Home & Garden Blog » Heaters

4 Tips To Keep Warm (Economically) On A Winter Night

brock — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:43:11 +0000

If you are like me, then you hate hearing the furnace fan kick on because you know that it’s costing you money with every passing second. The winter chill keeps heating costs high, but with a little ingenuity, you can keep the heat low and still stay warm.

Candles Create Heat

I like having candles lit in my home because the light is much softer and it creates a nice glow. One thing I discovered was that if you have three or four larger candles lit, they provide a significant amount of heat in the room. You do have to be cautious though. Never fall asleep or leave the home with candles burning, as they can be a fire hazard.

Bundle Up Under The Covers

There’s no reason why large comforters need to stay on the bed. Bring them down to the living room and cuddle up on the couch with the massive blankets. You’ll stay warm and enjoy some quality time with your significant other. The great thing about covers is that if it’s still a little chilly under it, you can always add more. The goal is to be economical and comfortable.

Corn Bags and Water Bottles

These are my favorite free and crafty ways to keep me warm on a cold night. A corn bag is simply a bag filled with corn, not popcorn. You place the bag in the microwave and it heats the corn to be used for heating your feet, hands and anywhere else. They are simple to make if you have a little sewing skill or you can buy them pre-made. Hot water bottles are another option that has been around for decades. Just fill them with hot water and let them warm you. When the bottle or bag looses its heat, just refill with water or stick in the microwave.

The Fireplace

I remember being a kid and my mom and dad putting on the fireplace. We would even do indoor wienie- and marshmallow-roasting using it. A fireplace is a very traditional way of creating heat in your home. This only works if it’s a wood burning fireplace; you’re not saving any money if you’re using a natural gas fireplace. You need to use heating elements that don’t use electricity or gas. Turning down your heat and then using an electric heater to heat your room, isn’t going to save you much money.

Preparing Your Home (And Pocket) for Winter Heating Costs

brock — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:52:52 +0000

This past weekend I received my monthly power bill and was once again faced with the reality that winter is rearing its ugly head. My eyes about popped out when I saw the increase from last month, and it hasn’t even gotten that cold yet. I can only imagine how I’m going to feel when I get the gas bill for my heat. My hair will probably turn white, and my wife will have to revive me with smelling salts.

The key to surviving the winter heating bills is preparation.

You could go on a graduated payment where the monthly bills are equalized throughout the year to make up for the winter, but that also means you’ll be paying double, or more, on the months where you hardly use any gas at all.

I choose to tough it out and just take the increase, but prepare myself and my house for the jump in price. All unnecessary vents are shut and drafty windows are taped over with plastic sheets. Any cracks in the doors are covered, and I never let the heat go above 72 degrees. That can get a little chilly on windy nights, but the house-proofing helps a lot.

With the house in working order, I work on my finances. After years of doing this, I realize how much my increases will be each month and plan accordingly. I get Christmas shopping done by the end of November and start months earlier. This prevents the last minute money rush in December and inevitable strain on my pocketbook.

The winter is the perfect time to stay indoors and not spend so much money on going out. I save hundreds a month by not braving the bitter cold, snow and winds unless I absolutely have to. The money that I spent on eating out and visiting places, now goes to my gas and electric bill. It’s not that much of a loss, and once the weather improves in the spring, then that money is freed up again.

You can also work on putting a little extra away throughout the year, knowing that come winter, it’s probably going to go to your heating bills. The good news about this is that you’re building a nest egg and might have some left over once winter has passed.

We can’t get away from using more gas and electricity during the cold winter months. It’ easy to turn off the central air in the summer, but heat is a necessity. Do your best to prepare for the big jump before it happens, and bills during the winter months will be a little more bearable.

Heating System Maintenance: Preparing for Winter Ahead of Time

brock — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:59:23 +0000

It may be a month or two before the first snowflakes begin to fall, but the time to prepare your heating system for the long winter months is now. Odds are your heater has been dormant since March or April and, hopefully, you haven’t had to turn it on yet.

Regardless of whether it’s electric or gas, your heating bills are going to skyrocket once the heater comes on, because once it’s on, it doesn’t go off again until spring. If you want to save some cash over the next several months, winterize your home by checking all the windows and doors to make sure they are air tight now.

The smallest cracks can suck that heat out of your home. If you find a crack, try to cover it with plastic for windows and weather stripping for doors. If the draft comes from the bottom of the door, a blanket or two shoved against it should keep the heat in and the cold air out.

You should also have your heater checked by a professional in the months leading up to winter. The rates are generally cheaper, and they can find out any problems ahead of time. Take it from experience, the last thing you want is to have your heater go out during a blizzard. It’s a major problem for your family, but it will also cost you some serious cash.

Heating companies increase their prices, because they know people need to have those heaters on. They also charge extra for coming to a home outside of business hours. It seems heaters only go out around midnight on the coldest night of the year.

Heating companies may not be able to get to your home that day either. Once the cold weather hits, heaters start going out left and right, so it may take a day or two for them to get to your home. While they are solving other peoples’ heating woes, you are stuck living with a relative or spending time in a hotel, and that can put a major strain on your pocketbook, as well.

A heating system is just like your car; occasionally it needs a tune-up, so don’t wait until you are stranded in the middle of a blizzard. Instead, take the initiative and get it taken care of before it becomes a problem.

Green Living: Heating and Cooling

brock — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:51:37 +0000

The winter is ending, and soon spring flowers will shoot from the ground to reclaim the barren wasteland that has become our yards. The last thing you want to think about is your heating system, but this is the perfect time to consider going green.

I have never been a diehard conservationist. I let people with money to spare spend their time thinking of ways to save the world, while I just do my best to keep the bills paid and raise my family. But that doesn’t mean I can’t give a little insight to alternatives for heating your home that may actually save a little bit of the planet and some money over time.

Natural Heat: The sun’s rays are powerful and are skiing down on us throughout the day. It heats the planet, so why not let it heat your home, as well? Install skylights to let the sun rays filter into your home. Large windows on the side of the home where the sun hits regularly can go a long way to cutting heating costs.

Solar Panels: One of the most expensive ways to heat your home is electrically. The constant production of electricity from power plants depletes our environment of precious resources such as coal or creates hazardous radioactive waste from power plants. Installing solar panels on your home helps you create your own electricity, so you can heat your home for free. If you are lucky, you can even sell a little electricity back to the power company. You won’t make much, but every little bit helps to ease the burden on the environment.

Geothermal: Geothermal is a way to heat and cool your home using the temperatures of the Earth. Unlike standard forced-air heating systems that blow heated air into a home at intervals, a geothermal system expels a steady stream of lukewarm air to keep the house a constant temperature throughout the seasons. Pipes are laid underground below the frost line where the temperatures are constant regardless of the cold of winter or the heat of summer. Water is circulated through the pipes so it reaches a set temperature and then is sent back to the home where ambient heat or coolness is used to raise or lower the temperature of the air. The cost of a geothermal heating system is about twice that of a standard heating and cooling system, but the cost savings over time will more than make up for the cost.

I think that if we have it in out power to make a change that is better for the environment, then we should do it. I may not single-handedly save the brown otter from the ravages of the logging industry, but I can put my recycling out on the curb on time and help other people with the means to think of ways they can help the environment.

Notes From the Field: How I Survived the Snowpacalypse

brock — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:20:49 +0000

When I heard that Illinois was going to have 20 inches of snow dumped on it within a 24-hour time frame, I did everything I could to make sure the house was in tip-top shape.

I made the sure the windows and doors were secure, I went downstairs and took a look at the furnace to make sure it was in proper working order, and I had every blanket and portable heater ready to take on the night. The snow shovel was at the door, ready for quick access, and I had emergency flashlights and candles ready in case we needed them.

I was as prepared as I could be.

We were supposed to get the dangerous thunder-snow with snow fall rates of more than 3 inches an hour, and my greatest fear was that it would knock out the power. I did everything I could to make sure I was prepared, but ultimately, it was up to Mother Nature.

Facebook was aflutter with friends talking about the Snowpacalypse, and my wife was looking forward to seeing the storm. As the snow started, I watched as the wind blew heavily and as the drift grew steadily against my front door until I couldn’t open it at all. There was a 2-foot drift, and it wasn’t going to budge.

When the thunder-snow started and the house was shaken by thunder, I began to worry about the power again. The radio told reports of hundreds of stranded cars on the road, and the National Guard had been called in to help the state police.

It would appear the Snowpacalypse was here and going strong. About 6 inches had already been dumped, and the heavy winds made it impossible for snow plows to keep up, so they just stopped. It got to the point where you couldn’t tell where the road was in comparison to anything and the world was a solid field of white.

By midnight, the snow began to subside, and the forecasts became more favorable. We only had about a foot of snow dumped on us, and the power never went out. I talk about how to be prepared for winter weather and storms such as these, and you do your best. I don’t know if things would have fared differently if I had not been prepared, but it was reassuring that I did everything I could and survived the Snowpacalypse with ease.

Keeping Tabs: Ensure Your Furnace Is Always Working

brock — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:51:13 +0000

At 3 a.m. this morning, my wife woke me from a dead sleep because it was 65 degrees in the house when it was supposed to be 74. I freaked out, because I have three small children and cold temperatures can be bad.

Luckily, I was able to fix what was wrong, and before long, the heat was back up and running, but it took me about three hours to get back to sleep, because every time the heater came on, I wanted to make sure the fan kicked on and hot air was blowing out.

I hate winter. Cold weather, high electricity bills and the constant worry that at any moment the heater is going to give out on me drives me insane. I cannot stress the importance of calling a heating and cooling specialist in October or November to give your furnace a good once-over before it starts getting used full time.

They will take a look and identify any parts or worries that might cause the heater to malfunction during the winter months. The last thing you want to do is call a heating specialist in the winter. The cost is going to be much higher, and until he gets there, you’re going to be freezing your tail off.

Your choices are either to stick it out, bundle up and buy a bunch of portable heaters or to head off to a hotel. And that’s not an inexpensive option. It’s like renting a new car because you didn’t get your oil changed. You wouldn’t skip an oil change for your car when it was time, just like you wouldn’t leave your tires deflated. You shouldn’t skip getting your furnace checked out, either.

Since winter has already started, there are a few signs that your furnace may be on the verge of needing repair. It’s best to get help there before it breaks down if you suspect that it’s on its way out.

If the air coming out isn’t as warm as usual, then you could be in need of a new heating element. Any kind of knocking when the furnace turns on should be checked out immediately. If you smell gas when the furnace comes on or afterward, then the furnace should be turned off and a heating specialist called immediately. If at any time you see or smell smoke or something burning, then turn off the furnace.

It can be expensive to get a furnace fixed, and you may to ignore the sounds, but a furnace is one thing you cannot live without this winter, so treat it with the respect that it deserves. The last thing you want to have to do is buy a new furnace.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/photofarmer/2990892731

Seasonal Highlight: Space Heaters

colleen — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:50:00 +0000

I woke up this morning wrapped in my blankets like a torpedo. Or a burrito. Or a “brrr”rito, as my blanket-wrapping was in reaction to the frosted windows and frosty weather outside. Heat distribution in my house is very hard to regulate: while the kitchen and the living room get the brunt of the fire from the central heater, my small bedroom off in the far left corner of the house gets the least amount of love from the central heat supply. The problem is that when we raise the heat, my room becomes comfortable, and my roommates’ rooms turn into microwaves. So how can we make everyone happy?

I recommend space heaters. They work well and are small enough to heat small rooms, foyers, mud rooms, maybe even the space for the dogs and cats (though don’t get it too close to their beds! It could get a bit too hot and cause your pet to dehydrate). Space heaters are affordable and functional. They are a great item to have on hand in the freak occurrence that the heater breaks (god forbid!) or a particularly cold-blooded aunt or grandmother.

Here are some of the top space heaters on the market:

Dayton NW9 1500 Watt Electric Ceramic Convection Space Heater
Features 5,118 BTUs of Heat, Auto Overheat Shut-Off, and Washable Dust Filter – FREE GROUND SHIPPING! from Air-n-Water.com: $49.95

DeLonghi TCH8590ER Ceramic Heater: $61.99

Shop for discount space heaters at Smarter.com.

Space Heater Deal – Discount Soleus Tower Heater

evette — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:18:56 +0000

Brrrr – It’s cold in here! Warm up with this great deal on a Soleus Tower Space Heater!

The Tower Space Heater offers heat in 360 degrees and allows the heat to quickly disperse from all sides. Which ultimately maximizes heating efficiency. Micathermic heating combines the attributes of radiant and convection heating. This means the heater arrives at its full power in minutes and quickly emanates warmth throughout the rooms in your home.

Unlike other heaters, the Soleus HM360R does not dry out the air. It is not fan driven, so it operates silently. It also does not stir up common allergens like dust, so allergen sufferers benefit. An energy saving mode is included as well as a digital thermostat and remote control. Simple to control where and how much heat is needed, the HM360R heater delivers fast and efficient heat. This 360 degree heater has a low temperature surface and double safety protection.

Sounds warm and wonderful right? Affordable Price - $69.00

If you are interested in shopping for the Soleus Tower Heater – Click here!