# Keeping warm and heat saving tips thread: Please share!



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

We've had an unusually cold winter for our area, and have wondered what you do to save heat or to keep warm around the house.

Anyone want to share their tips or tricks?

Here are a few of mine:

1. We always crack the door of the oven after we get done cooking. The heat inside of the oven is a nice way to heat up the kitchen, instead of slowly letting it dissipate with the door closed.

2. If you have a drafty exterior/entry door that is drafty, laying an old blanket on the floor against the door does help keep the cold out and the heat inside. 

3. Even though our old house is comfortably warm, sometimes my feet are freezing when I go to bed! I've found that spreading out my Carhartt jacket over the end of the bed keep my feet warm throughout the night. 

Please share your tips, even if it seems simple. Someone here might find your tips helpful!


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

We live in an old, cold house and heat with wood.
It has a VERY strange layout which makes for cold areas.

We do the oven thing, the blocking door thing and I do add weight to my blankets too.

I have found that if I lay out my clothes between blanket 1 and blanket 2 on my bed they aren't freezing cold when I put them on in the morning.

We close doors and lower the curtains between rooms if we aren't using them during the day.

We cover the ash bucket and put it in the laundry room to add heat in the mornings.
It makes a big difference.

We plastic the oldest of the windows.

We keep water going on the woodstove because moister air is warmer air.

And I wear layers. 
I was lucky enough to find cashmere sweaters in the men's dept of the thrift store. Warmest thing I have ever put on. 
And I wear a thick skirt over my fleece lined leggings. Skirts are much warmer than pants. And I have to wear leg warmers. my shins get icy cold and it makes everything else colder too. Leg warmers=warm me.


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## farmerj (Aug 20, 2011)

Seal you rim joist. You can stop so many drafts, you actually will be glad for drafty windows.

We did a house built in 1905 and tested air flow. It was so low it was at the point we couldn't do anymore without adding an air exchanger.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

What you do Clovis, and a few others;
Cats are great lap and feet warmers.
Plastic all 34 windows...really makes a difference.
Since we have to run the dryer anyway, I have ducted the exhaust thru the basement and discharge on other side of house (electric).
Fire place and heatilator most the day and evening.
South facing windows have solar collectors that I made...lose some scenery, but forsythia is depressing in the winter anyway.
Extra clothing/layers. we keep the house at 68 (wife would prefer 80, but NO), and currently have a t-shirt, sweat shirt on If it gets to say 62, a flannel over top of that.
Long johns are your friends. And wool socks.
Keep active...I have to go out for firewood, so I'll have my Carhart's on, etc, and when I come in it will feel absolutely toasty.
Let the sun in, close drapes when it's not out.
Planning an air lock for the front door...maybe next year.
Candles in clay post as long as someone is in the room do add some warmth.
Most important...kill all drafts. Run your hand around the ENTIRE door and window...replace weatherstripping anywhere you feel a breeze.
Oh, and a few cups of hot tea throughout the day doesn't hurt either.

Stay warm

Matt


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## Learner (Jul 4, 2011)

Good old fashioned hot water bottle! I originally bought one for a camping trip..now we all have them and use them almost every night. I am chronically cold and cuddling with a hot water bottle is the best thing ever! I put half boiling water and half hot tap water and wrap it with a kitchen towel..stays warm almost all night


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Harbor Freight and other places have "non contact" infrared thermometers that you can aim at an area and read the temperature. A few minutes with one of these is an easy way to find cold spots, drafts, missing insulation, and fixable problems. You can also drive a cat crazy with the laser guide beam...

A 75 watt reflector lamp is aimed at my feet as I type. If my feet and calves are toasty, the rest of my body is much more happy.

During cold weather we (GASP!) run a couple of front burners on the propane stove. It will freak people out and there will be massive cries of don't do that, but - get real - when you have a stock pot cooking for three hours do you _really_ think there is any difference or more danger than running a burner on low? We only do the front burners (further from any wall or flammable object) and on low (I use the non-contact thermometer to be sure nothing surrounding gets above 150 degrees).

A friend in Vermont made blue foam inserts for his windows this year. He said that he wouldn't have been able to pay the heating bill without them.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

If you have an uninsulated foundation sticking up (leading to a freezing basement), grab a shovel and shovel snow up against it to cover it. Snow is an excellent insulator.


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## gracielagata (Jun 24, 2013)

We keep the heater set at 60 when it is just me home (I work from home), and also 60 at night. If I get cold, i grab a sweatshirt, blanket or a cup of tea, but I don't get cold very easily. 
We do the oven thing as well. 
We have a mink fleece blanket on our bed, under the quilt- they make a MASSIVE difference. To the point I can't use them, as it makes me sweat when I sleep, so I use a sheet only. 
But one thing with the mink blanket- one side seems more insulating than the other, so reverse it after a few nights and see how it is to find the better side. And no sheet next to it, the mink fleece directly on skin makes a huge difference on warmth-ability. 
Insulating blinds which go down on the windows once there is no sun on that side. Though this only happens when DH is home really, since I enjoy being cold, lol.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

The best thing we ever did was add insulation to the attic. 1930's house, it only had a couple inches of loose insulation up there, the old "rock wool" stuff. We observed how fast the snow melted off the roof and realized our heat was rising up out of the house and pulling cold outside air in behind it, thru every crack and crevice. We blew cellulose about a foot deep into the attic for under $300. Got use of the blower for free with the purchase of the material. It really made a difference! We are more comfortable and use less propane. 

We have insulated drapes, open during the day for sunlight/solar gain and closed at night.

Lock windows, don't just close them. This tightens them up to the maximum. We used to plastic windows from the inside before they were replaced. Hopefully you checked your caulking outside before it got cold!

Keep something plugged in to all outlets, the child safety plugs if nothing else. If you hold your hand in front of a receptacle, especially on the north/west sides of the house, you will probably feel cold air infiltrating your house.


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## soulsurvivor (Jul 4, 2004)

We had new doors and windows installed. It now takes very little heat to keep the entire house warm. Those doors and windows have already paid for themselves with the savings on our electric bill. 

The wood floors aren't really cold but DH and I both wear fleece booties from LLBean. They're good for going in and out to get mail, etc. plus they keep the feet warm.

With the zero temps we worry about pipes freezing so we keep cabinet doors open to allow heat to circulate. So far so good.

Anytime I find a good deal on blankets and sleeping bags, I buy them and keep in the linen closet to use for unexpected guests, or to have in an emergency such as power loss. Also try to keep several blankets in each vehicle. 

Adjust the temperature on the water heater so it doesn't have to run all the time to keep water hot. Warm water is good.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

We live in the Arctic so we have a lot of cold days. I am also a fresh air freak so we sleep with the window open unless it is 45 below.

Dress in layers. My neighbour's teenagers walk around like they were at the beach and then he wonders why the thermostat is cranked up and he is going broke.

Wear a hat or scarf in the house. 

Buy cheap mittens and cut the finger tips off so that your hands are warm and you can still do things.

Cover yourself with a blanket when you are sitting.

Layer your bed covers. If you can put a wool blanket or even a down duvet under the bottom sheet so that you are sandwiched that works very well. Not for little kids who wet the bed.

Nalgene bottles are great for heating the bed. Fill with boiling water and put at the end of the bed. When they are under a down duvet the water is still very warm in the morning. We use this same trick in our sleeping bags when camping.

Build or have installed external insulated shutters for your windows. The best designs have mechanics that you can open and close from inside. It is dark anyways for many hours in winter and this works best to keep the heat in.

Otherwise cover windows with plastic (bubble wrap works great) and heavy curtains.

Go to bed early. This allows you to turn the heat way down much earlier and who cannot use more sleep?


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## FunnyRiverFarm (May 25, 2010)

If you have a wood stove hang your clothes near it before you put them on...get dressed next to the wood stove too! We also have a few soap stone warmers that we keep near the wood stove...When we go to bed we can wrap them with a towel and put them under the covers. They stay warm for hours.


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## gracielagata (Jun 24, 2013)

MO_cows said:


> Keep something plugged in to all outlets, the child safety plugs if nothing else. If you hold your hand in front of a receptacle, especially on the north/west sides of the house, you will probably feel cold air infiltrating your house.


 To this effect- Home stores sell a kit that you put on each outlet. 
Remove the outlet cover, and attach the precut foam sheet to it, then put the cover back on. I noticed a big difference on the airflow when i did that... Will put outlet covers as well, as I hadn't thought of that.
You only need to do outer walls for this stuff though, from what I have read.


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## Kris in MI (May 30, 2002)

I try to plan my baking and my soup/stew/chili meals for the really colder days each week. I'm going to bake/eat soup that week anyway, why not do it on a day when the house could use the extra heat from the oven going for an hour or a soup pot simmering for 3-4 hours?

Today is supposed to be our coldest this week. Since our waterline comes in from the cellar (which is unheated), I am doing laundry today (rather than yesterday or later this week). Having the washing machine drawing the water at intervals is helping to keep us from having to put heat in the cellar/on the waterlines today without fear of the pipes freezing.


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

gracielagata said:


> To this effect- Home stores sell a kit that you put on each outlet.
> Remove the outlet cover, and attach the precut foam sheet to it, then put the cover back on. I noticed a big difference on the airflow when i did that... Will put outlet covers as well, as I hadn't thought of that.
> You only need to do outer walls for this stuff though, from what I have read.


The foam covers can be pricey, at least for what they are, depending on where you buy them. 

I've often thought if you bought a roll of foam, it would be easy to trace the pattern and cut it out with scissors.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

I love shawls and lap rugs for sitting. If I'm moving, I'm not cold. But sitting chills me fast. The shawl and lap rug can be left at the chair when I get up put back on when I sit again.


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## NC_hobbyfarmer (Dec 31, 2013)

I stay busy... Keep up and on your feet and it sems to keep you from being cold or noticing you are cold I guess. Then when I come into my house heated with my woodstove im cozy warm. I sleep with my dogs and they can keep me warm all night and are less likely try and hog the bed when they are all curled up next to me....  I love my dogs!!!!


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Just got in from splitting firewood...up to 6 degrees and I am soaked! Guess I over layered. You can go too far...lol!

Matt


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## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

Wool socks. There is some of the softest wool sox ever I think fox river is one of the makers. Old soda or juice bottles full of hot water to per warm the foot of the bed. I cover the northren windows with blankets as the wind comes from the north and no light really comes from them. 
Layed of clothes. Layers of blankets, lots of warm drinks. Even if its just warm lemon water and honey.


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## Space Cowboy (Apr 26, 2008)

Maybe I missed it, but we use bubble wrap on the windows. It's free or cheap , lets in the light and insulates very well. Insulated or thick curtains also make a difference.

SC


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## Win07_351 (Dec 7, 2008)

clovis said:


> 3. Even though our old house is comfortably warm, sometimes my feet are freezing when I go to bed! I've found that spreading out my Carhartt jacket over the end of the bed keep my feet warm throughout the night.


Also, try layering 2 or 3 pairs of socks. It makes a huge difference.


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## flowergurl (Feb 27, 2007)

I don't know how I lived before discovering rice bags! Put one at your feet under the covers and it will warm your legs up to your knees.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Warm-Rice-Bag/

I made a fabric cover to go over mine, so I could remove the cover and wash it now and again.
I used Velcro to hold the cover closed over the bag.


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

Bubble wrap on the windows. 
Blankets over windows. 
I've filled a 2 liter soda bottle with hot water and taken it to be with me before. Works just like a hot water bottle. 
Layer up with the clothes --- no sense going around in shirt sleeves when it is below zero outside. 
We keep the thermostat set very low. 
Dry clothes on a rack near the woodstove. Adds moisture to the air which makes it feel warmer. Better for your sinuses too. 
Rolled up rug or towel to stop any air getting in under a door. 
DH gave me an electric lap blanket for using while I watch tv. It.is.awesome. 

Something I'm wondering about is DIY blow in foam insulation for our house sill. I know we get a huge amount of cold air coming in there and blow in foam would be just the ticket for the hard to reach areas. Is this a possibility or do I have to use a contractor? 

How do you all seal up and weatherize your outside cellar doors?

This reminds me of the late 1970s when we had an "energy crisis" and the winter was extra awful. People were very resourceful about how to keep warm.


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## edcopp (Oct 9, 2004)

When indoors wear a cap or hat, it makes a big difference.


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## Oma2three (May 5, 2012)

We keep our house at 70 and if I don't watch it hubby has it at 74.He is always cold even so he wears layers and heavy vests inside.I do wear wool socks and felted slippers and my feet are toasty warm.At night we take rice bags to bed that are in fleece covers.It's also nice to put one behind your back when you sit and read or knit.We also drink lots of hot beverages.Do have to watch hubby to close doors when he goes in or out to keep the heat in.He is getting very forgetful.But that is another story.


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## HTWannabee (Jan 19, 2007)

All great tips here!
One small thing we have done is to leave the water in the tub after bathing. Why waste the hot water if it can help at least keep the bathroom warm? Every little bit helps.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

flowergurl said:


> I don't know how I lived before discovering rice bags! Put one at your feet under the covers and it will warm your legs up to your knees.
> 
> http://www.instructables.com/id/Warm-Rice-Bag/
> 
> ...


I made two of my hand rice bags and they are invaluable. Basically, they are two 8-inch square rice filled bags, sewn together on three sides. I microwave them and stick my hand in it and it's Heaven.


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## farmerj (Aug 20, 2011)

jlxian said:


> Something I'm wondering about is DIY blow in foam insulation for our house sill. I know we get a huge amount of cold air coming in there and blow in foam would be just the ticket for the hard to reach areas. Is this a possibility or do I have to use a contractor?


The foam that was used on our house came in a large box. It had two components in that box that didn't mix until it hit the nozzle.

It basically was an industrial size foam in a can material.

I can find that same material for sale now at Menard's back home.


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

I have a friend who appears to be conducting a real life research study of how cold you can keep a house and still survive or live until the morning without succumbing to hypothermia or freezing to death. 

Anyway, he wears a stocking cap to bed. He swears that "it works great." I believe him. Without the cap, I'm sure he would have already have had frostbite on his scalp, or died. Maybe both.

I once teased him about buying him a ski mask to wear about the house, to which he sheepishly replied, "I already have one, but it gets twisted around on my head when I sleep in it."


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

We live in an old farm house, so of course have an unfinished basement. It does at least have a cement floor in it. 

We have a natural gas ventless heater in the basement and we keep it on high. The warm air heats up the floor on the first floor and if your feet are warm you "feel" warmer. (Kind of like radiant floor heat.)


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## sidepasser (May 10, 2002)

When I had my farm, it got really cold there sometimes. At times I would wake up and it would be 40 degrees on the thermometer inside the harn. Well that just won't do for long term so I started doing this:

1. I began insulating the ceiling with the best insulation I could find. I also insulated the outside wall between the house and the barn.

2. I changed out all the windows from single pane to double pane with the gas in between, wow what a difference that made.

3. I caulked. I bought a case of caulk and I started caulked every single air inlet I could find that could not be insulated. Caulk is your friend - lol..all around windows, doors, etc.

4. Have you ever seen the plastic that you lay over windows? Use it, it will cut down on the transfer of heat to the cold like you won't believe.

5. Close doors. Not using a room, close the door and put a homemade noodle at the bottom to keep drafts out.

6. Chastise people and say "were you born in a barn?" Unless of course they were and then you are being redundant..lol..

7. Straw is your friend if you have a harn like I did - Pile bales of straw against the inside wall (next to the house part) to help insulate.

8. Keep the wood stove burning and crank up the wood cookstove if you have one, I cooked all my meals in the winter on the wood cookstove, kept the house warmer and got my soups, stews, and biscuits done.

9. Wear layers and use thermals.

10. Sleep with your cat/dog and any spare children..they help keep things warm. lol..

and last but not least, burn seasoned wood. Do not try to heat a house with green wood, it is not worth the effort unless you are close to freezing to death. 

Wear a hat if it gets that cold, there is a reason the tale goes "and mom in her kerchief and I in my hat, had just settled down for a long winter's nap"

It does keep you warmer and forget about your hair ladies, warm is more important!


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

We heat our old modest(small) house with a propane fueled boiler, an Ashley woodstove and one oil-filled electric heater. We have an old metal fan up near the ceiling pulling the warm air from the room where the woodstove is into the lr. Also have a newer metal fan on a metal stand to blow air across the chimney pipe. Warm tea or coffee multiple x's in the am and something hearty to eat. Diets can wait 'til warm weather... My hands are the first thing to get cold when working outside so I took the metal rack from a Nesco type roaster and turned it upside down on the metal box around our stove. 
When one set of gloves feel cold I come in and replace with another warm pair. Haven't ruined anything ... yet.


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## HTG_zoo (Apr 18, 2011)

We went all out and stapled Reflectix insulation over the windows. Normally we stack straw around the foundation but this year we didn't get any so I've been shoveling snow instead. We wear our hoodies in the house and to bed too. My reptiles have heat lamps and the kitties keep warm with the lizards, sometimes I use them as a hand warming station too.


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2014)

flowergurl said:


> I don't know how I lived before discovering rice bags! Put one at your feet under the covers and it will warm your legs up to your knees.
> 
> http://www.instructables.com/id/Warm-Rice-Bag/
> 
> ...



I was going to post this but you beat me to it! I absolutely love my homemade rice packs..I have 2-of them that I use at all times in my bed..one by my feet and the other on my chest..


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## vicki in NW OH (May 10, 2002)

MichaelZ said:


> If you have an uninsulated foundation sticking up (leading to a freezing basement), grab a shovel and shovel snow up against it to cover it. Snow is an excellent insulator.


Doing this kept our drain pipe from freezing in the cellar.


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## vicki in NW OH (May 10, 2002)

jlxian said:


> How do you all seal up and weatherize your outside cellar doors?


If you don't have to use it for a while and have snow, bank it with snow. We have ours banked with bags of leaves and snow.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

1950 mobile home with 2X2 walls.

I put in the biggest, nastiest wood stove I could find, even though it's not rated for mobile homes. It keeps the house warm for 10 hours when it's -40 outside although I damp it down overnight so the bedroom gets cool but the pipes don't freeze. I own the house so no insurance worries.

I cut a 6 inch hole through the wall to let in outside air. There is a vent in the hole with screen to block critters and skeeters. The air enters between the wall and the heat shield behind the stove so it warms up before it gets in the living area. This also minimizes the air coming in other leaks. 

There is 2 inch thick styrafoam covering the outside walls. Cheap off CL.

The snowthrower makes it easy to bank snow around the outside.

3M plastic over the outside of the windows.

A draft dodger along the bottom of the front door.

Baked some cinnamon rolls for breakfast this morning. It warmed the house up quickly. Like I needed an excuse to have cinnamon rolls.

The floor can be a bit cool so there is a heating pad under my feet as I am playing on the computer.

Wear a stocking hat while sleeping when it's really cold out.

There is a pad like a very large heating pad under the bottom sheet at the foot of the bed. I fire that up while I am brushing my teeth and my feet warm up quickly when I climb in bed. Turn it off before I go to sleep.


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## bluesail2681 (Dec 12, 2012)

A few years back my mom discovered the cans of spray foam insulation. She went around her hundred year old house spraying that stuff in every nook and cranny she could find and it really made a difference on the breeze that normally blows through her house. She got it the hardware store. We use the shrink wrap plastic kits on our windows and they come with outlet insulators too. Also at hardware store


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## Use Less (Nov 8, 2007)

Flannel sheets. A fleece blanket as middle layer of bedding. Night cap to bed. Humidify like crazy. Leave the hot water in the tub from shower or bath until it gets cold.


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

I grew up in an old ranch house in MT, little insulation, no electricity, coal stoves. Lots of quilts on the beds, hot water bottles at the foot of the bed. Flannel sheets. Lots of braided rag rugs pushed up against the outside doors and in front of the chairs where we sat. No actual heat in the bedrooms, clothing left on a chair beside the coal stove for warm clothes/boots to dress in the mornings. Plastic over the windows. After we had baled hay, we stacked bales around the cabin foundation for winter.

More current things I do now. Knit hat at night to sleep in. Wool stockings to sleep in. Electric lap robe for sitting in the recliner in the evening.


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

I forgot to add a couple of things

1. Ceiling fan --- reverse (or clockwise) for winter to push the warm air near the ceiling down. 
2. We have one of those heat powered fans set on top of our wood stove which helps to push the warm air around the room. It's sorta like the one in this image. http://www.plowhearth.com/energy-saving-caframo-wood-stove-ecofans-that-circulate-heat_p9671.html Yes, they are pricey, but they get the job done. 
3. When I boil eggs for breakfast, I don't pour the boiling water down the drain, but into another container in the sink to let the residual heat dissipate into the room. Small, but it's heat.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

> Anyway, he wears a stocking cap to bed.


My dad has always sworn by this one, too. He was losing his hair by the age of 20, though, so he's always been a little short on insulation up there anyway. 



> and one oil-filled electric heater


I just invested in a couple of those oil-filled radiators. 
My inlaws heated a 3season camper through a South Dakota winter one year with just a couple of those things. They stayed toasty warm.


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## valgal (Dec 24, 2002)

Simple but true. Eat steaming hot foods. We eat seasonally so soups, chili and stew in the winter. Oatmeal, grits, and coffee. 
Valgal in SC


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## farmerj (Aug 20, 2011)

Hang blankets over your windows too.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

valgal said:


> Simple but true. Eat steaming hot foods. We eat seasonally so soups, chili and stew in the winter. Oatmeal, grits, and coffee.
> Valgal in SC


The Chinese idea of warming and cooling foods also helps. If you tend to being cold, clove tea is warming. Yang energy foods are warming.


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

When we install the plastic over our windows in our very drafty, poorly heated 1930s rental house, we stick it down to the wall about an inch out from the window frame. This house isn't level, so there are some nasty drafts around the windows. That helps seal up not only the cruddy windows but the drafty frames, too.

If you can tolerate it, leave the upper cabinets open. Ours hold a TON of heat.

When you don't have central heat, leaving open doors to rooms that ARE used is a must. If my kids' bedroom door stays closed all day, it's about 50 in there come bed time. When it gets uncomfortably cold in there for the kids, we have them all cuddle up on the top bunk. It's a lot warmer at the top of the room than the bottom, plus they benefit from sharing body heat (even if they get snippy from being in such close proximity :benice

A big ol' hound dog makes the most effective foot warmer. Especially when he rests his little chin right in the arches of my feet.


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

One of the houses we lived in when I was a child had an open grate between the first and second floors for heat to flow up to the second floor. I don't recall if there were heat vents in the bedrooms on the second floor, but I'm guessing there were not. How many of you have one of these open grates? If I could figure out a way to put one in, I would do it in our old house, now.


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## unregistered358967 (Jul 17, 2013)

Great tips here! I only have one to add:

Change your socks before bed and put on a clean pair. Dry feet = warm feet which often helps the rest of you feel warm too!


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Re the rice sock in a microwave- a lady earlier reported a fire that destroyed part of her kitchen when she was heating up one of those . So keep an eye on it when you heat it.


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## OUVickie (Mar 8, 2003)

We keep our heater on 68 and it stays comfortable in the house.
I wear wool socks or thick socks and my warm houseshoes. If my feet are warm, I'm warm.
I agree about caps - stocking caps will definitely keep you warm. If your feet and head are warm, your body will stay warm. Also, if you can find silk or silk blend long johns, those are great. They wick the sweat away from your body if you're working and it keeps you dry, so you're warmer. I learned that from my Alaskan friend. We went camping at Child's glacier one year and I stayed very toasty by following her lead on what to wear.

We have an old patchwork blanket that DH's grandmother made and the top squares are made from polyester (think 60-70s polyester). We also have flannel sheets on the bed and my dog sleeps with us. We keep a small heater in our bedroom area that we only run at night. All of this keeps it very warm during the night - as a matter of fact, that blanket keeps the heat in so much I often have to throw it off at night to cool down some (hotflash!).

We wear long sleeves or a light jacket and I have lots of throws in the living room that we cover with when we get chilly.

I do the same when I bake, I leave the oven door open so it helps heat the house.

I've put large rolled up beach towels at the bottom of each outside door. We have double windows, so that really helps too. 

I like the idea of the hay/straw bales around the foundation though, I'm going to try that. Thanks everyone!!!


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## countrygal (Feb 14, 2010)

jlxian said:


> One of the houses we lived in when I was a child had an open grate between the first and second floors for heat to flow up to the second floor. I don't recall if there were heat vents in the bedrooms on the second floor, but I'm guessing there were not. How many of you have one of these open grates? If I could figure out a way to put one in, I would do it in our old house, now.



I lived in an old farmhouse with one. It's nor very effective at warming the upstairs, so we used space heaters, too.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

Taylor R. said:


> A big ol' hound dog makes the most effective foot warmer. Especially when he rests his little chin right in the arches of my feet.


Yup that is where the expression "a three dog night" comes from - referring to nights when it is so cold out that you have to bring 3 dogs into the tent or bed just to stay warm. 

When we moved to the Canadian arctic my husband suggested we let the 3 dogs (100 lbs each) sleep with us. I said no thank you - I already sleep with one shedding, twitching, snoring, farting hound so I don't need more. A down duvet and a hot water bottle work just as well and you don't wake up with leg cramps from the weight of the dogs or have to balance on the very edge of the mattress because everyone likes to stretch out. Been there, done that.


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## unregistered358967 (Jul 17, 2013)

emdeengee said:


> I said no thank you - I already sleep with one shedding, twitching, snoring, farting hound so I don't need more.


..so was your husband angry when you told him he sheds? :icecream:


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

Less-is-more said:


> ..so was your husband angry when you told him he sheds? :icecream:


 No of course not. He knows.


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

He is pretty heavy, and when Mr. Harold the Hound Dog decides he's too warm under the blankets, he crawls on top of them, effectively leaving the other occupants in the bed half out in the cold. I love when he goes to bed early and warms my spot up for me, though.


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

emdeengee said:


> I already sleep with one shedding, twitching, snoring, farting hound so I don't need more.


Uh huh, I know I know I know..... LOL!!!!! :rock:


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## OnlyMe (Oct 10, 2010)

These are all excellent tips. During the winter, I use binder clips on the sides of the curtains on the sliding door to keep out air leaks (clip them to the inside frame) and another 3 to hold the curtains shut. While obvious, be sure to exit and enter the house quickly as well. It drives me batty if someone wanders in and takes their shoes/boots off before shutting the door LOL. We had a draft around the interior basement door (that leads to the bulkhead) and I sealed it up with spray foam. I was surprised at how easy it was to do and how effective it is at cutting down the draft.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

_It&#8217;s a little chilly, so I&#8217;ve put an extra dog on your bed_


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Taylor R. said:


> He is pretty heavy, and when Mr. Harold the Hound Dog decides he's too warm under the blankets, he crawls on top of them, effectively leaving the other occupants in the bed half out in the cold. I love when he goes to bed early and warms my spot up for me, though.


We have 3 hounds who sleep on the bed, and they'd like to be in, but that's not allowed until morning after I get up. But one always goes to bed early and warms up my spot.

I think most of the world, but not HTers, have forgotten about longjohns. Winter means wearing longjohns, I have bigger jeans to wear with them so I don't feel like a stuffed sausage. When we lived in Maine we always wore hats to bed. And I always wear socks to bed in the winter. 

Luckily we live in a warmer house now, we only have one door we put plastic on as it's a single pane window. We used to put plastic on all the windows and door windows of our 1905 house. Blueboard on the basement openings. Squirt insulation in every crevice we could find. The tradition in Maine was hay bales over plastic skirting around the foundation.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

jlxian said:


> One of the houses we lived in when I was a child had an open grate between the first and second floors for heat to flow up to the second floor. I don't recall if there were heat vents in the bedrooms on the second floor, but I'm guessing there were not. How many of you have one of these open grates? If I could figure out a way to put one in, I would do it in our old house, now.


 Three of the 4 bedrooms have the grate you are talking about; unfortunately, we sealed up the windows and all too well, and the air wouldn't flow...kind of like hitting a thermocline going up the stairs...I installed small duct fans in them, and now the upstairs thermostat hardly ever calls for heat.
Also have through the wall vents above several of the doors on the first floor which help the air move when we have the ceiling fans on.

Matt


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## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

I have an electric mattress pad -- it's awesome. Keeps my bed toasty warm all night, even when the thermostat is set at 55 (on freezing nights) or completely off (on nights when it's not going to freeze.) 

Mattress pads by the company Electrowarmth are made in the USA.

I have 3 cats who join me in bed, too. One sleeps under the covers, and the other two tend to pile on top of me.

I stay warm.


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## Songbird (Apr 2, 2006)

Turning up the heater on our waterbed at night works miracles! 

Thermal underwear under pjs or clothes, hats, mittens, and hot tea or coffee keep us warm during the day. Lap warming cat and dogs are helpful too!


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## unregistered358967 (Jul 17, 2013)

I like how pets are mentioned throughout the thread.


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## Cash (Apr 24, 2007)

Our first house had an exposed basement wall on the north side, so each fall when I bagged the leaves I stacked the bags against the wall all the way up to and past the sill. The pipes in the first-floor laundry room never froze when the exterior wall was insulated like that. 

When I was a kid on the farm in rural Maine, we went into the woods every fall and cut wagonloads of pine boughs. They were piled against the house foundation. Besides blocking the wind, they also trapped snow and helped insulate the foundation.

ETA: Forgot to mention draft dodgers, those tubes that fit against the bottom of a door to keep cold air out. Easy to make yourself, could even be a small side income for someone to make and sell them at craft fairs or through local shops. Invaluable for stopping drafts!


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Starting about mid-October, my daily wardrobe is jeans with silky long johns underneath, thin knee socks with heavier socks over them (usually something with wool), and a turtleneck with a sweatshirt, flannel shirt, or sweater over it. When I'm in the house, I will wear a fleece jacket over that with the thin stretchy gloves on and sometimes a hat. If it's going to be a really cold day, I'll add a sleeveless men's t-shirt under everything. I keep the thermostat at about 60 during the day (DH turns it up a bit when he gets home) and it's set at 57 overnight.

For keeping warm at night, we have on the bed: flannel sheets, acrylic blanket, wool blanket, bedspread, down throw, and fleece blanket. I wear flannel PJ's and "sleeping sox". If it's really cold, all you can see is my eyes and nose!! 

One of my old pastors was mostly bald. He cut off a leg from his wife's pantyhose and made a "stocking" cap from that to wear to bed!!


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## VT Chicklit (Mar 22, 2009)

We have a very drafty bilco door to our basement. We made a "plug" that sits on the concrete ledge that the bilco door is bolted to. The plug is just a full sheet of plywood with a sheet of foamboard insulation glued to it. A small cut out was cut in the plug so that it lines up with the inside latch on the bilco door. I can lock or unlock the bilco door with the plug in place. The cut out can be replaced once the latch is locked. Besides stopping the awful draft,this plug allows me to be able to use the stairs under my bilco as a kind of root cellar. The temp on those stairs stays around 35Â°, while the house temp is at least 10Â° warmer than it use to be, isince we started using the plug.


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## ct01r (Jan 21, 2014)

VT Chicklit said:


> We have a very drafty bilco door to our basement. We made a "plug" that sits on the concrete ledge that the bilco door is bolted to. The plug is just a full sheet of plywood with a sheet of foamboard insulation glued to it. A small cut out was cut in the plug so that it lines up with the inside latch on the bilco door. I can lock or unlock the bilco door with the plug in place. The cut out can be replaced once the latch is locked. Besides stopping the awful draft,this plug allows me to be able to use the stairs under my bilco as a kind of root cellar. The temp on those stairs stays around 35Â°, while the house temp is at least 10Â° warmer than it use to be, isince we started using the plug.


Great idea! I glued foam directly to the underside of our bilco doors. Seemed to work really well, as the snow and ice are no longer melting as they did before the foam. Unfortunately, I couldn't cover the whole door due to the latch, hinges, etc. so we were still getting heat loss. I like your idea much better! Thanks for the tip. Curt


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

What a wonderful thread, clovis, thanks!

I think nearly everything has been covered, just have a few things to add. When heating solely with wood, cold air builds up in the heat ducts and is drawn into the house by the woodstove's appetite for oxygen. So just this winter, I learned to leave the register nearest the stove open, but closed all of the others, PLUS wrapped the registers in plastic bags to stop all draft from them.

We put small computer fans in the top corner of doorways to move heat from one room to the next more quickly.

After I warm up under the down comforter, I need to kick off my socks, but leave them under the covers for a warm treat in the morning 

... and my personal favorite - put the bottle of moisturizer in the tub, so my hot shower warms it up.


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

VT Chicklit said:


> We have a very drafty bilco door to our basement. We made a "plug" that sits on the concrete ledge that the bilco door is bolted to. The plug is just a full sheet of plywood with a sheet of foamboard insulation glued to it. A small cut out was cut in the plug so that it lines up with the inside latch on the bilco door. I can lock or unlock the bilco door with the plug in place. The cut out can be replaced once the latch is locked. Besides stopping the awful draft,this plug allows me to be able to use the stairs under my bilco as a kind of root cellar. The temp on those stairs stays around 35Â°, while the house temp is at least 10Â° warmer than it use to be, isince we started using the plug.


Would love to see a picture of this, but I can imagine it too. Our cellar door is a handmade wooden contraption --- both the bulkhead on the outside as well as the door in the cellar itself. I like your idea of sealing up the bulkhead door and then using the stairs as a root cellar! I think I may have to convince DH it is time to invest in a bilco type door.


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

Marilyn said:


> What a wonderful thread, clovis, thanks!
> 
> I think nearly everything has been covered, just have a few things to add. When heating solely with wood, cold air builds up in the heat ducts and is drawn into the house by the woodstove's appetite for oxygen. So just this winter, I learned to leave the register nearest the stove open, but closed all of the others, PLUS wrapped the registers in plastic bags to stop all draft from them.
> 
> ...


Great ideas and points, Marilyn!!! I never thought about the cold air rushing in the furnace vents, but of course it does!! Are your doorway fans electric or battery powered?


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## Texasgirl (Sep 13, 2005)

We have a fireplace that the damper does not close all the way. 

I bought some heavy upholstery fabric and put cotton batting between the layers. 

Sewed a curtain with a pocket for the tension curtain rod to go through.

Put it on the inside of the fireplace and it keeps the cold air from coming into the room. 

Made a big difference for that room.


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

jlxian said:


> Great ideas and points, Marilyn!!! I never thought about the cold air rushing in the furnace vents, but of course it does!! Are your doorway fans electric or battery powered?


They are electric, basically computer fans mounted in a heavy metal frame. They are extremely quiet which was important to me. I purchased the first one about 25 yrs ago, then bought more when I built this place, (had electrical outlets placed near each spot where I thought they would need to be  After I met DH, he shortened the cords for me. Just took a front and side view picture, will try to post it.


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

Dang it, thought the photo work was finished as I was directed to a re-register?? Will try once more.


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

Photo of front and side view of doorway fan.


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

Sorry jlxian, they are both sideways. For a true view, just tilt your little head to the left


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

Actually those are perfect, Marilyn. A great idea! Thanks for sharing.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

We have an airlock entry with a tray ceiling at the off grid cabin. A large south window warms a block wall, the back side of this wall is where the wood stove is. The warm air rises through the hollow block wall, up into the airlock, trapped up against the ceiling. A 12 volt fan moves this air through an insulated duct to near the floor in the living and bedroom. Summer, this heat exits through a duct at the peak of the attic, this creates a draft in the cabin with the airlock door open. This cools the cabin.
Here at the beach cottage we only have 1 portable oil filled electric heater. Most of the time, during the day, we heat and cook on a small wood cookstove. The heater is in the living area most of the time, it holds the temps during the night at 65 with the door open about a foot. If temps are below freezing we move the heater into the bathroom, set at 65, leaving the door to the livingroom open about a foot keeps the temps in the living area above 60. When I get up I build a small fire to warm the cottage. We like 68 during the day....James


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## momagoat61 (Mar 30, 2008)

My doggie isn't an inside doggie and I put two hot water bottles under his doggie bed in his dog house, I boiled the water just to a simmer and then I place the bottles under his bed around 7;00 pm each night and they were still very warm a 5:30am the next morning. Temp has been down to zero outside and in the teens during severals days the last two weeks. He also have a fleece coat on but the water bottles keep his underneith warm i'm sure.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Computer fans rock! I've been using them as you have Marilyn, as well as inside my solar space heater boxes to improve the air flow...they are thermo siphon by design, but a small fan really ups the heat output.

Matt


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## PorchGal (Jul 6, 2013)

I love my rice socks. I use crew or tube socks filled with rice and tie a knot in them. No sewing and can be untied and the socks washed. And can use colored socks if you want to be able to tell which ones you use on your neck/back or your feet.

A snuggie is nice when sitting too. Go ahead and laugh but they are pretty nice, the blanket stays up on my shoulders and arms but I am still able to hold a book, type on computer etc.

Heavy blankets tacked up over the worst drafty windows.

Socks and some kind of shoes like slippers or crocs while moving around.


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## OnlyMe (Oct 10, 2010)

VT Chicklit said:


> We have a very drafty bilco door to our basement. We made a "plug" that sits on the concrete ledge that the bilco door is bolted to. The plug is just a full sheet of plywood with a sheet of foamboard insulation glued to it. A small cut out was cut in the plug so that it lines up with the inside latch on the bilco door. I can lock or unlock the bilco door with the plug in place. The cut out can be replaced once the latch is locked. Besides stopping the awful draft,this plug allows me to be able to use the stairs under my bilco as a kind of root cellar. The temp on those stairs stays around 35Â°, while the house temp is at least 10Â° warmer than it use to be, isince we started using the plug.


Any chance you could post a pic of this? This sounds like a great idea. Can you open the bilco door with the plug in place or just unlock it?
Thank you so much - this sounds like it would be perfect for me.


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## SJSFarm (Jun 13, 2012)

I uses to keep the house at 68 during the day and 62 at night. I moved it to 62 when my kids are at their dads house and 58 at night. Over the last several weeks I would ocassionaly forget to change the temp. The kids don't complain at 62! 
I left it at 57 today for myself ! 

I picked up a bunch of those fleece blankets (50x60) at walmart last spring and put them on the windows. I have a quilt over one patio door and a large fleece blanket over the other. 

I also have a lot of south facing windows so when the sun is out, the curtains are open. 

My kids also use the fleece blankets towards the bottom of their stack; they really lock in the heat when not on the top. 

I don't allow my dogs on my bed, but Misty sleeps with my son whenever he's here. 

Three and sometimes all four cats curl up with me though! Sometimes tho, I think they think I'm taking up too much room!


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## Use Less (Nov 8, 2007)

As an aside, up until maybe the beginning of WWII, folks didn't think it was healthy to sleep in heated rooms, so upstairs bedrooms were plenty chilly. When I lived in northern Europe in the 1970's, our house was unusual in that it HAD central heating, and likewise the upstairs rooms weren't heated. Somebody a little older than I can probably provide some sort of timeline for central heating vs. the downstairs stoves.


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## Oma2three (May 5, 2012)

That joke about the extra dog on the bed made me laugh.We have our Shih Tzu plus 2 fat cats sleeping with us.The only bad thing is ,if they get in bed first they like to sleep side ways.So I am hugging the outside edge of the king size bed.I know ,move the critters.


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## sdnapier (Aug 13, 2010)

I switch to flannel sheets in the winter. They don't seem to be as cold as cotton. 

I take my recliner out of the living room and put it in my craft/work room. This is the warmest room in the house in the winter. A sheet folded in half then hangs in the doorway. I have a small oil radiator which I use from time to time in this one room only. The rest of the house stays at 64. I keep trying to get used to 62 or 60 but...brrr. 

For cold feet when working I use a whelping bed heater. They can't get too hot and are meant to have bodies on them. 

I hear you can buy heated keyboards. Thinking about getting one for the arthritic hands. hmmm


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## VT Chicklit (Mar 22, 2009)

OnlyMe said:


> Any chance you could post a pic of this? This sounds like a great idea. Can you open the bilco door with the plug in place or just unlock it?
> Thank you so much - this sounds like it would be perfect for me.


I wish I could post a picture but we don't have a digital camera or smart phone with a camera. I will try to paint a word picture as best I can.You can open the bilco door from the out side once you unlatch it through the little trap door in the plug. The glued foam board insulation is about 4 inches narrower than the plywood sheet so when you glue it centered on the plywood, there is a lip of plywood that will rest on the concrete ledge the bilco is bolted to. The size was an almost perfect fit. The plug was abut 1-2 inches short. We install the plug so that the gap is at the cellar end, where we have a metal entrance door into the basement at the bottom of the stairs. That small gap is filled with a length of foam pipe insulation. Perfect solution. Before the plug, the door from my kitchen to the basement would rattle from the wind that came around the bilco, through the basement, up the cellar stairs and under that kitchen door. A real problem in the winter, here in Vermont. Plug completely solved the problem. We install it in the fall after we are done going in and out of the basement. We remove it in the spring, after the temp gets in the 50s. We store it leaning against one of the cellar walls until needed. The plug has 2 handles on the top side (non insulated side) so that it is easily maneuvered into place. The insulated side should face down.


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## rusticfarmer (Sep 23, 2013)

We get really cold here in North Eastern Pennsylvania also. We do everything that everyone here has said. Main way we seem to get natural heat is to open the curtains on the sunny side of the house and close all the other curtains. We have really thick curtains and we also put plastic on our windows. Keeping a humidifier on also keeps things warmer in the winter. 

My hoop house gets over 100 deg. even in the winter. I have considered running 2 insulated pipes to a large radiator inside the hoop house. Then just recirculate our house air in it.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Oma2three said:


> That joke about the extra dog on the bed made me laugh.We have our Shih Tzu plus 2 fat cats sleeping with us.The only bad thing is ,if they get in bed first they like to sleep side ways.So I am hugging the outside edge of the king size bed.I know ,move the critters.


Yeah, I send that one around Facebook every year. lol


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## fixitguy (Nov 2, 2010)

We replaced 1/2 of our 57 year old windows with new ones, 110 percent better now.


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

Thank you for all of your replies!!!!

You all have made this a great thread!!!!

I've picked up a few tips and ideas. Thank you so much!!!


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

I think one of my steps at saving energy at home may have been counter-productive. Tell me what you think. I had turned the thermostat on the furnace down to 50 because of propane pricing. So the house was plenty chilly. The furnace did pop on at 50 and blew 50 degree air and my oh my the house was really chilly then. Either I should have turned it lower than 50 or completely off. Does this make sense? So yesterday I turned it back up to 58. I'm curious to see what difference this might make.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

"50 degree air?"
I'm not entirely sure how that would work. 

Your furnace is blowing "furnace degree air." The furnace's heating element(?) isn't 50 degrees. It's a gas-powered FIRE. _It's_ the same temp no matter what your thermostat is. Your thermostat just tells it to light that fire when the house is 50Âº, rather than 58Âº

The difference will be that you use more propane because you're asking your furnace to run more often, and light that fire more often, in order to keep the house 8Âº warmer.


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

Thanks Erin. I've got to figure out why it was blowing cold air then.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

jlxian said:


> Thanks Erin. I've got to figure out why it was blowing cold air then.


It's blowing the cold air that is in the duct work. After it's blown through, the warm air will follow.

Just my theory!


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

That is probably it. And, because you've allowed it to cool 8Âº further than you had, it feels cooler than it had before...


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## gracielagata (Jun 24, 2013)

Is it safe for the house and pipes to be that low, at 50? My husband gets on me for putting ours at 58-60, and when I looked online, I found plenty of sites that said 58-60 is a fairly low threshold for the temp, in regards to pipes and such. I agree with the initial air being that chilly stuff to get rid of though! Even at higher temps, that is how our heater is, I am the only one, being hot natured, who dares be near them when they kick in! Once they do though, I head for the hills!


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## soulsurvivor (Jul 4, 2004)

I have to wonder if you have a heating/cooling unit. If so is that 50 for the heat or 50 for the a/c?


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## mtviolet (Jan 17, 2012)

I keep an old 9x13 pan in my oven with two fire bricks in it. They help keep the oven temps at an even heat, and when I am done baking or using the oven I pull the pan out and set it on a metal trivet. Those bricks will radiate heat for 2-3 hours.


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Do any of you, have indoor plants, that do well in some of the lower temps that you have in your houses.


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## farmerj (Aug 20, 2011)

some "thoughts"....

Unless you are leaving your house for more than a couple of days, leave your thermostat at 68 degrees in the winter. It will actually take MORE heat to warm it back up to a comfortable level than what you saved. You not only have to re-warm the air space, but also ALL of the furniture etc which is a heat mass as well. (Dad learned this one back in the 70's. He put in a programmable t-stat. After a couple months of higher energy bills, the t-stat stayed in place at 68).

Seal your rim joist. I don't know how many times I can say this. You will be amazed how much of a draft you can save in this one spot.

If you can turn it off, turn off the frost free feature on your fridge. It actually works by heating the walls on the interior.

cover your windows on the really cold days or the really hot days. That dead air space really helps insulate.

Use storm doors. Again, dead air space.

Change your furnace filter more often.

If you can, run your furnace fan only. It will keep air moving to prevent hot and cold spots.(good for when you use window A/C's and have a two story house.)

Clean your A/C filters and also the condenser outside if you have central air. Works easier that way.

On the doors that have a draft in the winter, put in a towel or draft block on the bottom of the door.

By all means...dress warmer. Layers are your friend.


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## jlxian (Feb 14, 2005)

soulsurvivor said:


> I have to wonder if you have a heating/cooling unit. If so is that 50 for the heat or 50 for the a/c?


Well, that's a thought. But it's on heat. LOL. Raised it to 57 and things are much better. Very strange.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

> Unless you are leaving your house for more than a couple of days, leave your thermostat at 68 degrees in the winter. It will actually take MORE heat to warm it back up to a comfortable level than what you saved. You not only have to re-warm the air space, but also ALL of the furniture etc which is a heat mass as well. (Dad learned this one back in the 70's. He put in a programmable t-stat. After a couple months of higher energy bills, the t-stat stayed in place at 68).


This hasn't been our experience at all. 

My husband and I used to have this argument. He with the above theory, me with the theory that you turn your heat down at night and when you're gone during the day. The first winter we did it his way. The second, mine....because we were poorer. lol 
Similar seasonal temps but we saved quite a bit more on natural gas the second winter. (This was nearly 20 years ago, so I don't remember exact numbers)

For energy usage, it doesn't matter what temperature the couch is, so far as the thermostat is concerned. All that matters is what temp that little metal jobbie is that trips on the furnace...


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Question about rim joist. We don't have a basement? Is there an equivalent process for a house on a slab?


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

There's still a rimjoist of some sort, Alice. It'll be the very bottom edge of the house. Basically the piece that caps the ends of your floor joists. Unless it's truly ON the slab (ie, the slab _is_ the floor), in which case you won't have one. 
Even if you do, though, you probably can't really access it to improve the insulation without some real retrofitting...


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## farmerj (Aug 20, 2011)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Question about rim joist. We don't have a basement? Is there an equivalent process for a house on a slab?


If you are truly on a slap on grade or have only a crawlspace, you will have either a rimjoist where the floor meets the foundation or else a sill plate where the walls meet the slab on grade.


They are kind of one in the same. Just different words kind of for the same thing. The rimjoist is the upright piece that goes around the house and the sill plate is actually what attaches the rimjoist to the foundation or slab.










https://www.google.com/search?q=sil...SuyQHz24DIAQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1120&bih=613


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## OnlyMe (Oct 10, 2010)

Sandra Spiess said:


> Do any of you, have indoor plants, that do well in some of the lower temps that you have in your houses.


The plants seem to do o.k. but I don't have a green thumb so my plants are the hardy variety lol... aloe, cat grass, etc. Our house is 60-64, 66 when we have guests. 

In late March or early April I start my seedlings in a portable greenhouse. I place it in front of the sliders and use solar heating during the day to get the temp up. It holds it pretty well.


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## flowergurl (Feb 27, 2007)

Ironing will always warm me up too. I can be freezing and whip out the iron and start on ironing I need done and in no time i'm nice and warm. LOL


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Gardeners and composters know how to save heat. In the spring, they need mulch for their gardens and carbon-based material for their compost piles. Their answer is leaves. To do the E, N, and W foundation of the house takes about 50-55 large construction cleanup bags of leaves. One layer where there is only 2' of cement, and two layers where it's 3'. As soon as there is enough snow, any hole is filled with snow. That idea came from various farmhouses which I lived in and wall insulation was not thought of when half the farm was woods. Back then, bales of straw were used and no problem when produced on the farm. I started doing this over 30 years ago and now I'm not alone in this city. Really don't know how much difference it makes since my office and main bedroom were added on in 1977 over an unheated crawlspace and hasn't had a winter without the leaves.

Martin


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## unregistered358967 (Jul 17, 2013)

I can tell you what NOT to do - if you have a window that's frozen shut, but not entirely shut, DO NOT FORCE IT OPEN TO TRY TO SHUT IT COMPLETELY! 

I just did that and am :smack for it. It's more open than it was before and COLDER than it was before. Of course the temperature is -something with a wincdhill of -25 and it's right by my desk in my bedroom here.

I jammed a towel on the bottom of it and stuck a few socks on the top (doublepane). My partner is gone for a few weeks and cannot help so I have to live with it.


:smack :smack :smack :smack :smack

-on the upside, I have fresh air..whee!


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## OUVickie (Mar 8, 2003)

Less-is-more said:


> I can tell you what NOT to do - if you have a window that's frozen shut, but not entirely shut, DO NOT FORCE IT OPEN TO TRY TO SHUT IT COMPLETELY!
> 
> I just did that and am :smack for it. It's more open than it was before and COLDER than it was before. Of course the temperature is -something with a wincdhill of -25 and it's right by my desk in my bedroom here.


Oh, gosh! Brrrrr! 

Could you use a hair dryer to warm it up, so you can get it closed again?
Just a thought.


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## bluesail2681 (Dec 12, 2012)

I've done the hair dryer thing before. It worked until I got impatient and got the window too hot too fast and crack.. Broken window


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## puddlejumper007 (Jan 12, 2008)

ok, i got a shocker last month..i have a out door furnace and air conditioner runs on gas..son in law sat down one day and said mom your register is blowing cold air, i thought it just did that until the ducts warmed up. noooo thermastat was sat on auto, which meant when the room got warmer that t. was sat on the air cond kicked on....


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

*Thank you for a great thread!!!*

I appreciate your input and posts! I learned a few new things, and I hope others did too.

As an added tip, I've been opening a few of the curtains when the sun comes around to hit those the windows. One of them is right by my computer, and it feels great to have the warm sun on me.

Anyone else have other tips that they would like to share?


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## soulsurvivor (Jul 4, 2004)

You might try wearing collars. I've heard that some get hot by doing this. oops, wrong thread.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

clovis said:


> I have a friend who appears to be conducting a real life research study of how cold you can keep a house and still survive or live until the morning without succumbing to hypothermia or freezing to death.
> 
> Anyway, he wears a stocking cap to bed. He swears that "it works great." I believe him. Without the cap, I'm sure he would have already have had frostbite on his scalp, or died. Maybe both.
> 
> I once teased him about buying him a ski mask to wear about the house, to which he sheepishly replied, "I already have one, but it gets twisted around on my head when I sleep in it."


 We had a place nothing but one outside Metal walls, dirt Floors, yes most put their animals in a structure like this, oh we had a Tarp where North Wall should be.

Well I slep with Stocking Hat and Socks on. I went to sleep with some sweat on my Socks one night, woke up with Socks froze to my feet 

Anymore I'm sorry I dress normal and my House is very warm, 80 degrees.

big rockpile


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Marilyn said:


> What a wonderful thread, clovis, thanks!
> After I warm up under the down comforter, I need to kick off my socks, but leave them under the covers for a warm treat in the morning
> 
> ... and my personal favorite - put the bottle of moisturizer in the tub, so my hot shower warms it up.


 
I do the moisturizer in the shower thing too!! 

And I lay out all of my clothes between the blankets so that they are not frozen when I put them on in the morning.


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## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

I haven't read all the suggestions, but may I put in a vote for the good old-fashioned hot water bottle as being the best invention since sliced bread? Heck, with a hot water bottle, you don't even need a spouse.:thumb:


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## Lupine (Oct 2, 2013)

In addition to wearing layers, it's important to wear clean clothes---dirty clothes don't retain heat as much when spaces between fibers are full of whatever. Also, smelling clean will get you more hugs and cuddles.

I've done a lot of winter camping, and wherever I am, nothing is warmer than snuggling with a warm Vizsla (Hungarian pointer). She has a short coat, and just radiates heat! Also makes a great hunting dog. On cold nights, we let the dogs sleep under the covers.

Staying hydrated is important, and I'm a fan of drinking lots of room-temp and warm water. Cold water is counter-productive, and also uses up energy.

Too many layers are counterproductive if you're cutting off circulation or sweating.

I want to invest in some insulated coveralls for outdoor work---keeps my under layers clean, keeps me warm. I'll have to try the microwaved rice packets, for sure!


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## Tabitha (Apr 10, 2006)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXO7HKjtYZM[/ame]

I just found out about these flowerpot heaters and bought three to make one. My computer is in a niche between a closet and a wall and a wall and a window, in a room across the hallway. the kitchen and stove are far from me so it does get chilly on my feet. The other day I boiled a big pot of potatoes and put the pot to cool under my little desk. It was so nice and warm while it lasted.


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## SpaceCadet12364 (Apr 27, 2003)

Surprisingly warm are the thin mexican blankets....these ones are tightly woven and smooth, not the lumpier ones that are thicker, but a looser weave. The thinner ones also tend to be much brigher in color than the thicker lumpy ones.

Also, if you can find them for a good price, I can highly recommend alpaca blankets. These are deceptive in their thinness, and a little fuzzy. DD brought DH and I each one from a study abroad trip to Ecuador. WOW they are warm! At the moment we have them between the top sheet and the comforter....is almost too warm!


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## Win07_351 (Dec 7, 2008)

big rockpile said:


> Anymore I'm sorry I dress normal and my House is very warm, 80 degrees.
> 
> big rockpile


I'd get sinus headaches if it was that warm inside.


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

Put a panty hose leg on your dryer's air outtake. Not only does it add heat to the air, but a little humidity as well. Just make sure you check the hose regularly for blockage and that lint isn't building up in the back of your dryer.


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## Belldandy (Feb 16, 2014)

clovis said:


> We've had an unusually cold winter for our area, and have wondered what you do to save heat or to keep warm around the house.
> 
> Anyone want to share their tips or tricks?
> 
> ...


Wear bed socks? I can't even sleep in bare feet in the summertime. :shrug:

Wear a knitted or crocheted hat indoors if it gets REALLY cold. You lose a lot of heat through the top of your head.


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

SpaceCadet12364 said:


> Also, if you can find them for a good price, I can highly recommend alpaca blankets. These are deceptive in their thinness, and a little fuzzy. DD brought DH and I each one from a study abroad trip to Ecuador. WOW they are warm! At the moment we have them between the top sheet and the comforter....is almost too warm!


I can only imagine how wonderful an alpaca blanket would be! I splurged on a pair of alpaca socks when it turned cold last year at the Mother Earth Fair. I never knew wool that felt so silky could be so warm.


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## gweny (Feb 10, 2014)

In navy bootcamp (great lakes, IL) they used to say 

"if you are cold than you are not working hard enough."

Another truism..

If you cut your own wood it will warm you twice.

It's true! Nothing warms you like a bit of manual labor. Jumping jacks work as well, but lack the satisfaction of getting your chores done.


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## gweny (Feb 10, 2014)

Ginger tea or a shot of whiskey. (or both! ; ) )


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