ChezTinns Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Hi, Just a quick question to holiday home owners. Do you leave the heating on during the winter months whilst not at your property? If so - at what temperature do you set it at. We visit our house in the Gers about 10 times a year - the majority of which is outside the winter months. However, we do go out at Christmas/New Year time and then again before Easter. This is for our peace of mind as much as a 'French Fix' in order to make sure nothing has frozen up, broken or got damaged. We also leave the heating on from around end October (last visit before Christmas) until March. But 5 months seems so excessive - and expensive, especially as we have a gas tank! Just wondering what others do. Thanks JT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 When our house was a holiday home, we shut down our central heating and closed off the water so there could be no burst pipes. OK it was cold when we arrived but it only takes a couple of days (max) to warm it back up. The first night is the worst so make sure you have hot water bottles and bed socks etc. Gas is very expensive here so you make a large saving. As a surveyor, I can tell you that the cold does not do any major harm to a house, provided there is no water ingress (holes in the roof etc) and provuded all water is drained out of pipes and tanks. In fact, warm unoccupied houses have condensation problems - you are not there to ventilate the place - and it is warm conditions that makes, for example, dry rot rampant.An unattended gas boiler that is firing up regularly is not a brilliant idea either. I am not sure that your insurance would cover you if anything disastrous went wrong with the boiler while you were away.I wonder what others do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 I tend to agree with Cathy, provided you can drain off all the pipes and don't forget to flush the toilet and then empty the pan, a mop is a good idea for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 "The first night is the worst so make sure you have hot water bottles and bed socks etc." Electric blankets are great for warming up cold mattresses.Do a search on here as there was lots of discussion a while back on closing up houses for the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groslard Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 [quote user="Cendrillon"]Do a search on here as there was lots of discussion a while back on closing up houses for the winter.[/quote]Has anybody tried winterlets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 [quote user="Cendrillon"] "The first night is the worst so make sure you have hot water bottles and bed socks etc." Electric blankets are great for warming up cold mattresses.Do a search on here as there was lots of discussion a while back on closing up houses for the winter.[/quote]Cendrillon - I did a search on 'winter' and then on 'closing' and then 'close house' and nothing came up. [:(] Any other ideas for the search? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 this thread: http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1123644/ShowPost.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monika Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 We have electric heating and leave it on the "frost setting". We turn off the water and empty the toilet cistern (but have not taken the water out of the pan). We don't empty the hot water ballon. Bedsocks and Hot water bottles for the first night is a very good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artsole Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote user="Cendrillon"] "The first night is the worst so make sure you have hot water bottles and bed socks etc." Electric blankets are great for warming up cold mattresses. [/quote]CendrillonThat's all good if you are on your own, but don't you have someone to 'help you warm up the mattress ..........together' Thats a much better option[blink] if not, give me a ring! we may be able to arrange something?[6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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