Brother Adam Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 We moved into a big house with really low rent. We got our heat bill for Oct - Nov and I about had an accident, I couldn't believe how high it was and we only ran the heat at night and only on 62 degrees. I'm looking for ideas to conserve heat this winter. We've blocked off the entire upstairs, all the vents, and sealed the stairwell with plastic since we have no need to use the upstairs. We've also shut the vents in the bathroom and kitchen. We've covered the windows in the living room and bedrooms with plastic to conserve heat and did treatments on the windows to seal any gaps and cracks. Any other ideas? What is the lowest you would set your temperature if you have kids? I don't want them to get sick, but if we don't do things to save heat we could end up with a $250 heating bill for December. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Dress the kiddos in layers-- undershirts, shirt, light jacket/sweater rather than one heavier sweater or sweatshirt. Caps on heads... But be careful not to overdress them, too. A new quality space heater(s) (infared, portable) for living areas and bedrooms would be good. Make sure that they have safety features to avoid fires. I would avoid putting the thermostate too low-- you don't want frozen pipes. Change the furnace filters regularly. I think there are ways to insulate your water heater that will help, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bone _ Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 [quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1707562' date='Nov 21 2008, 07:50 PM']A new quality space heater(s) (infared, portable) for living areas and bedrooms would be good. Make sure that they have safety features to avoid fires.[/quote] Safety features a boring--bring on the fires! Also, if your house has a fireplace (wood stoves are different), it can cause a draft if used, making the outlying areas of the house colder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Red Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 +J.M.J.+ does your heating company have balanced billing? that might help too, plus if you qualify for a LIEAP? low income energy assistance program? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icelandic_iceskater Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 ditto to whoever said dress in layers. and keep the house cooler. my mom brings it down to 59 at night and no one's died yet so I guess it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 If you have ceiling fans, they can and should be turned to rotate in the opposite direction forcing rising heat down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 In drafty old castles, they hung tapestries on the wall to keep down air flow. I rehabbed houses for rent for a while in college, and this one old house had no insulation except 100 year old newspapers under the lath. I went to a thrift store and bought a bunch of old sleeping bags with broken zippers, and nailed them to the walls. I also put starfoam from the dumpster behind a furniture store against places. I don't know if you can do that in a rent house, but it helped having an electric blanket. I didn't like sleeping with them, but used them to warm the bed before I got in it at night. Be careful about space heaters. Some can be dangerous, and might not really save you that much money. I only used a small one to warm up the bathroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 This reminds me of when HSdaughter was a toddler and she saw HSdad caulking around the door. She thought he was doing it to keep the giraffes out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bone _ Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 [quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1707609' date='Nov 21 2008, 08:43 PM']This reminds me of when HSdaughter was a toddler and she saw HSdad caulking around the door. She thought he was doing it to keep the giraffes out.[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 [quote name='Brother Adam' post='1707547' date='Nov 21 2008, 10:25 PM']We moved into a big house with really low rent. We got our heat bill for Oct - Nov and I about had an accident, I couldn't believe how high it was and we only ran the heat at night and only on 62 degrees. I'm looking for ideas to conserve heat this winter. We've blocked off the entire upstairs, all the vents, and sealed the stairwell with plastic since we have no need to use the upstairs. We've also shut the vents in the bathroom and kitchen. We've covered the windows in the living room and bedrooms with plastic to conserve heat and did treatments on the windows to seal any gaps and cracks. Any other ideas? What is the lowest you would set your temperature if you have kids? I don't want them to get sick, but if we don't do things to save heat we could end up with a $250 heating bill for December.[/quote] What state are you in again? Do you have gas or electric or what? If gas do you have any fireplaces with valves in them to add ventless heaters? Is there a woodburner or fireplace there? Do you have a LHEAPP energy assistance program in your state? Do you have a payment plan with the utility? I hate to say it but $250 for December is not bad at all. Between my gas and electric I will probably spend over $400 just this month and that is not turning on the main furnace. The temps are running 20 degrees BELOW average already - it should be 35 to 50 here and we are running 18 -30 degrees instead - February weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 The last month we lived in a house here before moving to the condo, our gas bill was $680. We're a lot closer to the North Pole though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christie_M Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 In my old house my parents brought the thurmostate down to about 55F, then my sibs and I put on pjs, sweaters, beanies and went to bed. LOTS of extra blankets helps a whole lot, too. I know what you mean about $250 bill. Last month ours was about $400! In our current house we have no heat (or a/c) so I use about 4 blankets to bed...mostly cause i sleep next to a drafty window. We use the oven in the mornings to warm up the house. Usually put it on while we make brakefast, then but stuff to bake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 [quote name='Christie_M' post='1707693' date='Nov 22 2008, 06:43 AM']In my old house my parents brought the thurmostate down to about 55F, then my sibs and I put on pjs, sweaters, beanies and went to bed. LOTS of extra blankets helps a whole lot, too. I know what you mean about $250 bill. Last month ours was about $400! In our current house we have no heat (or a/c) so I use about 4 blankets to bed...mostly cause i sleep next to a drafty window. We use the oven in the mornings to warm up the house. Usually put it on while we make brakefast, then but stuff to bake.[/quote] Yeah, I grew up without heat or A/C in the part of the house I was in. I had a space heater in the winter, and a ceiling fan, and then of course lots of blankets & afghans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted November 22, 2008 Author Share Posted November 22, 2008 waaa A $680 bill would leave us homeless. I only worry about it being cold at night because Joseph has a tendancy to throw off blankets and layers. We did electric heaters one year and they didn't really save us anything and I would worry about fires and kids burning themselves. *sigh*. We don't qualify for assistance by $100 even though we can't even afford insurance lol. At least daddy got to buy new power tools to help insulate the house! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Do you have a spare room you could sublet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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