How do you heat your home and keep Heating prices low?
With natural gas prices rocketing sky high – what are you doing to keep your heating bills at a minimal? Any unique ideas to heat up your place without giving up your arm this coming winter?
Currently we have an air-forced duct system in place. I really hate it, the heat does not distribute evenly throughout the house and despite of having a so-called humidifier installed
into the system, we still have excessive dry air.
I really liked those old water based – radiator heaters, it minimized static and really kept homes warm — whatever happen to those?
Anyway, give me ideas on how to maintain a nice warm house this winter, I do not want to make this a major project — keep it nice and simple.
I also have two non-working fireplaces in this old house, I don’t have the slightest idea how to use / maintain one. Currently there are sealed off, and if I get it going … will it even be safe? will it be worth it ? Please share your ideas with me — I am desperate! ~thanks
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
i make sure my windows all have blinds on them and the curtains are drawn it really does help hold the heat in.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
set your thermostat to 65 and wear a coat inside.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Those heating bills coming are worrying lots of us. To not spend much money I would put plastic over the windows with tape, try to seal off any drafts, lay door stoppers(long material) at all doors, shut off unused rooms if u can, thick insulated drapes(might get some at yard sales) and for moisture any plants inside will help put moisture in the rooms and even keep a pot of low boiling water on the stove to put moisture in the house.The fireplaces might have chimney build up and catch on fire -so they should be cleaned first.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
You can start by making sure your furnace is clean. The fireplaces will need to be cleaned and inspected to make sure they are safe. You can replace your thermostat with a programmable unit and save 10-15%. It sounds like you really need to have an energy conservation analysis performed. You can find out more about all this at my source.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
You on a heater, then turn it off 5 hours later. Then don’t open any window or doors. Like that you’re room will be warm for 2-4 days.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I’m on this balance plan where you pay so much a month. You may be paying in the summer like 15 bucks but its while worth it when winter comes when you could possible be paying 20 bucks. The balance plan is used on how much gas you use. My last bill was $6.00 because I had some credit. Other than that put plastic on your windows to keep the cold winter air out or just set your furance at one temp. and keep it there.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
For maintaining the humidity in the room, keep some water in an open bowl near your heater. This will make sure the room does not get too dry.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
To offset my huge gas bills I purchased a second hand cast iron wood stove, have the flue inspected and cleaned annually, keep a kettle filled with water on the stove and burn wood throughout the cold weather season. Ceiling fans help circulate the heat and it does a pretty good job of keeping the house warm and gas bills low. Since you have a fireplace you may want to install a wood stove with a built in blower which will circulate the heat.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I use firewood
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I’m surprised no one has said this yet…
You can get cheap plastic film to go on the inside of all your windows. This prevents you from opening them for the winter, but it seals in heat and keeps out cold VERY WELL. For bigger houses, I suppose that could be a problem, but at least do the upstairs (if you have them) to prevent heat from escaping.
The first year we did this in our apartment, we had to open the front door to keep the house cool (and that was in 30 degree weather!)
Note that the sheets are clear and as long as you can keep the kids/pets off them, you won’t even know they’re there.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Lets talk about the fire places first…do not use them until someone who is qualified to inspect them can do so…usually a fire marshall will be glad to take a look for you…your energy people..electric company should have some weatherization kits to seal windows and then you can use towels or blankets to fill in the cracks around doors..a pan of water on the stove helps to keep moisture in the air…
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
What you can do is, buy a electric heater they will keep your home warm enough and you won’t have sky rocketing bills sent to you.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Cooking/baking early to take the chill off house, if you have a lower level and use a temporary heat source, only use on lower level, heat rises.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Well I live in the South so, for me heating the home isnt the exspensive thing on my electricity bill it is cooling my home. But I can say that, for the two months here in the south that we do have some cold weather that requires heating my home, I have an all electric central heating unit. I keep my thermistat on 69 in the winter and on 75 in the summer. We keep extra blankets on our beds in the winter, always wear slippers on our feet and for the most part of it, I have put rubber backing floor rugs on all the hard floors, this helps very much for keeping floor areas warm. It is more healthy to have the air in the home clean and cool, than warm and stagnant. You will always have better health when you keep your home at an average of 70 degrees. And for those real COLD nights a good down comforter on the bed and a cool room will always make for a better nights rest and a refreshing morning…..and you wont see that HUGE increase in your electric bill.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I have gas forced air heat. My furnace gets inspected once a year by a licensed HVAC contractor. I have a wood burning fireplace that also gets inspected once a year. I change/clean my furnace filter once a month. I have new Energy Star window and doors. I will be placing more insulation in the attic later this month. If you don’t have new windows I recommend the plastic window film on the inside of the window. I would also re-caulk the exterior of the window. Go around the house looking for drafts and address each accordingly. I have a full basement and heat the basement in the winter too. This keeps the entire house warm. I don’t go out to eat that often so I make sure cooking heats up the house as well.
Please don’t use your fireplaces before having them inspected by a reputable company. Installing an electric blower on a fireplaces will also help heat the home.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
put up heavy drapes,insulate all your outside wall outlet plates,if you have a foyer put a curtain between in and the rest of the house, that way when you open your front door all your heat doesn’t end up outside,
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
the fireplaces are a waste of time, inefficient, most heat goes up the flue, along with interior air. the hot water systems are great, unpopular in the US because we want central a/c, which means installing 2 systems. in Europe, they seldom have a/c, and hot water in the norm, in fact, many places will have a central boiler that heats many homes and businesses rather than each place having its own.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Get a thermostat with a timer so it ’s not running all day. After you cook in the oven, turn it off and leave the door open
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
You do have a problem in that you are going to haft to spend some money in order to save some money!
Your saying that this is an old house, which means to me that it is drafty and probably not insulated that well.
First, you need to have the flu inspected on whichever one of your fireplaces that is on the lower floor and most centrally located toward the middle of the house.
Second, have that flu relined if it does not pass inspection!
Third,buy a wood burning insert for the fire place and have it installed. If the house is so big that the insert won’t heat it all at least you will be able to cut the price of the current fuel you are using. If you plan to live in this house for a long time the savings will offset (over time) the cost of relining the flu and buying the insert.
Check the price of firewood delivered in your area as that varies throughout the country!
If you only rent the house then restrict your living area during the winter months and shut the forced air system off to areas you are not using!
There are many ways to save on your heating bills. My suggestions may not even be practical in your case!
In my area of the country a wood stove is cheap, good heat.
It does however require some work and is somewhat dirty!!
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Last time I had guests for the holidays for a month, everyone wanted to wear t-shirts and shorts in the house and turn it up to 90. I said NO. Wear warm clothing in the house first, never open windows and limit going in and out the door, get your groceries out of the car with one trip, then I prefer to stay upstairs as opposed to the basement or den which are generally cold and heat rises, so we stay warm.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I agree with Jeremyduffy.com. The plastic sheets are good, and my dad told me to use them this winter, cos I live in a really cold house with no double glazed windows! Also, if you put foil behind any heaters next to walls, it can reflect the heat back into the room, rather than escaping through walls etc. This winter is going to be so cold for me, and I cant afford giant gas bills! I have the heating on for an hour in the morning, and off while Im out working, then an hour or two again in the evening…it stays warm for quite a while, and with plastic sheets and or foil, it will help even more! Hope u stay nice and warm!
p.s. Try not to use the oven, as they make bills soar upward with costs!!! If you have a mocrowave make as much use of that as possible. Also if your house has an old boiler, it could be using too much gas, so a new one would be better and more efficient.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Use weather stripping and the 3M window kits to seal drafty windows. Keep closet doors and doors to rooms you don’t use often closed. I also use small fans to help circulate the air. I turn down the heat when I’m going to cook, especially when I use the oven, that way the heat in the house stays consistent. Let the light into the sunny rooms to help heat them.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
First thing is first – have your fireplaces inspected. You might be losing more heat than you realize up the chimneys if they aren’t sealed very well. Since you said your forced air doesn’t distribute very well, it would probably benefit from an inspection as well. Make sure you are replacing the filters monthly too.
How old/efficient are your windows? If they aren’t double-paned efficient windows, then I would definately buy the window film kits. They are relatively inexpensive compared to lost heat.
Check with your gas provider – if they are big enough, they might offer a free energy audit. Larger utility companies are required by law to spend so much of their annual income on energy efficiency measures for their customers. They might have several options to help you with your energy bill. Budget billing is also an option if you find yourself paying super-high bills in the winter. Just be prepared, you will pay more during the rest of the year.
The Dept. of Energy has a ton of info on their web page. http://www.energy.gov.
We live in an area of the country that has pretty cold winters. We have a full basement & have installed a wood burning stove with a blower in the chimney. When the basement gets good & warm, we switch our furnace to "fan only". This pulls the warm air from the basement into the rest of the house. This last winter after a terrible ice-storm we lost our electricity for a day and a half. Without electricity, your gas furnace won’t run because it uses electricity for the blower motor. We had to rely soley on our wood burner. Even without the aid of the furnace fan sucking it upstairs, our thermostat stayed at about 74 degrees. Warmer than we keep our house using the furnace!
If you don’t have a programable thermostat, I would definately buy one of those. Lowering the heat at night and during the day while most families are at work/school will save on your bill as well.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
You should just run it while you home. Other wise dont turn leave it own and save money.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
seal your windows with weather strips and front and back doors.Also it may sound strange but boil a pot of water for 10-15 min for the dryness in the air on when you feel it is too stuffy.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Where I live there is a heating assistance program run by the county. It’s call HEAP- A heating assistance program- check your city/town, county and state governmet to see if they have any such programs. Also some companies offer level billing.
As far as what you can do now. Prepare your windows. make sure there are no cracks around the seals – inside and out. I would also suggest that you purchase some heavy weight curtains for the winter . but in the day time make sure they are open so the natural light can come in and keep the home fairly warm. set your heater on a timer to come on maybe one or two hours before you arrive home and shut it off when you are not in the house. If you are in a very cold region you would want to maintain a constant temp. in the home weither you are there or not to ensure that your pipes do not burst due to the the water freezing- if that is your case and point please leave the heat at maybe a 5 degree temp. drop when you are not present in the home.
Well good luck and keep warm. when all else fails- electric blankets are a great back up.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
closen vents and doors to rooms you’re not using regularly.
set thermostat to comfortable level and leave it alone.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
after living in a house with no heating system of any kind for the last 6 yrs – i think i can give you a few hints.
first the fireplaces. HAVE THEM INSPECTED/CLEANED!!!! i cannot emphasize that enough (we lived thru a house fire because of a badly built fireplace.) then and only then consider a wood burning stove that ventilates thru the chimney. if your fire dept says no to that then put glass fireplace screens in that pretty much shuts off the draft from the unused fireplaces. heat-a-lators are OK if you have gas outlets in your fireplaces but they only warm the room they are in.
Personally i dont trust electric blankets- i recommend a plain wool blanket under (yes under) your bottom sheet- its amazing how much warmer you will be from that alone- if you can get a down comforter (cover it with a duvet cover) that was the only warmth we had in the place we stayed in (COLD/DAMP) Edinburgh & we were so warm we kept kicking the covers off.
around the house wear warm socks- a sweater and sweat suits are comfortable – a warm hat is good.
find the drafts and block them (under doors – at windows etc) those small things really add up to comfort and savings.
frankly i found we stay MUCH MUCH Healthier in the cooler houses. where our friends in their overheated places were constantly sick with colds and flu.
the ONLY heating really needed is to keep the house warm enough to keep the pipes from freezing.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Sing the German anthem.
That always warmed things up for me. and its free!!
eneigkeit und Recht und Freiheit Fur das Deutsche Vaterland!
Danach Lasst uns alle Streben Bruderlich mit Herz und Hand, eneigkeit und recht und freiheit Sind des Gluckes Unterpfand, Bluh’ im glanze dieses Gluckes. Bluh’ Deutsches Vaterland! Bluh im glanze’ Dieses Gluckes, bluh’ Deutsches Vaterland!
Gott Sei mit Deutschland!
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I keep my windows and doors sealed and insulated well. My home is a newer one so the walls and ceiling are well insulated to. Ceiling fans are a big help. You can get a humidifier to keep the air moist. Have your fireplaces checked out by a professional so you can use those to. A fireplace is nice in the winter. Very cozy. My home is all electric, heat and everything. My worse bill was about $100 during the coldest time of the winter when temps get to -20 and colder and far colder wind chills. Oh yea, I also get a discount from my utility company for having all electric appliances and I have a family of 4.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I keep a big pot of water simmering on my stove. The moist air feels warmer and cuts down on static. Throw in some vanilla extract or some cinnamon for a yummy smell.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Your heating system may not be working correctly or your ducts are leaking. Have you had all this inspected, including the humidifier system. Usually the forced air system is used to both heat and cool your home, radiator and pipe are expensive. If central AC cooling is needed the radiators are not used. How efficient is your system, what type of system do you have? Heat and air systems are very complex and it is hard to make this nice and simple. Fireplaces! The flues need to be inspected with a camera. The dampers need to work correct. Sorry about all the question. I hope you can get some better answers.
Bigfoot
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
electric blanket and the thermo in winter at 68
i turn the heat on at the end of october or early nov
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
please make your house beutiful and start beautiful things that you have make
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Olivia,
lot of good ideas on the drapes etc. If you do have windows that get noon day sun you do want to pull the shades if it isn’t real windy outside. Direct sun warms carpets and couches etc. It keeps a little radiant heat for later in the day. Close the shades when the sun starts getting low.
A fire place is a very IN-efficient heater. Other than those fitted with those blowers, a fireplace don’t hardly do anything. Even with the blowers, they’re pretty expensive to operate. Have to make sure they’re clean, and then have lots of wood.
Said you didn’t want to spend a fortune. This is a bit expensive to install. There’s these people that do these retrofits, where they install an iron stove, and run the vent up thru the old fireplace. You loose some living space, cause the stove is inside a few feet. Also have to have a metal protector for the floor, and an fence to keep old people, kids and drunks away from the stove. You’ll get heat from every piece of wood, and it won’t just go up the chimney. A stove radiates heat all around
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Your Home should be fitted with proper insulation.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
i read about it in homebase magazine. get one if you have the chance, last month’s edition. one good advice was to insulate the loft.
also i keep a nice blanket on the back of the sofa. whenever i am downstairs, or watching tv, i snuggle under the blanket.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
the best way to keep warm is to stay close to other people,that was the second best way to keep warm,apart from clothing oneself.well since its festive soon why dont you get people to come over for the festival?you are bound to be heated up,you may be tempted to open the vents.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
We live in northern Canada, so this is the big question every fall.
We have a wood/oil furnace and every fall we have it checked to make sure that all parts are working efficiently. We check doors to see if they hang properly, and if any of the weatherstripping is in need of replacement. Windows on the north side (prevailing winter wind side) of the house are covered in heavy clear plastic.
In spite of all these precautions, there are days when the house can be cooler than is comfortable, so we also make sure of warm socks and slippers and warm comfortable clothing.
If you want to use the fireplaces, get some knowledgable person to have a look at them and see if 1) they are safe to use and 2) if they would make any appreciable difference to heating the house. A fireplace that is not used and maintained properly is a disaster waiting to happen.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
i live in an older model mobile home and its very hard to keep my bill under $200 to $250 in the dead of winter. We turn the thermostat down when we are gone during the day so it doesn’t run as much, and at night to, because we layer blankets on the bed. Now I am on an equal pay program with my local power company and the first year it didn’t do as good as it has this year, the first year they set my monthly payment to low, so i ended up owing over $500 at the last bill, but this year they raised my monthly payment and right now I have almost $300 credit! It helps me alot because there is Christmas and Birthdays to deal with around this time so money is tight enough!!
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
1) Don’t heat the whole house – only heat the room you’re in.
2) Don’t use the furnace – wear extra layers or wrap yourself in a blanket.
Heat yourSELF, not the house. The house doesn’t care what temperature it is – the occupants do. Also, if different occupants like different temperatures, this works out quite nicely.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
wood burning fire place!
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Get someone to fix your fireplaces. Yes, it is worth it! Believe me. And yes if you be careful you won’t have to worry about safeness. We have one fireplace and keeps us, in fact, very warm and so far no accidents happened thank God. Besides the fireplace, here are some ideas I could think of:
1-Keep blinds, curtains, and windows shut.
2-Try to put a lot of carpets or rugs around.
3-Have a lot of blankets around.
4-Wear warmly.
5-Get a normal radiator and keep in on for about an hour. Then, after you turn it off, the house will stay warm all day.
Hope I helped!
Have a warm winter!
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
As i’m sure you know warm air rises and cool air sinks. So what you do is turn your ceiling fans on a backwards rotation which will force the warm air to be more evenly distributed if you don’t have ceiling fans you can use regular ones just point them at the ceiling ( leave them on regular rotation)
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Gas, I live in West Virginia and the well is on my land
It’s free
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
GET RID OF YOUR STICK BUILT HOME.
I am not kidding at all. The idea of continuing to build homes that require huge amounts of Natural Gas or electricity to heat and cool our homes is a disgrace.
The link below will take you to the current best home product in the market. They have received the highest energy star rating of any product available and are the safest in the world.
Research the website and then go on the tour they are having this October 19 & 20th.
There are homes and businesses that will be open to the public to see the dome homes in person.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Here’s some info I googled to see the best way to do this:
make sure that all your doors and windows can be really closed tight. If not, order to repair them or seal the leaks yourself. Your objective is to eliminate all drafts you can. If a cold air can’t get in, you will not lose energy heating it. Another important thing is either insulating your cellar too, or at least making the cellar doors well-insulated to prevent cold from entering your house from the ground.
The energy use can be also limited by keeping your heating and cooling systems in good condition. If you fail to install new filters every few months and schedule your furnace maintenance every ten years instead of ever second year, you can expect that those systems’ efficiency will be cut by half. Also, remember about checking the cooling system for coolant leaks regularly. If any of the systems you have is older than sixteen-twenty years, it is recommended to replace it – old technologies are usually much less efficient than modern solutions.
Keep your thermostat in the area of your house which is far away from any really hot or cold places. Otherwise you risk your thermostat to excessively heat or cool your house basing on false readings. You may reduce the risk by installing a programmable Energy Star rater thermostat, but it is much better to get it installed in another place.
If you make sure that your house is well-insulated, eliminate most of the drafts and keep your cooling and heating systems in prime condition, it’s usually enough to reduce your bills by a half. If you want to do more than that, you may want to consider some additional means, like installing a heat pump or using a fireplace insert instead of real fireplace.
Hopefully this info is of help and can be useful to you as well.
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
We Have 3 bedrooms, and only use 1, so we just close off those rooms, and use space heaters. We purchased a new low profile heater from Lowes last year, and it heated our living room, dining room, and bathroom. We got one of the smallest ones for our bedroom. Everyone told us that they would make our bills skyrocket, but we barely noticed a difference. I believe the newer heaters are more energy efficient than the older one. Oh, we also put a blanket over the kitchen door, so heat stayed where we were.Its didnt look great, but we stayed comfortable.
Since you like the old fashioned ratitors, you may look into the electric ones at lowes. They work great!
Try these:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=249077-33454-TRD0715T&lpage=none
or:this is the one we have. It is a lil slow starting out, but gets the whole room nice and toasty soon!
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=210641-39646-5620&lpage=none
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
It is proven that fireplaces, although heat the room, draw heat from the other rooms also. (because of the air that goes up the chimney, i think) They have plastic that you put on your windows. You use a blowdryer to tighten it. When put on properly, you can hardly tell you have it on there. For us to plastic our house (15 windows) It’ costs no more than about 30 bux, but it saves us about 30-50 a month on heating costs. Good luck!
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
You can put more insulation in your attic. Make sure your entry doors and windows have a nice tight seal. Also, if you call your utility co they should have a brochure they can send you.