What would you do?

[Buckman]

Actually there are two questions. You are having a shower at home and are nicely lathered up and the power fails and no more water from the shower. You still have running water in the bathroom basin and a choice of hot and cold water. What would you do?

The power goes off and your heating depends on having electric i.e. heat pump. Would you close all the doors of the rooms in your house to conserve any heat bearing in mind you are using the lounge area and will be in it for the next couple of hours depending on the length of the power cut or should you leave all the doors open?

First scenario happened to our neighbours and she needed to use water from the bathroom basin. Guess there is no other way to wash off the soap lather. Second scenario has happened to us a few times and always been unsure of what to do to conserve the heat as long as possible without having to use the gas heater.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Even if you have gas fired central heating yiu will still need electricity to power tge circulatory pump and the boiler controls and thermostat.

As for your questions
1. Hot water from the basin.
2. Definitely shut all the doors.

I have a gas cooker in the kitchen (where else) and a gas fire in the lounge! Along with an old 12v leisure battery and a 12v LED strip light for the inevitable power cuts dear Mr Millipedes actions will inflict on us all shortly.

 

[otherclive]

Same as Plodd.

We can shower from the hot water tank without electricity. But our normal shower requires a monsoon pump so no electricity no pump.

We have a gas cooker that can be lit using camping igniters. Gas fire in lounge uses battery ignition. Lighting, we have three LED lanterns that are always charged and several torches in key spots.

 

[Buckman]

Even if you have gas fired central heating yiu will still need electricity to power tge circulatory pump and the boiler controls and thermostat.

As for your questions
1. Hot water from the basin.
2. Definitely shut all the doors.

I have a gas cooker in the kitchen (where else) and a gas fire in the lounge! Along with an old 12v leisure battery and a 12v LED strip light for the inevitable power cuts dear Mr Millipedes actions will inflict on us all shortly.

Thanks I thought as much, but unsure. We also have a gas camping stove and gas lamps plus a 12v AGM battery so at least we can stream some TV.

 

[borderbilly]

Go to the pub 👍

 

[Buckman]

Go to the pub 👍

Pub will be closed because of no power! Same with supermarkets etc.

 

[borderbilly]

Pub will be closed because of no power! Same with supermarkets etc.

Bottled beer and nips with candle light.

 

[otherclive]

Pub will be closed because of no power! Same with supermarkets etc.

Shows just how far as a nation we have slipped in our resilience to adversity. When I lived in Cardiff there were regular power outages caused by the miners strikes, and our place of refuge was the local pub. Beer on tap, bottled beer, candles and oil lamps and a coal burner, or sometimes a Calor free standing heater. Very sociable and cosy.

 

[RogerL]

Shows just how far as a nation we have slipped in our resilience to adversity. When I lived in Cardiff there were regular power outages caused by the miners strikes, and our place of refuge was the local pub. Beer on tap, bottled beer, candles and oil lamps and a coal burner, or sometimes a Calor free standing heater. Very sociable and cosy.

In the olden days, until 2013 in our case, we'd just decamp to the caravan parked on the drive - the heaters of our two previous caravans warmed it up very quickly but the Alde in our present caravan takes hours to warm up - in a power cut situation we would be using LPG so would be quicker I suppose.

Although our gas central heating is dependent on electricity for the pump and boiler controls, we do have a gas fire in the lounge so at least a central point for getting warm.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Although our gas central heating is dependent on electricity for the pump and boiler controls, we do have a gas fire in the lounge so at least a central point for getting warm.

Most, if not all, of our neighbours have removed the gas fires I their lounges. That seems somewhat daft to me as, if it gets a bit chilly on an evening, we can just have the fire on whilst our neighbours have only one option, and thats to turn the central heating on. That probably explains why my energy bills are about 50% of theirs.

 

[otherclive]

Most, if not all, of our neighbours have removed the gas fires I their lounges. That seems somewhat daft to me as, if it gets a bit chilly on an evening, we can just have the fire on whilst our neighbours have only one option, and thats to turn the central heating on. That probably explains why my energy bills are about 50% of theirs.

Neighbours could always turn their TRVs down or off. We use them just like switches for electric radiators.

 

[Hutch]

Pub will be closed because of no power! Same with supermarkets etc.

My local would stay open as would most rural pubs using LED lanterns and candles. If the power for the tills is down , my local landlord will just run me a tab as normal.

 

[Buckman]

Shows just how far as a nation we have slipped in our resilience to adversity. When I lived in Cardiff there were regular power outages caused by the miners strikes, and our place of refuge was the local pub. Beer on tap, bottled beer, candles and oil lamps and a coal burner, or sometimes a Calor free standing heater. Very sociable and cosy.

They cannot take card payments and in many cases cannot take cash as the till is not working and unable to do the maths for the correct prices and change!

 

[otherclive]

They cannot take card payments and in many cases cannot take cash as the till is not working and unable to do the maths for the correct prices and change!

What’s cash? I spent many a happy year just buying drinks food and service on chits, and writing a cheque at the end of the month. 😂

 

[Buckman]

What’s cash? I spent many a happy year just buying drinks food and service on chits, and writing a cheque at the end of the month. 😂

I used to do that in SA as was a regular in a local, but never done it in the UK. Only done it once at a local near us, but change of LL meant we have not been into the pub for a couple of years plus we are no longer regulars at any pub in our vicinity. Around our area no pub will take a cheque and have not for a few years for good reason.

 

[borderbilly]

What's a card?

 

[Buckman]

What's a card?

Probably one that some of us will not be getting at Christmas!

 

[Hutch]

Actually there are two questions. You are having a shower at home and are nicely lathered up and the power fails and no more water from the shower. You still have running water in the bathroom basin and a choice of hot and cold water. What would you do?

The power goes off and your heating depends on having electric i.e. heat pump. Would you close all the doors of the rooms in your house to conserve any heat bearing in mind you are using the lounge area and will be in it for the next couple of hours depending on the length of the power cut or should you leave all the doors open?

First scenario happened to our neighbours and she needed to use water from the bathroom basin. Guess there is no other way to wash off the soap lather. Second scenario has happened to us a few times and always been unsure of what to do to conserve the heat as long as possible without having to use the gas heater.

Getting back to your question, rinse down from the sink, In my case Water is mains powered so the showers will still work.
Close the doors from the lounge to conserve heat. Leave the others open. It takes a good 4 hours for our house to drop from 21c down to 19c.

 

[Buckman]

Getting back to your question, rinse down from the sink, In my case Water is mains powered so the showers will still work.
Close the doors from the lounge to conserve heat. Leave the others open. It takes a good 4 hours for our house to drop from 21c down to 19c.

As a matter of interest, if the power cut is widespread, could it affect the supply of water to residences as pumps may not work? However I think it would definitely affect sewage pumping stations.

 

[otherclive]

As a matter of interest, if the power cut is widespread, could it affect the supply of water to residences as pumps may not work? However I think it would definitely affect sewage pumping stations.

The one near us has a diesel generator set on site. Never had a problem with water supply during any power outage.

 

[Mel]

Close the doors from the lounge to conserve heat. Leave the others open. It takes a good 4 hours for our house to drop from 21c down to 19c.

We live in a 1930s Bungalow with solid ( non cavity) walls. Temperature drops from 21c to 19 c in about 4 minutes. 🥶
I agree, close doors, break out the jumpers. We have a gas fire in the lounge.

Mel

 

[Sam Vimes]

There are too many unknowns in your scenarios but for us......


1. There'd be enough pressure in the water system for me to finish showering. It's not an electric shower.

2. Virtually no doors to close and our heating source is just a log burner. Carry on feeding it as normal and it heats the whole house. Ventilation system wouldn't circulate the heat but natural convection currents and high levels of insulation would keep the temperature up for a long while.

 

[Gafferbill]

1. Walk from ensuite shower to gravity shower in the bathroom and finish shower.
2. Turn on gas fire in living room, ignited and controlled by 9volt battery and battery powered remote.

 

[GUMPY]

Smug here:
1: I would just carry on, as unless the water pressure drops there would be no difference.
In the days of the electric shower (before solar) I would just have gone to the other shower room and carried on as that was gravity fed.

2: We keep all doors shut all the time anyway as it keeps the house warmer overall. Also we have a gas fire in the lounge.

The only reason I would notice a power cut is that the eWeLink server would send me a message telling me it has lost connection with the immersion heater. 🧐

 

[volts]

Get a battery system set up