OneGuyFromBarlick

Good luck with it Wendy! Good day for it.....

Wendyf wrote: ↑02 Feb 2026, 08:31 It's cold, wet drizzle here. I have got a man in to sort out my drain issue, I hope he can get it sorted, I'm fed up with water streaming down the yard!

Still, Wendy. Thats a long standing problem.

Roof work all done by lunchtime. Being a 60 year old bungalow it was a small chimney and only a small patch of roof. Whilst I was out Bob removed the old wood burner and chimney liner and after lunch he hoovered up all the dust and dirt. I then steam cleaned the fireplace and hard floors where said fire and chimney liner were carried through the house. We are all set now for the delivery of the new fire tomorrow. David, the roofer, said the chimney was made with the wrong bricks and were porous accounting for the damp, which we think was as old as the house. The original owners had covered the fireplace with pine boarding, when we removed it we found a damp patch, which we dried out. The fireplace has had many appearances since , including floor to ceiling brick facing but it is the latest one, of wallpaper that has shown up the damp patch again.

Hopefully the problem is now resolved . Like I hope Wendys problem is also resolved today.

Wendyf wrote: ↑02 Feb 2026, 08:31 It's cold, wet drizzle here. I have got a man in to sort out my drain issue, I hope he can get it sorted, I'm fed up with water streaming down the yard!

I hope he gets to the bottom of it.

I look forward to Wendy's report. (And have my fingers crossed! )
I shall be in the shed early doors doing useful things. I can see the need for a shopping trip looming.... We are in for a cold windy day. I shall make decisions later on.

Today I started on making the steam valve. After fettling on the grindstone I made sure that the milling cutter on the VM was sharp. I shall do the same with the 1/4" cutter tomorrow but right now I am focussed on breakfast.

It's not a quick job, there is a long trench to hand dig through stony ground. The water is now going into the drain below the pond but the trench for a new drain back to where the water is rising is only half way there. I'll report back when it's done!

But that means the end is in sight, It's just a matter of time. You must feel better about that Wendy.......

Morning

That sounds an arduous job Wendy, but hopefully it will solve the problem permanently

I have few plans for the day. We are awaiting delivery of the new fire. If it comes early enough we may go and look at wallpaper. Otherwise I think we will be wallpaper stripping or I will be doorframe painting in the central hallway. Pilates and yoga this evening. Have a good day all

Morning Sue! I hope your delivery works out. I have sorted out the mistakes Everest have made in the Well takeover.... and had a short walk round the Town Square in the process. Very glad to be back inside in the warm.....

Stanley wrote: ↑03 Feb 2026, 11:16 I have sorted out the mistakes Everest have made in the Well takeover.... and had a short walk round the Town Square in the process. Very glad to be back inside in the warm.....

Is the takeover not going well? I know what you mean about getting back in the warm, it's a tad chilly out.

Stanley wrote: ↑03 Feb 2026, 11:16 Morning Sue! I hope your delivery works out. I have sorted out the mistakes Everest have made in the Well takeover.... and had a short walk round the Town Square in the process. Very glad to be back inside in the warm.....

And we have bought wall paper. What a price that was for the two rooms

I have an electric one in the dining room, comes in very handy when the central heating is being serviced.

Big Kev wrote: ↑03 Feb 2026, 14:31 I have an electric one in the dining room, comes in very handy when the central heating is being serviced.

Yes thats what we think. The multi fuel burner was very efficient but messy to keep clean, not instantaneous heat and often got far too warm. Smokeless fuel lacked a warm glow too. I think we will be happy with this

Sue wrote: ↑03 Feb 2026, 15:52

Big Kev wrote: ↑03 Feb 2026, 14:31 I have an electric one in the dining room, comes in very handy when the central heating is being serviced.

Yes thats what we think. The multi fuel burner was very efficient but messy to keep clean, not instantaneous heat and often got far too warm. Smokeless fuel lacked a warm glow too. I think we will be happy with this

It gives a feeling of warmth with just the lights on

We had a solid fuel stove at the previous house, it was a great feature but I know what you mean about the mess.

Sue wrote: ↑03 Feb 2026, 15:52

Big Kev wrote: ↑03 Feb 2026, 14:31 I have an electric one in the dining room, comes in very handy when the central heating is being serviced.

Yes thats what we think. The multi fuel burner was very efficient but messy to keep clean, not instantaneous heat and often got far too warm. Smokeless fuel lacked a warm glow too. I think we will be happy with this

We had a multi fuel burner in our previous house, and it was very messy to keep clean, we have an electric one now in our lounge and much easier to deal with.

The light is flickering away this evening but no heater on,the central heating is on. it makes us feel warm just looking at it.

There is one advantage to having the multi-fuel stove though..... If ever the electricity goes down you can heat and cook. Don't forget CH needs leccy as well as gas. I know I can be seen to be pessimistic but I can remember the power cuts we had to deal with. They could happen again.
I shall be in the shed for my hour of Occupational Therapy early doors this morning. I'm nearing the point when I will have to go veggie shopping but not today....No sign of snow and ice out there yet but it's cold and will remain so all day. I think I may be staying close to home.
Later.... I have looked in the shed and it's too cold for little lads! I have opted for early breakfast and second sleep rather than punishment....

Stanley wrote: ↑04 Feb 2026, 01:45 There is one advantage to having the multi-fuel stove though..... If ever the electricity goes down you can heat and cook. Don't forget CH needs leccy as well as gas. I know I can be seen to be pessimistic but I can remember the power cuts we had to deal with. They could happen again.....

Morning
Yes we have weighed all of that up Stanley. Our old fire needed replacing as it doesn’t meet modern standards, the chimney liner we discover had rusted through and more important we had damp on the chimney breast. In the case of a power cut we shall use candles, we cook by gas as well as electric so can still have a brew and if necessary sit in the kitchen. The house is well insulated, so much so that apart from when it is very cold the heating barely rumbles in the background. We shall cope. We have just had notification that multi fuel stoves are going to be banned in France from 2026 in certain regions. Though how they will check on that is beyond me as it is the main form of heating in old properties . I would think similar legislation will probably come in here too So those power cuts may be a reality when we all totally depend on electricity. BUT there is no doubt we need to do something to try and control climate change.

This morning I will go swimming whilst Bob paints the ceiling of the small central hallway. I can then finish the three doorways in there, one being the one into the lounge ( there are 8 in total leading to all the main rooms of the house) the wallpaper does not need changing in there so that will be another room done. This afternoon I am sewing with Maxine and this evening I have zoom pilates. I am sure we will both be stripping wallpaper too in the lounge.

Its due to be 3 to 4 degrees and cloudy. I am not sure how we have a snow and ice warning for what seems to be a cloudy damp day. Have a good day all

"I am not sure how we have a snow and ice warning for what seems to be a cloudy damp day."
Morning Sue! I was thinking exactly the same thing. Despite it being officially sunrise, it is still dark as well.
Going back to bed instead of the shed was a smart move. I have clocked another four hours of good sleep.
On with the day!

Stanley wrote: ↑04 Feb 2026, 07:51 "I am not sure how we have a snow and ice warning for what seems to be a cloudy damp day."
Morning Sue! I was thinking exactly the same thing. Despite it being officially sunrise, it is still dark as well.
Going back to bed instead of the shed was a smart move. I have clocked another four hours of good sleep.
On with the day!

It was light here this morning Stanley but we woke a little later again. Wallpaper off shows the extent of the damp but just round the chimney breast. Treatment needed

Marvellous how fast it clears up once the structure dries..... In my experience it takes a summer to do a good job of that....

Stanley wrote: ↑04 Feb 2026, 11:27 Marvellous how fast it clears up once the structure dries..... In my experience it takes a summer to do a good job of that....

Thats what we did last summer, we didn’t bank on it coming back over the winter, though we didn’t realise then what had caused it.

It'll stay away this time Sue....

Good old Cilit Bang

I shall definitely be in the shed early doors. I need to clean up, the shed is a disgrace.
Looking at the weather forecast, veggie shopping can wait until tomorrow....