Any tips on cheap ways to warm up the ol' house this winter? Heating oil is going up again, and I am, as per usual, poor. I'm going to leave my bagged up leaves around the foundation because someone said that helps with the basement insulation...and I'm going to use the clingy-I-need-to-borrow-a-hair-dryer-to-install-it stuff for the windows I don't plan on opening...any other cheapo tips?
I'm already at the point where it's cold enough at night that I'm finding excuses to bake to warm the house up, haha. I refuse to turn the heat on before November dammit!
I bet I make it another week at this rate.
Nexa
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“It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But a half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor.â€
― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones
― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones
Against my better instincts, wear more clothing.
NephthysWanderer the Charming wrote:
Against my better instincts, wear more clothing.
I try to when baking. I'm somewhat accident prone.
Nexa
“It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But a half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor.â€
― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones
― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones
Nexa wrote:
Any tips on cheap ways to warm up the ol' house this winter?
I don't know what kind of furnace you have but I always recommend getting your duct work cleaned and checking the joints for leakage and filling that in with Silver Tape (sticky Aluminum Foil) to cut the flow loss. Using a "Zoning" Method (only opening the duct work at the furnace level to rooms you spend the most time in, not say the Attic. Be sure to check the insulation there also! Huge loss area.) with the rooms in your home can also help.
Also, a simple air pressure test in your home will identify leaks in the joints, window sills and more. Filling any cracks in with Expandable Joint and Foundation Foam.
A Programmable Thermostat can also help (Setting it to turn on and off when before you get up in the mornings, off when you go to work and on before you get home) can help save a ton of money by only heating your house to your comfort level when you need it the most.
Edited, Oct 9th 2007 1:18pm by Kaelesh
You're going to hate me then. But I have to turn on the heater when it hits 60 degrees. That's cold for me.
Yeah Thumb, anything below 68 is cold for me, but I suck it up and deal since that would be about 11 3/4 months out of the year.
Nexa
Nexa
“It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But a half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor.â€
― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones
― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones
Nexa wrote:
Yeah Thumb, anything below 68 is cold for me, but I suck it up and deal since that would be about 11 3/4 months out of the year.
Nexa
Nexa
Well below 60 degrees is maybe for 1/6 out of the year and that's only in the mornings. It'll warm up by 8:00.
I heart San Diego.I also recommend supplementing your heat by having small fires in each room. Achieve this by burning small animal carcasses you see laying in the nieghborhood*.
* you can also eat cheaper this way too.
Edited, Oct 9th 2007 1:26pm by Kaelesh
* you can also eat cheaper this way too.
Edited, Oct 9th 2007 1:26pm by Kaelesh
If you're in an older house, it may be wise to have the insulation in your roof inspected and upgraded. Depending on the space, it's relatively cheap and a good way to keep that heat.
"I have lost my way
But I hear a tale
About a heaven in Alberta
Where they've got all hell for a basement"
But I hear a tale
About a heaven in Alberta
Where they've got all hell for a basement"
I have a woodburning stove in my mudroom. I also felled about three tons of trees this summer. I'm gonna be warm.
So maybe you could try doing that?
Actually, Kaelesh's first post has some good advice.
So maybe you could try doing that?
Actually, Kaelesh's first post has some good advice.
Grandfather Barkingturtle wrote:
I have a woodburning stove in my mudroom. I also felled about three tons of trees this summer. I'm gonna be warm.
So maybe you could try doing that?
Actually, Kaelesh's first post has some good advice.
So maybe you could try doing that?
Actually, Kaelesh's first post has some good advice.
What century are you posting from?
The heavy drapery thing helps with heating costs and keeping warmer, open them when the sun shines through the window, shut them otherwise.
Standing outside naked for about 1 minute every morning will also help you aclimate to the colder weather faster.
Standing outside naked for about 1 minute every morning will also help you aclimate to the colder weather faster.
NephthysWanderer the Charming wrote:
Grandfather Barkingturtle wrote:
I have a woodburning stove in my mudroom. I also felled about three tons of trees this summer. I'm gonna be warm.
So maybe you could try doing that?
Actually, Kaelesh's first post has some good advice.
So maybe you could try doing that?
Actually, Kaelesh's first post has some good advice.
What century are you posting from?
Dude, I live on a farm and my furnace is electrical. My electric already costs about five hundred a month, so I'm not one to compound that with heating, too.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to mosey on down to the barn and collect the eggs. I'm not even joking.
You know what's really fUcked up, too? I never considered, when I bought ten hens, that they would be laying eggs nonstop. Somehow I thought they'd produce eggs once a month. Every day I get between six and twelve eggs, and that **** is really adding up.
What am I supposed to do with all these eggs?
Grandfather Barkingturtle wrote:
What am I supposed to do with all these eggs?
Build a large sling shot or catapult. Aim for neighbors in a fit of drunken rage.
NephthysWanderer the Charming wrote:
Grandfather Barkingturtle wrote:
I have a woodburning stove in my mudroom. I also felled about three tons of trees this summer. I'm gonna be warm.
So maybe you could try doing that?
Actually, Kaelesh's first post has some good advice.
So maybe you could try doing that?
Actually, Kaelesh's first post has some good advice.
What century are you posting from?
We also have insulated shades on the windows. Windows are huge heat escaping places. If your windows are not tight, I'd suggest sealing them on the outside with that plastic stuff you shrink on with a blow-dryer.
Keep the doors closed on unused rooms.
Other dumb stuff I do, is keep the laundry room door open when drying clothes as that seems to spread some heat out to the rest of the house, and I bake stuff on cold mornings to warm up the kitchen.
Fuzzy wool slippers are the best thing though.
Alma wrote:
I lost my post
Grandfather Barkingturtle wrote:
What am I supposed to do with all these eggs?
Alma wrote:
I lost my post
The Elinda of Doom wrote:
I bake stuff on cold mornings to warm up the kitchen.
Fuzzy wool slippers are the best thing though.
Fuzzy wool slippers are the best thing though.
my warm cashmere socks. And I use my crockpot for a lot of dishes in the winter.
The Elinda of Doom wrote:
Grandfather Barkingturtle wrote:
What am I supposed to do with all these eggs?
If you want a low-cost solution to your insulation needs, you could always fill your crawlspace with your victims' bones. That will save you from having to dig all those pesky holes too!
Two things I tried last year that helped with my gas heating bill (I have a gas boiler and radiators):
First, I invested in an insulation blanket for my hot water heater. This kept the water hot longer so there was no need for the burner to keep firing up. Decent ones go for around $50 but the long term investment could be larger.
Lastly, I put humidifiers in the rooms that are used the most in my house. Humid air holds heat longer. Also, anyone who has been through a humid day knows it sometimes feels warmer than it really is.
I probably saved about $125 all of last year. I want to see my savings this year as I replaced my gas boiler is June with a more efficient one. My previous boiler was 15 years old.
First, I invested in an insulation blanket for my hot water heater. This kept the water hot longer so there was no need for the burner to keep firing up. Decent ones go for around $50 but the long term investment could be larger.
Lastly, I put humidifiers in the rooms that are used the most in my house. Humid air holds heat longer. Also, anyone who has been through a humid day knows it sometimes feels warmer than it really is.
I probably saved about $125 all of last year. I want to see my savings this year as I replaced my gas boiler is June with a more efficient one. My previous boiler was 15 years old.
Kaelesh wrote:
A Programmable Thermostat can also help (Setting it to turn on and off when before you get up in the mornings, off when you go to work and on before you get home) can help save a ton of money by only heating your house to your comfort level when you need it the most.
Edited, Oct 9th 2007 1:18pm by Kaelesh
I just picked up 2 of these to replace my old standard T-stats. I've installed one, which was painless (hook up 2 wires) and am going to install the other tonight. It has pre-programmed settings so you can use those if you are really lazy, it covers the standard work day and sleeping times. I cannot confirm how well this saves money, but it will stop you from feeling the need to constantly mess with the thermostat since it's all programmed already to what you set it.
My next project is replacing the weather stripping on the bottom of my doors. The back door is really bad, I used a towel to keep the breeze out last year. Storm windows can help too I hear, especially if you don't have double-paned glass for your windows.
Some people are like slinkies, they aren't really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
Live near the worlds largest hydroelectric and nuclear systems and heat with electricity? Yay radioactive minced salmon!
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Grandfather Barkingturtle wrote:
What am I supposed to do with all these eggs?
Do what my dad does and sell them to a local mom and pop store. Or give them away if don't really want the money.
Grandfather Barkingturtle wrote:
What am I supposed to do with all these eggs?
Impregnate them?
Eat them.
The chickens that is. I had no clue that 10 hens would produce so many eggs. That's insane. Eat 5 of them. Problem solved.
The chickens that is. I had no clue that 10 hens would produce so many eggs. That's insane. Eat 5 of them. Problem solved.
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