Narrowboats Too Cold For Winter Living

[Sea Dog]

I don't care how well it's heated and insulated, I'm glad I'm not on my Narrowboat tonight...

 

 

 

 

... because my Sunday dinner is on the table at home!

[WotEver]

Crikey, er I just searched on eBay, there were quite a few to go at. My choice was one which gave the most square metres in terms of coverage. The filter inside is about 8" square and the fan has 3 speeds plus the option to ionise the air, though we don't use that option because we read that ionised air is not good for COPD sufferers'

Phil

Yes, there are loads to choose from which is why I was hoping I could cut my searching time down

 

Interesting about ionised air for COPD sufferers, I didn't know that - thanks for the info.

[Phil Ambrose]

Yes, there are loads to choose from which is why I was hoping I could cut my searching time down

 

Interesting about ionised air for COPD sufferers, I didn't know that - thanks for the info.

There is loads of info on the British Lung Foundation website, there is a very good forum on there. Facebook has a group.....copd uk and COPD/Emphysema/ Pulmonary Disease- I have COPD- COPD does not have me.

Have you been to a pulmonary rehab course? Chris found it very useful.

Phil

[WotEver]

There is loads of info on the British Lung Foundation website, there is a very good forum on there. Facebook has a group.....copd uk and COPD/Emphysema/ Pulmonary Disease- I have COPD- COPD does not have me.

Have you been to a pulmonary rehab course? Chris found it very useful.

Phil

Thanks, I'll do some research

[Wanderer Vagabond]

The point that strikes me about the OP is that the good doctor seems to be blaming pneumonia on these people being cold. From what I have read of pneumonia it is a bacterial infection and nothing whatsoever to do with being cold. If it were, treatment would be to warm the patient up rather than the actual treatment given which is antibiotics. There is a rare non-infective pneumonia caused by inhaling poisons or chemicals but that is about it. I can remember as a child if I went out into the garden in winter without shoes my mother would threaten, "You'll catch your death of pneumonia like that!" something of an Urban Myth I would suggest. If I'm not infected with the necessary bacteria, rolling naked in the snow isn't going to give me pneumonia

 

Perhaps what the good doctor should have suggested was that, in the unlikely event of the narrow boat being cold (how many are in winter, mine certainly ain't) they might, possibly, get hypothermia, but pneumonia? not a chance

[Bunny]

I think possibly there are people moving onto boats that don't understand how to keep warm and ventilate their boat . Maybe they are used to central heated houses and haven't thought through the alternatives i.e layers of clothing, thick socks and slippers , hot water bottles , extra blankets and the importance of ventilation , and we have used the double glazing film . Our bedroom gets a lot colder than the saloon but we do like it that way . Some mornings the porthole covers are frozen to the portholes . The saloon is always warm , we make sure we shower in the morning and then open the window to let out the condensation. We cook with the galley window open , make sure saucepans and pans have their lids on and use a window vac for any condensation . Before we moved onto our boat I had only ever lived in one house that had central heating and then I kept the windows open a bit . In a house now but still have the bedroom cold and the window open a bit at night . Bunny

[MtB]

 

Between the 2 of us, we could make a long list to prove that cars are too dangerous to be legally allowed on the roads, and because of their lack of insulation not allowed to live in either, even if they are providing living accomodation (shelter) for some poor buggers.

 

Peter.

 

 

Yes and it does seem to be a bit of a 'first world' problem, dunnit?

 

Plenty of people living in cars who would be glad of a 'freezing narrowboat' to use as a home instead.

 

Plenty of people being shot at or under threat of arrest by the secret police or military who would love to live in the UK in a car instead...

 

Etc.

 

Logical fallacies I know, but...

[Phil Ambrose]

I think possibly there are people moving onto boats that don't understand how to keep warm and ventilate their boat . Maybe they are used to central heated houses and haven't thought through the alternatives i.e layers of clothing, thick socks and slippers , hot water bottles , extra blankets and the importance of ventilation , and we have used the double glazing film . Our bedroom gets a lot colder than the saloon but we do like it that way . Some mornings the porthole covers are frozen to the portholes . The saloon is always warm , we make sure we shower in the morning and then open the window to let out the condensation. We cook with the galley window open , make sure saucepans and pans have their lids on and use a window vac for any condensation . Before we moved onto our boat I had only ever lived in one house that had central heating and then I kept the windows open a bit . In a house now but still have the bedroom cold and the window open a bit at night . Bunny

I fail to understand why anybody would put up with being cold on a boat let alone have frost on the windows. Our 60 footer is always warm, we only ever wear T shirts in winter and only have 4 tog duvet on the bed. I was never cold in any of our houses and refuse to be cold on my boat.

Phil

Edited November 14, 2016 by Phil Ambrose

[Bunny]

I think possibly there are people moving onto boats that don't understand how to keep warm and ventilate their boat . Maybe they are used to central heated houses and haven't thought through the alternatives i.e layers of clothing, thick socks and slippers , hot water bottles , extra blankets and the importance of ventilation , and we have used the double glazing film . Our bedroom gets a lot colder than the saloon but we do like it that way . Some mornings the porthole covers are frozen to the portholes . The saloon is always warm , we make sure we shower in the morning and then open the window to let out the condensation. We cook with the galley window open , make sure saucepans and pans have their lids on and use a window vac for any condensation . Before we moved onto our boat I had only ever lived in one house that had central heating and then I kept the windows open a bit . In a house now but still have the bedroom cold and the window open a bit at night . Bunny

Can I just add .. we do have a bubble stove that is on 24/7 . And if required webasto cental heating. We just prefer not to get to ' stuffy ' with heat . We have always lead an outside type of life and prefer to wrap up warm and cosy . The frost on the porthole covers just shows how efficient they are at keeping the cold out ... we also have a temperature gauge in the saloon and bedroom, mainly so we can argue about how hot it is ... Bunny

[Guest]

I fail to understand why anybody would put up with being cold on a boat let alone have frost on the windows. Our 60 footer is always warm, we only ever wear T shirts in winter and only have 4 tog duvet on the bed. I was never cold in any of our houses and refuse to be cold on my boat.

Phil

Poverty?

[bargemast]

Poverty?

That's quite likely the main reason for several amongst them.

 

Peter.

[Jerra]

Perhaps what the good doctor should have suggested was that, in the unlikely event of the narrow boat being cold (how many are in winter, mine certainly ain't) they might, possibly, get hypothermia, but pneumonia? not a chance

As I understand it there is evidence that cold temperature lower the bodies resistance to infection. So if somebody had been cold for a while (days rather than minutes) due to the boat not being warm enough I suspect it is perfectly possible for them to catch pneumonia due to the temperature.

[Guest]

As I understand it there is evidence that cold temperature lower the bodies resistance to infection. So if somebody had been cold for a while (days rather than minutes) due to the boat not being warm enough I suspect it is perfectly possible for them to catch pneumonia due to the temperature.

I believe pneumonia can be caused by fungi. If a premises is badly heated and ventilated, mold can occur, which I would imagine could lead to fungal infection. Appears to be pretty much what did for the old boy around the corner from us anyway (he would have no proper heating in his home.). Hypothermia appears to be a possible cause of pneumonia according to a quick google search.

Edited November 14, 2016 by Guest

[Bunny]

In our case the frost is between the porthole covers and the glass , not inside the cabin . Bunny

[MHS]

So my Grandad routinely wore a vest, shirt, cardigan and jacket in his home. I wear a T-shirt. Times as well as expectations have changed.

[Peter X]

Expectations of warmth have certainly changed. The house I grew up in, which I mentioned in an earlier post, got double glazing some years ago which I found made it plenty warm enough in winter when I last lived there. Then a few years ago the back boiler behind the coal fire failed, so we had gas CH put in all through downstairs and in the bathroom which further improved things. Now that my mother's permanently in a care home and we're doing the house up to rent it out, we'll put loft insulation in, but still I'm told that tenants nowadays expect radiators in all bedrooms! Wimps! It's in south London not Scotland.

[Phil Ambrose]

Poverty?

We manage on state pension.

Phil

[Jrtm]

The only time I can see a boat being cold is if the fire or heating dosnt work. That said there are plenty of small heaters that can be used.

 

I know I have a slight advantage that my boat hull dosnt get as cold but a bit of insulation on a metal boat must help alot.

 

The heating costs must be lower in a narrowboat than in a house surly? I know quite a few people who would rather sit in thermals and thick jumpers than turn the heating up a few degrees in there house and not because they can't aford it They just have this thing about not turning the heating up. I'm the opposite ill have it cranked up so I can wear a time shirt and shorts in the house if i could. Hate being cold especially in my own house.

 

I've been in quite a few boats in the winter and had to have doors or Windows open as its been so hot.

 

I think if I was living on a boat i would def have a fire or heater with a boiler to heat up radiators there are lots of low cost diesel fire heaters around.

 

I also have to admit with gas around alot of people won't have a fire going for cooking now unlike before.

Edited November 15, 2016 by billybobbooth

[MtB]

Poverty?

 

 

Exactly.

 

Which is why blaming the boat is wrong. The two boaters supposedly ill from cold boats would have been in exactly the same situation had they been living in a house.

 

So blaming the boat is rather silly.

[Guest]

 

 

Exactly.

 

Which is why blaming the boat is wrong. The two boaters supposedly ill from cold boats would have been in exactly the same situation had they been living in a house.

 

So blaming the boat is rather silly.

Agreed.

We manage on state pension.

Phil

I manage on less than state pension (not old enough to claim it yet), but some people are less fortunate than I.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Guest

[Phil Ambrose]

Agreed.

 

I manage on less than state pension (not old enough to claim it yet), but some people are less fortunate than I.

Didn't know it was a competition.

Phil

[Guest]

Didn't know it was a competition.

Phil

 

Didn't know it was a competition.

Phil

I only compete with myself...