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- Oculus, on 02/06/2008, -3/+79FTA: "We actually have a wood burning fireplace that we did not use because we have never used a fireplace before. I have been doing some reading and apparently it is not very hard."
Are you kidding? Open the flue, insert wood, light with a match. How can you be smart enough to operate a blog, but not know how to start a fire in a fireplace? - paulakapdub, on 02/06/2008, -3/+47just cuddle.... it keeps everyone warm :)
- sockpuppets, on 02/06/2008, -2/+44I put on my thermal underwear, robe and wizard hat.
- Error601, on 02/06/2008, -3/+44A $120 heating bill would be wonderful in my house.
- geekchic, on 02/06/2008, -3/+42They missed what is probably the #1 way to reduce heating bills - and that is to simply close the curtains at night.
Even with double glazing, I can feel the cold by the windows, but close the curtains and I can leave the heating off all night as the curtains trap the heat inside the living roo, - sockpuppets, on 02/06/2008, -3/+36You have a kangaroo?
- SEMaven, on 02/06/2008, -1/+28Remove drafts! Some simple weatherstripping around a doors and windows can bring the bills down.
- allaboutdatiki, on 02/06/2008, -1/+26I just paid $500 for another 150 gallons of heating oil. This is the third delivery this winter. I'm effed.
- tehpwnerofn00bs, on 02/06/2008, -2/+25Notice that also implies that he has a dead 'roo too.
- Sinai, on 02/06/2008, -2/+24If you've read some of the blogs I have, you'd realize the bar is pretty low.
- fulibs, on 02/06/2008, -1/+21Once somebody figures out how to trap the heat inside your dead roo, that will be the end of global warming. I have even tried to wrap my dead roo in the curtains... nothing. Worthless dead roo.
- FearlessFreep, on 02/06/2008, -2/+22"Teach a man to build a fire and he stays warm for a day.
Light a man on fire and he stays warm for the rest of his life" - wacki, on 02/06/2008, -0/+203000 B.C. - Caveman: "FIRE!?!?!? ARGHHHH MAGIC! DANGEROUS AND SCARY!!!!!"
2008 A.D. - Internet nerd: "FIRE!??!?!? ARGHHHH. DANGEROUS AND SCARY!!!!!"
We've made amazing progress in the last 5,000 years. - inactive, on 02/06/2008, -2/+21Laff: #6 "Move to a warmer place" -- I've had this issue before, there are two good ways to do that when you live in frozen regions like Wisconsin. You have to be willing to deal w/ higher humidity levels though. If you boil pots of hot water it'll kill dry cold air and help keep the place warm until you go and open windows. Similarly, a humidifier can work wonders. You can walk around in your short shorts and cotton t-shirt even when your heater is on low or off, and it's good for your skin! It takes a little getting used to but if you are strapped for cash or want to conserve energy because you are a green citizen.. then these tips should help.
- MLyzz, on 02/06/2008, -0/+18Dumb list. Forgot to mention many, many things.
-Plugs for power sockets (many draft come through this method)
-Plastic wrap for the windows (big money saver)
-covering for the bottom of 'outside' doors
-running a humidifier (boiling one) - uses small amount of energy, can heat up a bedroom by 5+ degrees (and its good for you & your skin) - tlo182, on 02/06/2008, -5/+237. Get a reliable web-server.
- jlungu, on 02/06/2008, -5/+21What about replacing your outdated thermostat with a new one that has a programmable schedule?
Also, be careful with utilizing a fireplace for heat. While the immediate area may seem warmer all the hot air that goes up the chimney must be replaced by cold, outside air filtering in through cracks, doors, windows, etc. The net effect may be to reduce the overall temperature in the house. - Sangatious, on 02/06/2008, -2/+18what about space heaters? you're only in one room at a time if you live by yourself or are alone. Also I find it ridiculous she suggests moving to a warmer place.
- gummih, on 02/06/2008, -2/+17The recently deceased spelling police
- debuggercll, on 02/06/2008, -5/+20You could also set yourself on fire to stay warm.
- neognostic, on 02/06/2008, -0/+12I added the special built foam pads behind all of the switches and outlets on the external walls, the $10.00 investment has reduced my heating and cooling by $10 to $15 per month.
Put your hand up to one of the switch plates during next cold spell and see what I mean. - Dralite, on 02/06/2008, -3/+15sex?... i guess digg users wouldn't think of that... boo hoo
- tlo182, on 02/06/2008, -2/+14FTA: "my husband said that little purchase has enabled him to play in the living room without feeling cold."
Your husband "plays" in the living room? - KSUdesigner, on 02/06/2008, -0/+11"Now, in the previous years I had off and on taken freezing cold baths to help lose weight."
Thanks, that's the funniest thing I've heard all day. - beerncheese, on 02/06/2008, -0/+11A programmable thermostat should be the first thing on the list. For one thing, people living in extremely cold climates (myself, e.g.) can't turn off the thermostat because the pipes will freeze (it has happened to me). Also, if you want to keep the house cool (55, say) at night and while at work, you can program the thermostat to heat the house before you get home/wake up. And they cost like $20.
- beerncheese, on 02/06/2008, -1/+11Buried for being a stupid list.
- spamly, on 02/06/2008, -1/+11I used to do something similar. I'd put my sleeping friends hand in a bowl of warm water while he was sleeping.
- BOFH2, on 02/06/2008, -0/+10No really it works! You get sick and do not eat. :)
- CraigJ, on 02/06/2008, -0/+10Actually a wood burning fireplace can warm the room you are in but unless you are using external air for combustion is sucks an incredible amount of air up the chimney. I always find that when we use the fireplace the living room gets quite warm but the rest of the house gets colder...
- SlappyBag, on 02/06/2008, -1/+11Is it just me or is this list pretty obvious? "Wear more clothes" "Move to a warmer place", well, fooking duh?
- MisterWonderful, on 02/06/2008, -0/+9Bingo. Sheesh I'm lucky if I can walk for $400.
- uidzer0, on 02/06/2008, -0/+9These are the worst tips I have ever seen for energy conservation.
- steeeler58, on 02/06/2008, -0/+9Agreed. I'm paying 400+ a month. My thermostat hasn't seen 70 in years.
- SheilaNoya, on 02/06/2008, -1/+10Only $31 per month here in Los Angeles (gas heating). Of course, you guys probably don't have to pay $1.2 million for a 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath house, so I guess it all evens out.
- debuggercll, on 02/06/2008, -0/+8Another great weight loss plan is to drink a bunch of water from a stagnant puddle that's infested with malaria carrying mosquitoes. You go into a fever coma for about 2 weeks and when you wake up, you're thin.
- FlimBlimmer, on 02/06/2008, -0/+8"use blankets".
"move to a warmer place"
BURIED. I'd bury it twice if digg would let me. - debuggercll, on 02/06/2008, -1/+9$450 is pretty cheap for buying an entire house. You got a great deal.
- mlwarrior, on 02/06/2008, -1/+9"Last month our heating bill shot up from around $60 to more than $120 and my husband was not pleased"
Just blow him. He'll be pleased, and you can enjoy the heat. - edebolt, on 02/06/2008, -1/+9on old camping trick is to fill a hot water bottle with hot water (duh) and put it on either your feet or between your legs when you go to bed... will keep you very warm for a few hours. Much healthier than an electric blanket. In the old days people also used to use hot rocks from the fire wrapped in a cloth.
- sponeil, on 02/06/2008, -0/+8That's what I was thinking. A very quick way to warm up the bed, and more fun than heating water bottles. ;-)
- heavyd14, on 02/06/2008, -1/+9Of course, these guys probably live somewhere where it actually gets cold.
- greenlight2001, on 02/06/2008, -3/+11If the woodstove has not been used for a while, then a through inspection of all components is warranted. Unless you really like house fires, then by all means "Open the flue, insert wood, light with a match". They are smart to read up before using it.
- mcfriendly, on 02/06/2008, -0/+8When I retired this last year this became a # 1 priority for our home and the result was a 20+% decline in our gas heating and a 12% decline in our electric bill. We paid for all of our updates in nearly one year.
- Updated the attic insulation to R 19+ (did it myself for about $600)
- Went through the basement and filled all the small gaps to the outside with spray insulation and old fiberglass ceiling tiles (but to fits)
- Replaced the dryer outlet with a new environmentally friendly model
- Updated the attic fan (now for humidity) to properly the attic size.
- Tested the outlets on outside walls (found and filled with insulated fill a number in which you could actually feel the cold air coming in.)
- Purchased a balloon device to control the loss of heat up the chimney.
- Set the hot water heater to a slightly lower temperature.
- Installed insulated tubes around the hot water pipes in the basement (first 20 feet or so)
- Checked and sealed with Aluminum tape a number of basement heat vents which were leaking heat into the basement instead of the house upstairs (where we live.)
- Check all the windows for air leaks & replaced a couple of them -
- Checked the doors and replaced the rubber seal on one of them (you could feel the cold air coming in.)
- Installed insulated curtains in one room with lots of windows
- Use oil electric space heaters in areas of house where we spend the most time and keep the temperature down for the house as a whole.
- Use a programmable thermostat and make sure we turn the temp. down when we go out. (remember to turn off the electric space heater).
I am sure there were others but this is a start. I made more money on this project than I did in the stock market :)
PS - check your state income tax forms for environmental update deductions (insulation, new doors, windows). In Missouri last year they provided up to $600 additional deductions.
Remember these changes affect your air conditioning as well. - fixyourthinking, on 02/06/2008, -1/+8If your immediate neighbors turn on their heat or keep a hot place you will have a warm place.
- noahhoward, on 02/06/2008, -2/+9Where do people get the idea that moving is a viable solution to this problem?
- inactive, on 02/06/2008, -4/+11We use an electric blanket, keep the ambient temperature low, and turn off the heat before leaving the apartment. So far so good. Apartments are much more energy-efficient than houses btw.
- CedEx, on 02/06/2008, -0/+7And if you put that server in your house, it naturally heats the room that it's in!
- MWeather, on 02/06/2008, -0/+7Yeah. Some people don't have all the life sucked out of them at 18 and have fun well into their golden years.
- AlienMushroom, on 02/21/2008, -0/+7$120? WOW!! I pay $450 for a single family house.
- Paii, on 02/06/2008, -2/+9I'm not sure that the first tip is sound advice? If you leave the thermostat off all day, won't it require even more energy to return to a comfortable temperature in the evening?
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