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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Need advice, heating broken - do we do hotel?

119 replies

Bubblebuttress · 20/11/2024 20:02

Hi. Boiler at zero, think a radiator is leaking. Spoke to insurance, They said they will send someone. Tomorrow I guess. Kids are over 5 so not vulnerable BUT MY ITS Cold.

They said we could have 100 towards accommodation. Does that put the premium up more though next time, are we better to use it or suck it up and pu on electric blankets and use hwb

positing for traffic will decide in next 30 mins, nearest premier in is 30 mins away

OP posts:
LindorDoubleChoc · 20/11/2024 20:14

God, who could be arsed to pack up and travel to a hotel?

Don't you have a fan heater or hot water bottles?

LindorDoubleChoc · 20/11/2024 20:16

Pigeonqueen · 20/11/2024 20:13

I couldn’t be bothered with the faff of leaving my home just for one night.

Quite.

mumofbun · 20/11/2024 20:16

We had no heating last night and it was fine. Worse part was getting up this morning as it was minus temp outside but I stuck the kids in the car and took them to granny's to get dressed. Appreciate we are lucky to have that option. They are very little though, if they were older I'd have just put an electric heater on while they got ready!

Kneeslikethese · 20/11/2024 20:17

It's not a big deal, its only 1 night. Youve got electric Blankets. Not worth the hassle.

Original poster
Bubblebuttress · 20/11/2024 20:18

oil radiators being sourced by hubbie on his way home, more mulled wine too I hope.

We are staying. The posts that advised can you really be *** with the faff on a school night sold it. I too shall skip into work early tomorrow. Thank you all!

OP posts:
LindorDoubleChoc · 20/11/2024 20:23

LouiseD1977 · 20/11/2024 20:14

“Come on children, stiff upper lip! Blow off those cobwebs! March… one… two… one…”.

I also grew up in a house with no heating (at all) and it was miserable. We survived but growing up like that and being used to it is very different to dealing with cold when you’re not used to it. A cold child isn’t a sign of poor resilience.

OP, I probably wouldn’t go to a hotel but how water bottles, blankets, hot drinks, and lots of cuddling.

Show quote history

Meanwhile in Gaza

User19977999 · 20/11/2024 20:24

zero pressure? is it a combi? cant you just top up the pressure and reset it? a minor leak wouldn’t cause it to lose pressure immediately so you might get some heat for a bit.
topping up the pressure is really simple; loads of youtube vids to help if it is that

Pancakeflipper · 20/11/2024 20:25

Put a plea out if you have a local area FB page to borrow some oil heaters (we did and it really helped).

mnahmnah · 20/11/2024 20:26

Do you mean the pressure is at zero? Do you know how to raise the pressure? Problem solved. Leaking radiator can get solved when they get to you, but by raising the pressure you would get hot water and heating back.

IMustDoMoreExercise · 20/11/2024 20:31

Can you borrow some electric heaters?

Be careful with hwbs if they are old as can burst. There is a use by date on them.

DysonSphere · 20/11/2024 20:34

PrincessofWells · 20/11/2024 20:05

Well, both my partner and me grew up in properties with no central heating so I think you should get a grip, put extra blankets on the beds, and show your children what resilience is.

Ha ha!

I agree. One night will teach appreciation for the orphans!

I remember the days of no heating. My god the pain of having to get out of bed. Unfortunately I'm of West Indian heritage and my latent European genes couldn't express themselves fast enough to adapt to the the cold.

Still. Having experienced it I could do without heating if I had absolutely to. Would like to now to save money, but I have to put it on in order to ward off damp and for the kids. They're soft, they'd die if I kept it off over winter.

despairnow · 20/11/2024 20:35

Have you got a convector heater?

despairnow · 20/11/2024 20:35

I only have heating in for an hour at teatime anyway

ohtowinthelottery · 20/11/2024 20:36

As someone who grew up without central heating until I was a teenager, who survived 4 days with no electricity or heating one November a few years ago following a big storm and who has camped in the hills in very chilly temperatures, I think you can manage for 1 night without heating.

stargazerlil · 20/11/2024 20:36

Bubblebuttress · 20/11/2024 20:11

Love all of these so far. Girls are treating it as an adventure. Im waiting for the home emergency team to text. Mulled wine actually welcome right now.

Just like my childhood and the blackouts in the 1970s candle lit dinners cooked over calor gas camping stove, was so exiting.

CatalinaLoo · 20/11/2024 20:37

PrincessofWells · 20/11/2024 20:05

Well, both my partner and me grew up in properties with no central heating so I think you should get a grip, put extra blankets on the beds, and show your children what resilience is.

Wow do you want a medal?

Balloonhearts · 20/11/2024 20:37

I'd top the bastard up and just make do for the night. It'd have to be a hell of a leak to drop out again immediately in which case I think you'd have noticed!

SchoolQuery1981 · 20/11/2024 20:37

As well as wrapping-up warm. Keep your internal (and external) doors shut, and remember that other things heat your house, such as using the oven and the tumble dryer. So if you have anything that needs baking, or drying, that will make a difference.

Balloonhearts · 20/11/2024 20:38

CatalinaLoo · 20/11/2024 20:37

Wow do you want a medal?

Show quote history

Don't be silly. A certificate is better, you can burn it for warmth.

NotOneOfTheInCrowd · 20/11/2024 20:39

Have you actually attempted to increase the pressure on the boiler? All boilers lose some pressure, and if you never increase it then it will ultimately drop to 0.

If you know which radiator is leaking find it and switch it off, there’s a knob on one side and usually a valve which you would need to turn with a spanner at the other end. Once you’ve stopped the water going into the radiator which is leaking turn up the pressure on the boiler.

Unless of course the gas company have already condemned the boiler for any reason.

Startinganew32 · 20/11/2024 20:41

Urgh no way would I want a long drive to the premier inn. So I’d just fill a few hot water bottles and get on with it. I’ve turned my heating off for the day - it’s not been on all evening and I’m fine.

doodleschnoodle · 20/11/2024 20:42

NotOneOfTheInCrowd · 20/11/2024 20:39

Have you actually attempted to increase the pressure on the boiler? All boilers lose some pressure, and if you never increase it then it will ultimately drop to 0.

If you know which radiator is leaking find it and switch it off, there’s a knob on one side and usually a valve which you would need to turn with a spanner at the other end. Once you’ve stopped the water going into the radiator which is leaking turn up the pressure on the boiler.

Unless of course the gas company have already condemned the boiler for any reason.

Yes, this. It's just kind of a standard home maintenance task.

It's very easy and if it's just the pressure then you can top it up in 30 seconds and be warm again! If it keeps happening probably a leak somewhere, but if does need topped up from time to time.

Livelovebehappy · 20/11/2024 20:42

My heating is timed to go off at 9 anyway, as I guess a lot of people’s are. I don’t know anyone who has heating on overnight.

kittensinthekitchen · 20/11/2024 20:42

I'd suck it up for the night. But then we only have the heating on for an hour or so in the evening, and it'd likely be off anyway by the time we packed what we needed and got to the hotel.

I'd keep the hotel as an option for if they can't/don't fix it tomorrow.

SweetSugarPlum · 20/11/2024 20:44

Hair dryer is a life saver, heat the bedding up with it and in you get 😅