
Clothes horse
If you don’t have the space for a pulley then the next best thing would be a clothes horse. They can be set up anywhere you have floor space. Clothes won’t dry as quickly as on a pulley as most of the room warmth is up at the ceiling. But the advantage is you can choose to place it anywhere you like in your home or even outside on warm days.
Whirligig (Rotary Washing Line)
Without a doubt, the best place to dry clothes is outside. When the weather is better and you have some outside space then a whirligig or rotary washing line is the way to go. These dryers use up very little space and will hold a lot of laundry. They can be used for a long time even in Scotland – we use ours for about 6 or 7 months depending on the weather.
Check out the prices of whirligigs here. Don’t forget a ground spike for fitting. Best to cement them in but a ground spike will do the job till you do.
A Length of Rope (Washing Line)
Really, all that is required to dry clothes is somewhere you can hang them. A simple piece of string or rope will do the job. You can usually find two points to tie a rope between. Once you have done that you have a drying area. This is by far the cheapest and the easiest option.
For us, the best setup is a pulley for use in the winter and dry outside in the spring, summer and autumn.
Don’t forget you will also need some poles to hold up the line. Wet clothes are quite heavy.
Condensation Problems
Clothes drying gives off a lot of moisture. We would notice high humidity levels when drying clothes, especially in the winter when you really don’t want to open the windows. We managed to sort this by buying a dehumidifier. We bought a few cheap ones but they never really worked. So, we bit the bullet and bought a proper dehumidifier.
This works amazingly well, put it in a moist room for a day and you will notice a difference. We tend to have it under our pulley to absorb any water from wet clothes. It works incredibly well, clothes can be dry in just a few hours. Well worth looking into if you are having humidity problems in your home.
This is the one we use and it works very well for us.
Kettle
For the mere cost of £55 (at time of writing) you could get a more efficient kettle. Let me say that putting only the water you require into an ordinary kettle works very well. This option is for the lazy people, like me, who can’t be bothered to do that.
There are a few kettles on the market that only heat the water you require. We use a Breville HotCup kettle that only boils one cup at a time. We have been using this for years and it works very well for us. We have found it to be very reliable and it allows you to do other things while it pours out the hot water straight into your waiting mug. Perfect.
Lighting
Lighting is an obvious way to save money. Most of us will have LED light bulbs. They use about 1/10th the energy of the old filament light bulbs and about half the power of CFL bulbs.
If you have CFL or filament bulbs and they are used a lot you should definitely change those. For bulbs that are rarely used – in cupboards or unused rooms, I wouldn’t worry too much and change those when you can.
The bulbs that sneak past us are the halogen spot lights. These are generally flush lights that are sunk into the ceiling. The old halogens are usually from 35 to 50W per bulb. The new LEDs with similar brightness are about 5W, this means you can run 10 LED bulbs for the same cost as one halogen.
Usually, halogen lights are in the kitchen or bathroom and sometimes in other rooms too. Well worth changing these over especially in a well-used room like the kitchen.
Usually, they cost about £3 each – if you are changing from halogen I would get the warm white bulbs – this is closer to the halogen light. The cool white bulbs can be a bit blue. Have a look at LED Lightbulbs here.
If you have made it all the way to the bottom, I hope this has given you some ideas on how to save energy.
If I have missed anything or if there are some good ideas you would like to share to help out other people then leave a comment below.
A handyman can often be a very cost-effective choice for getting work done in your home, especially if you require more than one trade. Having only one person rather than a crew working in your home can relieve a lot of stress.
If you require any home maintenance a handyman may be the best person to contact. I have many customers who will contact me for various small jobs. Small jobs are usually associated with the word Handyman.
These would be things like
Fixing a sticking door,
Putting up a large mirror,
Plastering some holes in a wall
Fixing floor tiles
Changing difficult to access bulbs
Replacing a broken light switch
Straightening up and servicing the doors in a fitted kitchen
Fixing a dripping tap
Changing door handles
Fitting a lock
Replacing glass in a window
Minor electrical repairs
Painting
The list goes on and on.
There really are hundreds of little jobs a handyman can do.
Most of these jobs would be associated with handyman services, most large companies and specialist contractors would not come to your home to do such little jobs. Contractors tend to stick to their niches and are generally very good at what they do. They are not set up to do tiny jobs and it would cost them and therefore you a fortune before work has even begun. Contractors are great for larger specialised work, like roofing for instance or render work, landscaping or drainage work. Contractors are the guys for this type of work that requires a lot of very expensive specialised machinery and skills.
A handyman is usually just one man. He may have extra help he can call upon if required but generally just one guy. That is how I operate. I am one person. I go and see a job, I price the job and I do the job. My work is made up of a lot of small jobs but also larger jobs like fitting kitchens and bathrooms. Each handyman will have a wide range of skills to pull from and be able to do a multitude of different jobs. If you don’t have the skills for a particular job then they will pull in someone with the skills for that aspect of the job. This is a bit of an overlap between contractors and handymen.
Why Become a Handyman?
I find it hard to do the same type of work every day. I enjoy painting and decorating, joinery, plumbing, tiling, plastering, fitting bathrooms, fitting kitchens. I enjoy all of this just not every day.
I love the challenge of different things every day, or almost every day.
The benefit for the customer is that they only have one person to deal with. If you need some plumbing work done as well as some painting and decorating and you need a canopy fitted above your front door then you only have to deal with one person. There is only one person doing the work, one person going through your home, one person responsible for doing a good job, one person to pay.
Now there are some handymen out there who are not quite as handy as you would expect. For that reason, it is good to get a recommendation from a friend or neighbour and try them out. Start with something small before you let your new found handyman renovate your whole home.
Handymen can have very different skill levels and experience.
Trust is very important and this is another advantage of handyman over a contractor. The contractor that you have round at your home to price the work may not be the person who will be managing that job and you will have unknown people around your home. It takes a long time to build trust and most of my customers whom I have known for a long time are happy to go on holiday while I decorate their home or renovate a particular part such as the kitchen or bathroom.
I have been in many homes where a particular contractor has been in to do a job and left an almighty mess to be repaired by someone else. The other advantage of a handyman is that they can generally complete the job to a good finish. So if there is work to be done and some plasterwork or joinery is required to finish this can be dealt with by a competent handyman.
Handyman Skills
Most handymen will have a lot of skills. I have listed a few here to give you an idea of what to expect from your handyman. Obviously, all handymen are not going to have all these skills but they will certainly have a few and may even surprise you. They should be able to do many of the following;
TV wall mounting and cable concealment
Blinds and curtains fitting
Fitting flooring of various materials – wood, vinyl, carpets, tiles
Pictures and mirrors hanging
Shelf fitting
Bespoke shelving
Bath and shower screen fitting
Bathroom Tiling
Shower repair and replacement
Ceiling fan installation
Toilet seats fitting
Fitting worktops
Cat flaps fitting
Wall painting
Paint stripping
Cabinet painting
Clothes pulley fitting
Electrical faults finding
Switches, sockets and transformers installation
Dimmer switch replacement
Light fitting repair & replacement
Investigate and repair lighting faults
Security lights fitting and replacement
Sinks and basins fitting and replacement
Plumbing repairs and installation
Leak diagnosis and repair
Drain unblocking and servicing
Toilet installation and repairs
Furniture assembly
Kitchen fitting
Worktop oiling
Wall panelling
Tap repair and replacement
Full kitchen refit
Full bathroom refit
Floor Tiling
Plastering
Move radiators
Replace radiators
And these are just a few of the jobs that can be carried out by a handyman, I have not even mentioned exterior work. There is pretty much no limit to the jobs, just a limit to the skills of each particular handyman and what is possible within the law. Most of the jobs above can be carried out by a good handyman.
The best way to find out if a handyman can help you is just to ask. Generally, they will be honest about their skills and will let you know if they can do the job for you. If they can’t then try another.
A Handyman will have been building up a skill set over a number of years and they can have a particular trade but have branched out into doing more trades becoming competent in many.
When you find a good reliable, trustworthy, super skilled handyman don’t let him go!
The Cost of a Handyman
In the UK, at least, a handyman has a bit of an image of being cheap labour. I would say that this is slowly changing and with good reason. One of the main things about a handyman and the reason you will be looking for one is that they are multi-skilled. As a result of that, a handyman usually carries the tools for doing a lot of different trades.
For instance, I have plumbing tools and parts, all sorts of joinery and woodworking tools, tiling equipment, floor laying tools, electrical tools, painting and decorating tools, I also have tools for electronics equipment. These do not come cheap and have been built up over many years. Tools have to be replaced every so often and all this adds up.
Some simple jobs that I turn up to do can seem very easy to do but I can get them done quickly and do them well due to the number of tools I have. I may have well over £1000 worth of tools on site just to do a small 2-hour job. This has to be built into the price of a handyman. Some people may find me expensive but if you bring in several contractors to do the same job it will cost more and you will have to manage the different trades and make sure they turn up in the sequence of when they are required.
So when I turn up to do a two-hour job you get my skills, experience, the hire of around £1000 worth of tools for the sum of £76 (in 2018 – may increase over time). I would say that was a good deal. Every person has their own view of this though and it’s up to you as the customer to decide if the service offered holds any value for you.
How to Choose a Handyman
When you get any tradesman in your house it is important that you feel comfortable with the person. If you don’t then choose someone else.
A good handyman should have a wide range of skills and be competent in the skills he advertises. As mentioned already if you know where he has worked before or a friend has recommended him to you (or her – there are a few handywomen out there which is great to see) that is a good way to find out how good that person is at their job. You will also be able to find out if they are conscientious workers and keep the place tidy when working and clean up after themselves once they have finished a job. This can make a big difference to you if you are living through some of the larger jobs.
Finally, the handyman you choose should also have some insurance – public liability insurance. Just in case a job doesn’t go the way it should. Fortunately, I have never had to use mine but I always make sure I am covered.
Payment of a Handyman
Each person/company will have their own prefered way to arrange payment. Some people like some money up front to pay for the materials, some like instalments as the job progresses. The way I operate is to get paid at the end of the job once the customer is satisfied and happy with the finish. Usually, the customer will buy the things they want to be fitted like a shower screen, bathroom suite, kitchen etc. I will pick up all the materials required for the actual fitting of the items and charge to the customer at the end.
I will always give an estimate for the labour and materials for every job no matter how small. This way I know how much I will get paid and the customer will know how much the job will be. This takes a lot of stress out of hiring someone and for me working with someone.
If you agree on a price with a tradesman or handyman you have made an agreement with that person and should always pay the agreed price. If the agreed price has to change then an additional agreement should be made for the difference.
Most people will offer their best price but mistakes can be made.
In Conclusion
If the work you are needing to be done is quite a lot and concentrated in one trade such as rewiring a house, fitting a heating system, getting a large amount of rot treated, you may be better getting in the contractors to deal with this. If you have a lot of smaller to medium size jobs then a handyman, depending on his skill level, of course, could tackle those for you no problem. A good handyman will always let you know if the job you need doing is too much for him. If you can’t find a recommended handyman then give the guy a try with a few little jobs first before you move on to the bigger stuff.
Whatever you decide just remember that your house will be getting improved and when your chosen handyman leaves your home will be a little better for you and your family.
