thunderhorse

[quote user="Humph"]Thinking of installing  oil heating. Anyone know the current price per litre.[/quote] It can vary a lot. Why not phone your local supplier? We've gone back to wood. The old oil system wasn't viable, wood is far cheaper for our needs, and we don't want holding hostage by the oil market year on year.

Luxury. When we were no'but bairns we lived in a cardboard box in hole in t'road!

At about 6kg each there can't be much substance to them.

Plenty of these items ten-a-penny at vide-greniers. But clearly the woman was brain-dead to think she could take it on an a/c.

Hi, Jayne. What do you mean by qualified gardener? Are you looking for the same line of work where you are using those qualifications, or do you just want gardening work? Some of my friends out here are looking after the land of empty properties and gites etc., but it's probably not what one might call qualified gardening. Could you elaborate on just what you're looking for, and where? Bound to be some ideas crop up. PS - have you tried posting this in the gardening section as well?

[quote user="woody234"]... whats an old  eiderdown[/quote] Google is your friend!

There's a scented shrub mimosa here.

It looks like a type of mimosa - ours are about to flower again, but they are young trees put in this year.

[quote user="Russethouse"]I thought caps were SHOUTING ?[/quote] They are. That's why I said that it was akin to shouting. [:P]

@valB - don't mind me asking, but why do you keep posting in bold? It's akin to shouting. [:P]

[quote user="DorothyJ"]If the weather holds this week we shall attack the offending stumps with bow saw,spade and renewed energy. We would prefer the tractor method but it would flatten our fruit trees as the hedge isn't on the edge of the property but divides the kitchen garden from the orchard area. It may be possible to get the tractor in a safe position but I'm not taking any chances with our friendly farmer! Thanks for all the help[/quote] If they can flatten something or make deep ruts, they will! [B]

[quote user="valB"]Cheap skates  !!!!  Should have gone to Comet.[/quote] Or eBay.

[quote user="Jill"]But the other thing which concerns me is that French electricity always looks really dodgy.  Plugs always look like they are falling out of the sockets.  Also, when we were camping a few weeks ago, the kettle blew the fuse on the electric hook up.  Are British electrical goods more powerful?[/quote] Dodgy electrics are bad news anywhere. Old French electrics can involve a lot of head-scratching, but any doubts, have the system checked out. And British electrical goods aren't more powerful - 2 kilowatt is 2 kilowatt is 2 kilowatt. On 240 volts (nominal UK) that will draw 8 amps - French 230 volts it will still draw under 9 amps. So the difference in real terms is negligible. A combi oven/microwave may be the way to go.

[quote user="DorothyJ"]... but think creosote is now banned...[/quote] We bought 5 litres last year, no problem. Why won't you ask a local with a tractor to pull them out? That's where the rapid and pain-free answer lies.

Both excellent! [B]

[quote user="woody234"]... is it a good idea to get a timer for the boiler and set it to switch on over night when electric is cheaper...[/quote] What do you think? It's a no-brainer. If you are on the same rate 24 hours, then it's irrelevant. If you subscribe to heures creuse, then you can fit a contacteur jour/nuit (specifically for the boiler). [quote]...but how long does a water boiler keep water hot for from when it is switched off ie  3 hours or 6 hours...[/quote] Ours once went off by mistake (i.e. forgot to switch it on again) and as we didn't use much water it started to run cool after two days. It also depends on the quality of boiler and lagging. It's like the length of a piece of string. [:P] [quote] ...and can you get outdoor timers since the boiler is in the cold cellar[/quote] Is your cellar outdoors? A cold cellar shouldn't affect a timer,  particularly since you don't have to put the timer in a cold cellar anyway. Normally the timer goes in your main fuse box. You only run the cable into the cellar.

Oh, the irony! [:D]

Well, you get a local farmer with his tractor, and he throws a chain around the stumps, and yuks. If they are too big and deep, then you may need a bigger machine and grub them out. If time is no problem, then try a stump-rotting product...

If ever I get to look like that, you can put me down. [:P]

[quote user="TefkaC"]Hello, we seem to have bumble bees nesting in the wall of the house. I have seen them coming and going for a few weeks, they enter and leave through a small hole in the mortar. Can anyone advise what options we have.   Thanks   Charlie P.S move is not on the agenda![:(] [/quote] Are you sure they are bumble bees? Normally the wall-nesters (and ground) are miner bees. Solitary with a small brood, they do no harm to the wall or clay, and either the male or female can't sting, and the other stings only when squeezed... Just leave alone - they don't develop big hives like honey bees.

£35k per person per account, and, yes, only once per organisation, so it pays to spread it around with care.

Are you anywhere near/in Melleran perchance? The only one I've got from the vide-greniers is the same English guy at Chaunay. Cheers

Modern storage heaters tend to be ceramic. Sounds like he's quoting for oil-filled, which should be substantially cheaper.

I don't know any more about the fire than you, unfortunately. I discovered the counter-weights when I dismantled the metal box chimney breast. Undoing the levers at the bottom allows the bottom of the door (closed) to be pulled out a little and then it lifts up almost verticallyinto the chimney breast. If you've a traditional stone chimney breast - or only a flue pipe - then the foregoing may not apply.

It's identical to the one we've just inherited in February. The lever top right is a damper and moves a metal plate in the top of the fire. It's probably gunged up. Position shown is drawing... Pull out and down to dampen. I started this thread a few days ago. Your door doesn't seem to have a fibreglass seal either to seal the door edge against the flat surround of the insert casing. Brico-Depot supply them flat at 15mm for a few Euros, but last week in Angouleme they'd sold out... Hope that helps. PS - you may have two ringed pull-out levers at the bottom: they allow the door frame to rise up inside the chimney casing (for an open fire) on counterweights - it'll also give you good access to the damper plate.