Which of the utilities could you not do without for a week?

[Dumseagull]

Jack Daniels

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Where's the option for "None of the Above"?

Bracknell Towers was built in the early 19th century (probably the 1820s or 1830s) and piped water only arrived in 1970. Prior to that there was a well (with fairly rank water - I once had a conversation with an old lady who was born in my house, and she told me that the well water was so bad that "even the gypsies wouldn't let their horses drink from it"). But there was a daily delivery of fresh water in a milk churn - dropped off by the railway - before the water pipe was laid.

We lost electricity for four days when the 1987 hurricane blew the wires down and they had to bring blokes down from Scotland to do the repairs.

The nearest gas pipe is five miles away. We obviously use electricity for most cooking - but, when that's not available, there's a solid fuel stove that burns coal or wood and provides all the cooking facilities that anyone could want (and a decent windy event, like 1987, delivers a free supply of fuel). And we have candles and an open fire if you need warmth and light outside the kitchen.

Could we survive without the telephone or internet? Of course. We have neighbours.

A battery operated radio would probably be essential, though.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I'm trying to get a wood stove - I think it would be good so long as you can get easy to collect free wood but I understand if you can't you need to realise its a lot more work or more expensive that you think

We've a 9kW Huntingdon 40 stove (might even be 12kW) and an open fire; our total spend on wood over the last 3 years is less than £400. The cost and quality of logs does vary though; we tend to burn mostly seasoned ash, beech, oak and hornbeam and I also usually keep it for about 6 months before it gets near a fire - I don't pay anything like £60/m3, probably about £40, but then the raw material's close by.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

We've a 9kW Huntingdon 40 stove (might even be 12kW) and an open fire; our total spend on wood over the last 3 years is less than £400. The cost and quality of logs does vary though; we tend to burn mostly seasoned ash, beech, oak and hornbeam and I also usually keep it for about 6 months before it gets near a fire - I don't pay anything like £60/m3, probably about £40, but then the raw material's close by.

Does that stove do your hot water and central heating ? Sound brilliant if it does. And is the wood you buy just a top up of your free source?

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Does that stove do your hot water and central heating ? Sound brilliant if it does. And is the wood you buy just a top up of your free source?

No unfortunately; the house is 17th century without gas or (thank God) bloody oil but we've two inglenook f/p's, one with the stove, the other with the open fire. The wood is mostly bought although I'm always on the "lookout" when we're walking locally; all the kindling etc is free, either from our gardens or gathered when we're out.
Some of our friends in a more modern (1970s) house in Rudgwick have a wood stove linked up to a back boiler that provides their hot water and supplements the gas c/h in the winter. I'll can probably get some info on their combined fuel costs etc for you when they get back from hols next week and PM you if you'd like?

 

[Chicken Runner61]

No unfortunately; the house is 17th century without gas or (thank God) bloody oil but we've two inglenook f/p's, one with the stove, the other with the open fire. The wood is mostly bought although I'm always on the "lookout" when we're walking locally; all the kindling etc is free, either from our gardens or gathered when we're out.
Some of our friends in a more modern (1970s) house in Rudgwick have a wood stove linked up to a back boiler that provides their hot water and supplements the gas c/h in the winter. I'll can probably get some info on their combined fuel costs etc for you when they get back from hols next week and PM you if you'd like?

Yes please would appreciate that it's next on my project list !

 

[The Modfather]

Water without a doubt.

 

[banjo]

water

 

[5mins-from-amex]

3 of them are all important, no electric and I can't cook, no gas then no heating, you can buy water from shops so that is do able, you can't buy electric and carry it home.

Batteries?

 

[Deleted member 18477]

Water, gas and electricity.

Cold showers are f***ing disgusting! No Electricity would also be shit as I wouldn't be able to cook anything which would result in spending more money on food. Everything in my fridge and freezer would also get thrown away as it would go off.

Internet and telephone I could unwillingly live without for a while.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Where's the option for "None of the Above"?

Bracknell Towers was built in the early 19th century (probably the 1820s or 1830s) and piped water only arrived in 1970. Prior to that there was a well (with fairly rank water - I once had a conversation with an old lady who was born in my house, and she told me that the well water was so bad that "even the gypsies wouldn't let their horses drink from it"). But there was a daily delivery of fresh water in a milk churn - dropped off by the railway - before the water pipe was laid.

We lost electricity for four days when the 1987 hurricane blew the wires down and they had to bring blokes down from Scotland to do the repairs.

The nearest gas pipe is five miles away. We obviously use electricity for most cooking - but, when that's not available, there's a solid fuel stove that burns coal or wood and provides all the cooking facilities that anyone could want (and a decent windy event, like 1987, delivers a free supply of fuel). And we have candles and an open fire if you need warmth and light outside the kitchen.

Could we survive without the telephone or internet? Of course. We have neighbours.

A battery operated radio would probably be essential, though.

We have a wind up radio which works a treat. 15 mins winding up for one hour of listening.

 

[Father Jack]

i went without internet for a month when i moved house. It wasn't so bad what with having 3g on my mobile.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Electric for me, as you can still get bottled water and such from a shop.

Going without a shower for a week would be disgusting though, but no electric would mean no heating, which at this current time would make it freezing. If it were summer, it would be Water.

 

[Father Jack]

i am genuinely astounded that people would rather have the internet than water or electric

 

[HantsSeagull]

on my 3rd day of no gas - so no heating and no hot water.

not f***ing amused

 

[Baron Pepperpot]

I'm sure how internet has got in there, even less people voting for it. It's hardly a utility, and most can access it from outside the house.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Internet and get everything you need delivered online