Cooking range owners - what's your idle temperature?

[Tom]

Hi Flyfisher

Well after the drama with my poor little duck, who unfortunately died, I ended up in hospital at 4.30am with cardiac problems!! :shock: And I'm not THAT old :? So, now I'm signed off work and supposed to be resting with no stress....hmm :roll:

Anyway, my recent gas bill has come in at £334.11 for 2 Feb to 4 July, this year. The bill for the same quarter last year was £186.54, so quite a big difference :shock: I've now had a new thermostatic gas tap kit fitted and my Rayburn is now running at 110c / 230f, which is better than the 150c / 300f it had shot up to.

I hope this helps you.

Jaqy

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Oh dear Jaqy. :shock:

Make sure you take it easy for a bit, and don't over do it at all. Best wishes from all of us here...

 

[Tom]

FamilyWiggs, that's so kind of you, thank you I'm going back for another ECG on Friday and, hopefully, everything will be ok. It was quite a shock and rather worrying......I'm only 46! I'll let you know how I get on. Thanks again.

Jaqy

 

[skier-hughes]

Stress can be a big heart problem, you'll probably find getting a good rest, realigning timescales and slowly working on projects to completion will be a good cure.
I spent a few months being tested, with daily recording machines strapped to me, only to be told it was stress, but I was getting married, moving house and selling my businesses all at the same time... 6 weeks in Australia did me the world of good

 

[Flyfisher]

Hi Jaqy,
Thanks for that info; yes, quite an increase over the previous year, although gas prices have also risen as well. Seems that the new gas tap kit is doing its job in reducing the idle temperature - it would be interesting, in due course, to know how much gas this saves.

Meanwhile, very best wishes with your enforced 'rest and relaxation' regime; such things have a tendency to highlight the really important things in our lives compared with a bit of damp or a leaking gutter. All the best.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Flyfisher. I'm certainly trying to not stress over things and slow my pace down just a little but a week of 'taking it easy' has left me bored!!! :roll: But it has made me re-evaluate things. I think I'm back to being fighting fit but I'm just going to not stress so much

Meanwhile, the new gas tap kit is keeping the Rayburn running much cooler, so the savings in gas should be very obvious on the next bill 8) Since this happened, I've also taken out an annual service plan which covers the gas tap kit should this fail again

Jaqy

 

[Penners]

Jaqy - I'm so sorry to hear of your problems. As others have said, do try to take life at a relaxed pace.

But I reckon that boredom can be stressful, too, so a nice measured programme of moderate activity sounds like the ticket.

Although it's possible that your doctor might know slightly more about this than I. :wink:

 

[Tom]

Penners, thank you for your kind words. I'm feeling a lot better now, in fact I'm probably back to 100% I have to go for another ECG in a month's time but, hopefully, everything will be fine.

The house, in the meantime is coming on leaps and bounds! Most of the stonework on the exterior is done now and the chimney stack, which horrified me before, now looks like there's not much wrong with it at all. And that was just after a good rake out, replacing a few stones that were seriously past their best and a good repointing. It's looking terrific, though I do say so myself

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the top part of the stack (above the gutter line) will be reinstated this year, as planned. Time is already marching on and I really need to get the rest of the external pointing done first, as well as the slabs down around the house. Still, we have the stone here waiting so I can look forward to that being done next year

When I get some time, I'll post a couple of before and afters of the stack

Jaqy

 

[Penners]

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the top part of the stack (above the gutter line) will be reinstated this year

Sorry if this is bleedin' obvious, but do keep in mind that a falling chimney stack can do a whole lot of no good to a roof. I'm sure I'm being alarmist, but don't put it off too long. Winter winds and all that...

 

[Tom]

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the top part of the stack (above the gutter line) will be reinstated this year

Sorry if this is bleedin' obvious, but do keep in mind that a falling chimney stack can do a whole lot of no good to a roof. I'm sure I'm being alarmist, but don't put it off too long. Winter winds and all that...

No, this isn't like that. The stack is external and it was chopped down to gutter level in the 1960s, when all the rest of the damage was done. It's currently got a 'roof' on it, which is a continuation of the main roof. Our intention is to reinstate the top missing portion to have a lovely grand stack

Here's an old pic of it

And here's a newer pic.......although it's even better now

 

[Tom]

And here's a picture from today

 

[philpjuk100]

Amazing! I would not have given it a second glance in the before pic,phil.

 

[Cloudscape]

That's quite some chimney. What's the interesting looking bit on the nearest corner - the section with the brick slope?

 

[Tom]

That's quite some chimney. What's the interesting looking bit on the nearest corner - the section with the brick slope?

It's just a buttress...nothing more interesting, I'm afraid. The bricks on both sides of it have spalled quite badly, due to the curse of cement render, so will be lime rendered eventually.

Jaqy