alan h's activity

" .. geological survey  .....Pools literally weigh many tonnes when full, and our 'pool people' reminded us to get this done prior to digging the first hole in case we had to have vv expensive concrete piles dug down to the bed rock. If this was required then we would have scrubbed the idea as it would not have been economically viable." I was taught at Uni that when you dig a hole for a swimming pool, the weight of the soil excavated normally exceeds the weight of the pool plus water when completed - and as the soil doesn't collapse under its own weight, it shouldn't collapse under the weight of the pool structure plus water.  [unless a lot of the pool is above water].   Localised soft spots can cause problems - differential settlement leading to cracking, but these are easily sorted out, without using piles [mind you =- there's a lot more profit in piling!!!]

According to   http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g188096-i857-k3471670-Furka_Pass-Valais_Swiss_Alps.html   the Furka is open June – September, so it might shut when you want to traverse it  This site also gives info  [in German]  http://www.tcs.ch/main/de/home/verkehrsinfo/paesse_tunnels.html

double posting - see below

What you describe " looks like the rubble from building crushed up" sound a bit like what we call 'hardcore' in the UK. Hardcore, which is literally the old building broken and used for ground 'stabilisation'.  Crushed hardcore is useful, when spread and compacted as a base on which to build [usually as a base for casting concrete flooring/foundations on].   hardcore usually consists of any part of a building excluding the 'organic' parts [timber etc] that would rot and cause voids.  The "white/cream looking mush" stuff you mention is probably things like plaster rising to the surface during compaction, and shouldn't cause too much of a problem - the strength lies in the crushed stone/bricks/concrete below For more details see - try Googling "hardcore building". BUT, don't just Google hardcore - you'll just get porn

You could ask customer services at Calor Gas;-   http://www.calor.co.uk/customer-services/contact-calor/

"Lighting by candles is not the best when trying to cook though!!" You might want to consider buying a cheap 'inverter ' for future power cuts.  They convert 12v DC [car battery] up to 240v and can supply enough power to run a few lights etc Typical example [in UK] is;-  http://www.flatbatt.co.uk/Electrical/12v_to_mains_inverter/12v_to_mains_inverter.html       which supplies up to a max of 450W  [but continuous use of 150W] and costs about £40.  Assuming energy saving bulbs, you could get plenty of lights going, although its best to just have 1 or 2 to extend the battery life

"Are English electric blankets safe in Italy or can you buy them locally?" Yes and Yes

“Can anyone help me with an idea of how much it might cost to heat a small 2 bed apt over the winter,  ……………………….All suggestions to maximise efficiency and reduce costs will be welcomed.” I’ve been thinking about how to make the place warmer, and would suggest that you consider the following points, to see if they apply to your place’-

• Doors– are there any draughts from these? – if so, try stick on draught sealer [sponge on a roll]
• Windows– as above
• Windows– are they double glazed? – if not, consider;-
  • Secondary double glazing,
    • fitted as a second window – fitting an aluminium frame around the window recess to hold glass panes that can be slid or tilted to open
    • fitted to the existing window – see  secondary-glazing/as an example
    • Probably the cheapest option is a plastic film fixed with double-sided tape and shrunk to fit with a hairdryer. These are only intended for a single season's insulation [I did this to the window in a very cold bedroom in a house in UK– very effective]
  • Fitting heavy curtains in Winter to cut down heat loss
• Floors– are your floors cold? [tiled or timber] – consider putting rugs down in the winter – the more floor you can cover the less heat loss [and you’ll feel its warmer if your feet aren’t freezing when you walk about]
• Radiators   [if you have any] – do they have heat reflective foil behind them
• Walls & Ceilings  not a lot you can do about these – in the old days polystyrene ceiling [and wall!] tiles were the answer, but now considered a fire hazard
• Which rooms to heat, and when? –
  • Bedrooms-you don’t need to heat the bedrooms in the daytime – just for an hour or two before you go to bed
  • Lounge/Kitchen– the reverse – don’t heat at night
  • Bathroom– get one of those low power towel rails and leave it plugged in all the time [you can put it on a timer if you find it too effective] see Dimplex-Electric-Towel-Rail-.htmlfor examples [We bought ours in Italy – free standing or wall mounted – about 50W – you'll probably need a stronger one [say 100W],  as we have CH as well]
• Clothing– Wrap up warm, and wear thermal socks – if your feet [and head] are warm – you’ll think you’re warm all over

  Hope this helps

Snow causing problems elsewhere http://www.agi.it/english-version/italy/elenco-notizie/201103030847-cro-ren1009-weather_woes_snow_blizzards_on_highways_of_emilia_romagna

We use 'bog standard' convector heaters at our place - we have ones that can heat at either  750W, 1250W or 2000W.  This allows you to run 2 or 3 at a time to heat more than 1 room, but also allows you to 'blast' a room you want heating quickly Most effective in Winter to help heat the place up until the CH takes over on its own