Flat Kit
I've been wanting to write for a while about how some household things are different here than in the States, so today I took a quick photo survey. Of course, not all households are outfitted just like ours, but I think ours is typical.
All electrical outlets are switched. You typically switch an outlet off immediately after unplugging a device, or when done using a device. My guess is that this is for safety: you reduce the risk of shocking yourself while plugging something in/out. It's also nice for parents of young children; it's one less step to child-proofing a household.
Our cooker (range/oven) is also switched directly.
Our toilet is dual-flush; the left button is for a half flush, the right for a full.
I think every shower we've seen in every bed and breakfast looked like this. I think a pump is in the housing. You don't see water towers in towns so I'm guessing this is how water pressure is aided. The flow is very low. The plumbing is also more exposed, so I'd think maintenance is easier.
I think radiator heat is more common than forced-aid furnace heat. I like it better: we use it for drying clothes, and we feel more able to open a window on occasion without worrying about losing heat so quickly.
This is our water heater, in a shed attached to the rear of our flat. In the States this would be called a flash heater; I forget what it's called here. There's no tank for storing hot water; it's all heated on demand by a gas furnace. This is also the source of hot water for all the flat's radiators. I'm used to having separate systems for heat and hot water; I think this is more elegant.
Lace is used inside windows to give a modicum of privacy. It is often seen in front-facing windows and bathroom windows. It makes sense because, from a front window, we can see at least a dozen other households, and they all can see us.
And I doubt there's a household in the UK that doesn't have one of these. It's an electric kettle. Flip the switch and it rapidly brings water to a boil before shutting off - usually a minute or two. It's usually used for a cup or two of tea, but is also useful for heating water for, say, cooking pasta - it's more efficient than heating it on the range. We plan to get one of these when we resettle across the pond.
All electrical outlets are switched. You typically switch an outlet off immediately after unplugging a device, or when done using a device. My guess is that this is for safety: you reduce the risk of shocking yourself while plugging something in/out. It's also nice for parents of young children; it's one less step to child-proofing a household.
Our cooker (range/oven) is also switched directly.
Our toilet is dual-flush; the left button is for a half flush, the right for a full.
I think every shower we've seen in every bed and breakfast looked like this. I think a pump is in the housing. You don't see water towers in towns so I'm guessing this is how water pressure is aided. The flow is very low. The plumbing is also more exposed, so I'd think maintenance is easier.
I think radiator heat is more common than forced-aid furnace heat. I like it better: we use it for drying clothes, and we feel more able to open a window on occasion without worrying about losing heat so quickly.
This is our water heater, in a shed attached to the rear of our flat. In the States this would be called a flash heater; I forget what it's called here. There's no tank for storing hot water; it's all heated on demand by a gas furnace. This is also the source of hot water for all the flat's radiators. I'm used to having separate systems for heat and hot water; I think this is more elegant.
Lace is used inside windows to give a modicum of privacy. It is often seen in front-facing windows and bathroom windows. It makes sense because, from a front window, we can see at least a dozen other households, and they all can see us.
And I doubt there's a household in the UK that doesn't have one of these. It's an electric kettle. Flip the switch and it rapidly brings water to a boil before shutting off - usually a minute or two. It's usually used for a cup or two of tea, but is also useful for heating water for, say, cooking pasta - it's more efficient than heating it on the range. We plan to get one of these when we resettle across the pond.
posted by Michael Nelson at 4:33 am
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