Ways to save on heating bills?

[punqsux]

well this is the first fall/winter i have to worry about heating bills, and we'll prolly be tuning the heat on in a few weeks so i figured since you guys were cheap, how do you save money on heating? our landlord told us to put plastic over the windows? where do you aquire this plastic? home depot?

also heres something i made up

when you get cold, play ddr til you start breaking a sweat! it actully works! ^^

any other ideas?

[jbroush99]

The plastic over the windows is a pain in the ass. You have to put tape around the window frame and carefully attach large sheets of plastic (like saran wrap) to the tape. Then you need to use a hairdryer to smooth it out and make it a tight seal.
It works, but one small tear ruins how effective it is.
You can buy the stuff at Home Depot, Menard's, Lowe's, etc.

My best solution for you is to turn the heat way down and make sure you have someone to share your bed with and "keep you warm".

[The Successful Dropout]

masturbation...have you ever finished cold?....

[bignick]

That plastic shit never works. Get a pair of warm slippers, sweat pants, and a sweat shirt. I kep the heat really low and the bill was still like $100 a month.

[pimp_daddy_smurf]

get a fire place, i have one in my room

[Moxio]

Just plan carefully and conserve your heat. Like Nick says, stock up on some warm clothes, keep your heat off when you don't absolutely need it, and you should be fine.

[sblymnlcrymnl]

get a fire place, i have one in my room

Not the most practical advice ever given, but not the worst I've seen either.


Warm clothes, check your seals, maybe use a small space heater and keep the heat down low if you're in one place alot.

[jbroush99]

Just don't get drunk and knock over the space heater.

[punqsux]

i dont drink, but ill be sure to keep it away from my roomate that does..

does a space heater use much electricity? because we had about 8 or 9 fans in my apartment going 24 hours a day and the bill was still pretty low

[pimp_daddy_smurf]

space heater-no, just turn it off when not in use.

actually thats what i use during the winter. im too lazy to go find some wood to burn


space heaters are heaters/fans with normally alot of settings............who cant use an extra fan???

[Mafia]

Keep the thermostat no higher than 65, and just wear warm clothes. It's worked for my family for years while everyone else jacks up the heat and pays a several hundred dollars more every winter.

[Legolas813]

move to florida......we don't have a winter down here :(

[KingDox]

You could change your windows to the double pain kind. We have those, but we did it mostly to keep noise down.

I live in socal so when "winter" shows up I put on the long shorts.

[Zenithian Legend]

well if you're like me then I advise you don't let your roommates near the heat... ever.

[Drocket]

move to florida......we don't have a winter down here :(

Yep, no need to worry about heating bills after your house blows away :twisted:

[Zenithian Legend]

it's true! can't pay heat on a flying house

[Ikohn4ever]

Pittsburgh gets freakin cold in the winter, spaceheaters can get expensive, the more u have. Since you have roommates. I suggest the plastic, space heaters and warm clothing. Balance it out and it wont be that bad.

[Zenithian Legend]

Should've made sure you had the warmest room in the place, oh and get a girl to keep you warm, that's always a good strategy ;).

[FriskyTanuki]

Move to Arizona!

[LV-426RS]

Here's some real advice.

They make wall outlet gaskets. They are foam and go behind the wall outlet faceplate. In the winter you can really feel a draft come through those sometimes. This is of course mainly on the exterior facing walls.

Also check the insulation in the attic. Make sure that it is well spread and if it is they loose kind (not sure if it's proper kind, not the roll) make sure it is thick enough consistancy.

[kaji7p56]

Move to Las Vegas, you'll never want heat again.

[BlueWingX]

Move to Arizona!

I'll second that. Of course, then you have to worry about cooling bills in the summer. :)

[epobirs]

1. Don't live in a region renowned for its frigidity.

2. Have a genetic ancestry that grants you the ability to be comfortable in temperatures down to 45 F wearing only shorts and a t-shirt.

These have always worked for me. I ran the heat less than a total of 48 hours last winter.

[Zingela]

when you get cold, play ddr til you start breaking a sweat! it actully works! ^^
I do that a lot in the winter. Keeps me warm *and* excersized. Whoo.

My best solution for you is to turn the heat way down and make sure you have someone to share your bed with and "keep you warm".

Check.

Space heater? Yep.

Just need to get a new pair of warm slippers now, I've found that ones with holes in them aren't quite as effective. :)

[Lootr2Core]

Best thing to get is a programmable thermostat. Heat kicks on in the am... down when you are gone.

If your windows are really 'leaky' the plastic stuff does work. Yes it is work, but if your can feel a draft from your windows it is worth it. I did it for 2 years in our old house and our fuel bill dropped alot!

Also simply set the heat at 67 degrees instead of 70 or 72 and weat a sweater, long sleeves or something

[Squirms]

If you don't want to get stung during the winter months, have the gas company put you on a payment plan where you pay the same amount all year. Sure it sucks in the summer when the bill is higher, but it can be a life saver during those $200-300 winter heating months.

[Quackzilla]

propane

Cheaper than electricity, and if your power comes from coal plants than propane is cleaner, too.

[Indiana]

Electric space heaters use a ton of electricity. They are not an inexpensive way to provide heat. It is cheaper for me to just turn the theromstat up. My heatpump is way more efficient than a space heater.

[int80h]

I live in socal so when "winter" shows up I put on the long shorts.

It will get mighty warm in socal when you guys get nuked by N. Korea.

[doubledown]

Well, I live in Michigan, and winters suck here....actually turned on the heat yesterday since it was 64 degrees in my house....which is not bad, but the fiance wanted it on.

Anyways, I have a house....but what I do is basically turn the heat on to about 68-70....warm clothes, slippers....just be sure to turn off or turn it down REAL low at night. Get a good down comforter too....those things really help.

[Legolas813]

Well, I live in Michigan, and winters suck here....actually turned on the heat yesterday since it was 64 degrees in my house....which is not bad, but the fiance wanted it on.

Anyways, I have a house....but what I do is basically turn the heat on to about 68-70....warm clothes, slippers....just be sure to turn off or turn it down REAL low at night. Get a good down comforter too....those things really help.

WOW, 64 degrees yesterday!!!......yesterday it was very near, if not over 90 degrees here......we almost always keep the air-conditioning here in my dorm running at around 67 degrees all year round......on a side note, Michael Moore came to speak at our campus this past weekend and I thought I was going to die of heat stroke since it was outside...lol

[LV-426RS]

It's been getting to 45 here at night and 65 during mid-day. 70's temps are on the way back this week though.

[Legolas813]

It's been getting to 45 here at night and 65 during mid-day. 70's temps are on the way back this week though.

that's about the extent of our winter here in florida (what you mentioned above)......we mostly have no real cold weather and just rely on cold fronts for slightly cool temperatures lasting a couple of days at a time......and our winter is basically over by early to mid-february, if not earlier

[camoor]

Crunk say fire make warm

[sblymnlcrymnl]

It's been getting to 45 here at night and 65 during mid-day. 70's temps are on the way back this week though.

About the same here, but a few days ago it was in the low 30s overnight.

[FriskyTanuki]

1. Don't live in a region renowned for its frigidity.

2. Have a genetic ancestry that grants you the ability to be comfortable in temperatures down to 45 F wearing only shorts and a t-shirt.

These have always worked for me. I ran the heat less than a total of 48 hours last winter.

#2 works for me, I've worn shorts to school in below freezing temps, and I had to walk a few hundred feet from the parking lot to the front doors. It's was semi-cold then.

[6669]

move to Texas

[hutno]

THe best way to save money is to upgrade the insulation in your walls. Obviously this isnt an option because you rent, But this a good idea for anyone that owns their own house.

[Snake2715]

Ok,

First check the entrance door. If you feel a draft on awindy day then look into a new set of door seals $7-15. If its a metal door the magnetic door trim works pretty good.

If you are looking for more permenant then look into storm windows and storm doors for the house. And make sure you have glass in them and not just screens (some doors have screens for the summer)

Obviously check the attic and windows for drafts. The plastic stuff can also be bought at stores like Walmart etc. Its pretty quick to install. Watch installing the tape directly to a pianted surface as it might tear the paint on removal time. Try to test it on a piece of the wood trim and then install there if it doesnt peel the stain up. It shouldnt peel any stain up unless its some cheap ass stain/piant crap.

Also depending on what type of heat you hav there are a few things that can be done. Say if you run "Fuel Oil" you can get the furnace clenaed and new burning tips put in for say $60-$75 and its very beneficial.

Other things can be done also depending on who you have for electricity company (we have Consumer Power) check their website they most likely have a lot of tips for saving power/heat bills.

[greendj27]

Well, I live in Michigan, and winters suck here....actually turned on the heat yesterday since it was 64 degrees in my house....which is not bad, but the fiance wanted it on.

Anyways, I have a house....but what I do is basically turn the heat on to about 68-70....warm clothes, slippers....just be sure to turn off or turn it down REAL low at night. Get a good down comforter too....those things really help.

WOW, 64 degrees yesterday!!!......yesterday it was very near, if not over 90 degrees here......we almost always keep the air-conditioning here in my dorm running at around 67 degrees all year round......on a side note, Michael Moore came to speak at our campus this past weekend and I thought I was going to die of heat stroke since it was outside...lol

That's nothing. Here in Wisconsin it only got up to 51 degrees yesterday.

[mcwilliams132]

Some ideas here are okay...

keep the heat to a low level but comfortable enough - you don't want to have to wear a snow suit...

If you have an older apartment and old wood windows...drafts will kill you. They sell the plastic window kits at most home improvement shops (lowes, menards, home depot)...just stick them on good and blow dry the wrinkles out. It's better then having -10 degree wind blowing in.

I've seen recomendations of hanging blankets in front of drafty windows as well...but if they're south facing...leave them off in the sun light to get some natural heat durring the day.

Depending on your furnace...if you have forced air...close (or shut most of the way) vents in unused rooms. Try experimenting with vents to get the best even temperature in your house

There's a ton more tips here:

http://www.doityourself.com/

Greate site for do-it-yourself home stuff...

best of luck!

[Medium_Pimpin]

Wear a sweater?

[Rodego]

I would recommend using an electric blanket or pad for when you are sleeping. That way you don't have to heat the rest of your place while you are sleeping.

[GuilewasNK]

If you are up and not doing much, I find that heating some blankets in the dryer for a few minutes, then put them on really does wonders.

If the windows in your home face the sunlight, I find being near a window with no drapes over it helps me feel warmer. The sun rays really feel good through it.

If your computer is in a small room try this. Close the door while the PC is running and eventually the heat coming from it will help keep the room warmer (at least it does for me).

[Admiral Ackbar]

Split open the belly of your Tauntaun with a light saber and slowly ease yourself into its entrails.

[jmcc]

Split open the belly of your Tauntaun with a light saber and slowly ease yourself into its entrails.

That smells terrible, though.

[cyberlian]

close the door!