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olivia6799
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
Answer
The house I own had no heating system other than a blower box on the fireplace when I bought it. Several thousand dollars later I had central heat with a heat pump in place. I thought all would be great, until I got my first heating bill. If I use that thing I can expect heating bills to range from $300-600 a month in the winter.
SOOOoo I have become something of an obsessive about tricks and alternative heating sources.
1. You would not believe how much outside air leaks into your house. Go around when it's cold and windy and put your hand over door cracks, keyholes in the knobs, window sills, even along the floor by the wall. If you can't plaster over the leak, tape it. All that cold air coming in just drives up your costs.
2. A $4 flannel blanket from Walmart works wonders when hung over doorways that are not regularly used. I also hang them over windows as a cheap alternative to heavy drapery.
3. Those fireplaces? Forget 'em. They'll suck out more heat than they put in. The only time a fireplace really does good is if you are either right in front of it, or you have a blower insert that forces the heat out into the house instead of sending it all up the chimney.
4. I can't say enough about those $1.25 draft dodgers that you stick on the base of your doors. Just peel the backing and stick them on. Any hardware store or Walmart will have them.
5. Insulation. When is the last time you checked it in your attic? You lose a LOT of heat through the ceiling, so a few hundred bucks worth of blown in insulation can save you thousands over a few years. You need at least 6 inches of insulation up there (I put in a foot!), so if it's all compressed down to a few inches, it's time to resupply.
Look around, you'll find one of those radiators. I finally realized the heat pump was very efficient until the outside temp dropped below 45, then the meter nearly spun off it's base. So, I hooked up a free standing, vent free, propane fueled fireplace that will make the place toasty warm when the temp drops into the 30s or below.
Avoid the temptation to get little electric space heaters. The energy they use up to make that little bit of heat is NOT worth it.
The house I own had no heating system other than a blower box on the fireplace when I bought it. Several thousand dollars later I had central heat with a heat pump in place. I thought all would be great, until I got my first heating bill. If I use that thing I can expect heating bills to range from $300-600 a month in the winter.
SOOOoo I have become something of an obsessive about tricks and alternative heating sources.
1. You would not believe how much outside air leaks into your house. Go around when it's cold and windy and put your hand over door cracks, keyholes in the knobs, window sills, even along the floor by the wall. If you can't plaster over the leak, tape it. All that cold air coming in just drives up your costs.
2. A $4 flannel blanket from Walmart works wonders when hung over doorways that are not regularly used. I also hang them over windows as a cheap alternative to heavy drapery.
3. Those fireplaces? Forget 'em. They'll suck out more heat than they put in. The only time a fireplace really does good is if you are either right in front of it, or you have a blower insert that forces the heat out into the house instead of sending it all up the chimney.
4. I can't say enough about those $1.25 draft dodgers that you stick on the base of your doors. Just peel the backing and stick them on. Any hardware store or Walmart will have them.
5. Insulation. When is the last time you checked it in your attic? You lose a LOT of heat through the ceiling, so a few hundred bucks worth of blown in insulation can save you thousands over a few years. You need at least 6 inches of insulation up there (I put in a foot!), so if it's all compressed down to a few inches, it's time to resupply.
Look around, you'll find one of those radiators. I finally realized the heat pump was very efficient until the outside temp dropped below 45, then the meter nearly spun off it's base. So, I hooked up a free standing, vent free, propane fueled fireplace that will make the place toasty warm when the temp drops into the 30s or below.
Avoid the temptation to get little electric space heaters. The energy they use up to make that little bit of heat is NOT worth it.
Help! i have recently moved into a small starter home with storage heaters?
Karen
I have an Economy 7 Quartz timer for water heating and there are 2 'light switches' next to it, one with 'on peak' written on it in pen, the other 'off peak' written in pen, however, the only one with a visable lead to the timer is the 'on peak' switch and that is the only one that seems to make the timer come on.
There is a switch in the kitchen with 'water heating system' written on it with just a red light on it when it is on. Is this switch my immersion i.e. should I only turn it on an hour or so before I want hot water or is the timer switch controlling when the water heats so I can leave the switch on?
I have had a £110 electric bill for 1 month and something is eating electric overnight as that is where the high usage is. Overnight I only have on 3 storage heaters, set on input 3, sky box & TV in standby, landline phone and fridge freezer. I am currently on split times for Economy 7 (10.30pm-12.30am & 2.30am-7.30am) however, I think my water heater timer may turn the water heating on between midnight and 3.30am which would be outside of the off-peak hours. there are missing segments on the E7 Quartz timer between 24-3 so I assume that is the time my water is heating?
I am with E-On and they have suggested I have a new meter fitted free of charge that runs the 12-7 off peak times which would save me calling out an electrician to change the timer. What I don't understand is..is this the right thing to do and will my storage heaters be controlled by their tariff and only come on during 12-7 automatically and if the water timer does prove to be set for midnight to 3am this should sort my high bills out?
Thank you in advance!
Thank you for responding but I live in England, United Kingdom :)
Answer
I can tell you this for sure. Anthing that control temperature (heating &cooling) uses the power the most.
So TV and skybox and phone and lights do not count for much.
Meaning the main power draw is from storage heaters, [water heating,& fridge/freezer, - both of which are wrapped in insulation so they keep the temperature constant and not run continuously. ..You can't shut off the fridge freezer unless you want spoiled food. That has a timer clock in it that switches on the circulation pump every half hour to run for 10 minutes all day long and all night long.
Water heater is insulated so that the water in the tank stays hot and that may turn on once an hour if you do not use the water(just because the water has cooled below a set temperature).
Both of these I leave plugged in 24/7/365 just because the difference is not going to be that much at all.
You are in a starter home. Meaning what? Are the walls insulated, is the ceiling insulated why is it you do not have a furnace? or coal fired pot belly stove or fire place? Even bush cabins have a wood burning oil barrel stove or a fireplace. Those are places that are lived in when fishing or camping in the summer time (so 2 months use).
I am willing to bet that most of the power draw comes when you use the storage heaters. and your place is poorly insulated with single pane glass windows.
You have to heat the place so long as you have plumbing with water in it otherwise the plumbing will crack and leak.
Go to a building supply store or hardware store and find out about stuff. Much stuff you are missing. .
Are your windows and doors fitting tightly and do they have weather stripping around them?
I can tell you this for sure. Anthing that control temperature (heating &cooling) uses the power the most.
So TV and skybox and phone and lights do not count for much.
Meaning the main power draw is from storage heaters, [water heating,& fridge/freezer, - both of which are wrapped in insulation so they keep the temperature constant and not run continuously. ..You can't shut off the fridge freezer unless you want spoiled food. That has a timer clock in it that switches on the circulation pump every half hour to run for 10 minutes all day long and all night long.
Water heater is insulated so that the water in the tank stays hot and that may turn on once an hour if you do not use the water(just because the water has cooled below a set temperature).
Both of these I leave plugged in 24/7/365 just because the difference is not going to be that much at all.
You are in a starter home. Meaning what? Are the walls insulated, is the ceiling insulated why is it you do not have a furnace? or coal fired pot belly stove or fire place? Even bush cabins have a wood burning oil barrel stove or a fireplace. Those are places that are lived in when fishing or camping in the summer time (so 2 months use).
I am willing to bet that most of the power draw comes when you use the storage heaters. and your place is poorly insulated with single pane glass windows.
You have to heat the place so long as you have plumbing with water in it otherwise the plumbing will crack and leak.
Go to a building supply store or hardware store and find out about stuff. Much stuff you are missing. .
Are your windows and doors fitting tightly and do they have weather stripping around them?
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Title Post: How do you heat your home and keep Heating prices low?
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Rating: 100% based on 99998 ratings. 5 user reviews.
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Thank FOr Coming TO My Blog
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