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Yeah that sounds right.. I have two fitted sheets attached to my mattress, and then just a duvet to cover me, with a removable sheet covering this that I wash about once/week. Seems to be the same for everyone else I know as well!
So for us, we just have a sheet between the bed and the duvet. The Duvet gets washed occasionally.
If you stay in hotels in the USA they very very rarely wash the comforters . I am grossed out by that and I take the comforter off the bed.
We can't. I love your electric kettles but with the lower voltage over here it would take ages. People have ordinary tea kettles for boiling the water. It still takes too long.
(and most of us do not say "Y'all.)
I don't know what sort of electric tea kettle y'all use up north, but the one I use down south heats up water super quickly. Faster than on the stove top. I use it nearly every day for my Earl Grey tea!
On my bed and all the beds in my house, and of everyone I know pretty much, they just have a duvet. Some people have an extra blanket on top for warmth.
In my Grandparents' house, they were old fashioned and had sheets with two blankets on top.. but they were very comfy. Used to love sleeping there as a child
In the US, most beds are made with a fitted sheet on the bottom (that you lay on) and a top sheet, and THEN a duvet or blanket or quilt. And the blankets/quilts/duvets are big enough to drape over the sides of the bed, not a twin size foldable thingie like those that are common in Europe.
Personally I prefer two sheets and then a cover but that's just me.
Power in the UK is 240v and can be dangerous, code is no outlets where you can also touch water (bathrooms etc ) some hotels have dedicated low voltage shaver/hair dryer points
same in kitchens
that's also why sockets/outlets have on/off switches , so plugs don't have to be pulled out
You can have as many sockets as you like in a kitchen.
You're not allowed sockets or regular light switches inside the bathroom, it has to be a pullcord switch.
Surprised no one mentioned that our lightswitches work the opposite way to in the US, ie down is on and up is off.
We dry our hair in the bedroom. Can't hog the only room with the a sink,toilet and shower for drying hair when there are 4 people living in the house!
In the US, most beds are made with a fitted sheet on the bottom (that you lay on) and a top sheet, and THEN a duvet or blanket or quilt. And the blankets/quilts/duvets are big enough to drape over the sides of the bed, not a twin size foldable thingie like those that are common in Europe.
Personally I prefer two sheets and then a cover but that's just me.
Probably the same ones "youse" use down south, Kathryn. 120V kettles. There are only a few that are 1875 watts (the same as a hair dryer) but use any other appliance while that is turned on, and the circuit breaker trips the circuit it's using. 240V in Europe can run twice the wattage before the circuit is turned off automatically. Also, your cold water in TX is warmer than ours in the North, so naturally your cold water needs less heating time in the first place.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Whatsthenews
You can have as many sockets as you like in a kitchen.
You're not allowed sockets or regular light switches inside the bathroom, it has to be a pullcord switch.
Surprised no one mentioned that our lightswitches work the opposite way to in the US, ie down is on and up is off.
We dry our hair in the bedroom. Can't hog the only room with the a sink,toilet and shower for drying hair when there are 4 people living in the house!
Here in the US we have what's called GFCI sockets for the kitchen and bathroom. They are designed to trip and shut power off to the socket if the humidity gets too high or water splashes inside. THat's what the red and black buttons are for, to test the circuit. Our hair dryers have them too, and air conditioners.
Probably the same ones "youse" use down south, Kathryn. 120V kettles. There are only a few that are 1875 watts (the same as a hair dryer) but use any other appliance while that is turned on, and the circuit breaker trips the circuit it's using. 240V in Europe can run twice the wattage before the circuit is turned off automatically.
OK, thanks. I never have a problem with my circuit breakers though with multiple appliances turned on. I did live in a very old home once that I had that sort of issue with occasionally but I knew I was in for that sort of drama when I bought a house wired in the 1930s!
I'm not arguing with you - just pointing out the differences in personal experiences. I absolutely cannot relate in any way to the idea of an electric kettle taking longer to heat up than on the stovetop, even though I have a gas stove and it heats things up quickly. My electric kettle is fast as greased lightning - it heats up as fast as the electric kettles I have used while in the UK.
And I have no issues with circuit breakers or using multiple appliances. My house is about twenty years old. So, our experiences differ considerably. I don't doubt your account - just pointing out that it's not been my experience, so it isn't universally true across the US.
As for electrical outlets in the bathroom or near the kitchen sink, our GFCI electrical outlets are used for any outlet that is either outdoor or within five feet of a water source. http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvic...-20090922_gfci
Last edited by KathrynAragon; 06-16-2015 at 05:15 AM..
OK, thanks. I never have a problem with my circuit breakers though with multiple appliances turned on. I did live in a very old home once that I had that sort of issue with occasionally but I knew I was in for that sort of drama when I bought a house wired in the 1930s!
I'm not arguing with you - just pointing out the differences in personal experiences. I absolutely cannot relate in any way to the idea of an electric kettle taking longer to heat up than on the stovetop, even though I have a gas stove and it heats things up quickly. My electric kettle is fast as greased lightning - it heats up as fast as the electric kettles I have used while in the UK.
And I have no issues with circuit breakers or using multiple appliances. My house is about twenty years old. So, our experiences differ considerably. I don't doubt your account - just pointing out that it's not been my experience, so it isn't universally true across the US.
As for electrical outlets in the bathroom or near the kitchen sink, our GFCI electrical outlets are used for any outlet that is either outdoor or within five feet of a water source. What is a GFCI Electrical Outlet?
That's probably what my issue is then. My house was built in the 70s, and the circuit breaker looks to be no newer than the early 90s. The main issue is, at 120V, the more amps you have running, the hotter the circuitry gets and it can melt the insulation. There's a reason why a clothes dryer needs to run at 230v, a 120v socket and plug will melt at that temperature. After you finish using a vacuum cleaner, touch the cord and see how warm it gets. That doesn't happen with the 240v plugs in Europe. Personally, I have no idea why some countries have 120v, others at 240-250v. Though an interesting note, Japan uses 100v as standard, a lone wolf
That's probably what my issue is then. My house was built in the 70s, and the circuit breaker looks to be no newer than the early 90s. The main issue is, at 120V, the more amps you have running, the hotter the circuitry gets and it can melt the insulation. There's a reason why a clothes dryer needs to run at 230v, a 120v socket and plug will melt at that temperature. After you finish using a vacuum cleaner, touch the cord and see how warm it gets. That doesn't happen with the 240v plugs in Europe. Personally, I have no idea why some countries have 120v, others at 240-250v. Though an interesting note, Japan uses 100v as standard, a lone wolf
I used to sell real estate and one of the most active areas in our town is our historic district. Updated electrical stuff was always a big deal one way or the other, and I can't tell you how many unpleasant surprises came up during home inspections! One of the first things I always asked was whether or not any of the electrical system had been updated. It wasn't unheard of to still find homes that used those glass bulb/plug things. Scary!
My current home was built in the late 1990s and so far so good on all the electrical stuff - everything seems adequate, even for our increased usage. The builder had good vision apparently for the future and loaded the house up with enough electrical infrastructure to accommodate increasing demands.
That's probably what my issue is then. My house was built in the 70s, and the circuit breaker looks to be no newer than the early 90s. The main issue is, at 120V, the more amps you have running, the hotter the circuitry gets and it can melt the insulation. There's a reason why a clothes dryer needs to run at 230v, a 120v socket and plug will melt at that temperature. After you finish using a vacuum cleaner, touch the cord and see how warm it gets. That doesn't happen with the 240v plugs in Europe. Personally, I have no idea why some countries have 120v, others at 240-250v. Though an interesting note, Japan uses 100v as standard, a lone wolf
Ths stuff is a little different than that. In fact current is the determination of circuit capacity and breaker operation. The English use a variety of outles and wiring. The combination commonly used would have a mildly higher power capability than a standard US circuit though the US has an outlet capable of equivalent performance. If you see a US what looks like a standard outlet with an added slot at right angle to the existing two it is a 20 Amp outlet and actually a little more capable than the standard Brit outlet. Often find these for microwave ovens or in garages for electric golf cart charging.
There is also a whole lot of art about circuit breakers. Most don't trip quickly at rated current but will if rated current is held for a period of time. Then again GFIs trip almost instantly on a current imbalance.
The speed of a kettle is also driven by how much water is in it. Less water quicker.
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I love your electric kettles but with the lower voltage over here it would take ages. People have ordinary tea kettles for boiling the water. It still takes too long.
