Summer has officially ended, autumn is almost over, and our thoughts are now  turning to frosty mornings, cold nights, and shorter days. I use this time of year, to create my action plan, my way of making it through to those longer sun-filled days that offer so much promise.

Energy

Heating costs are rising every year forcing many families to choose between heat and food. There are some simple, affordable, and easy ways to reduce heating costs no matter where you live. Living in military housing has limited my ability to make major changes so I concentrate on the small things. My house is very drafty around the doors and windows, so I have had to come up with ways to keep my expensive heat in and the nasty cold out. I have insulating curtains on my windows, especially on the north side of the house. These curtains cost a little more than regular curtains but make a huge difference, if used effectively. Passive solar heat works hand-in hand-with your curtains. On warm sunny days, I open the curtains, especially on the south side, to let the heat in. This actually raises the temperature in the south side room by two to four degrees. This may not seem like a big deal but there is a noticeable difference between the south and north rooms in my house. As soon as the sun goes down, I close all of the curtains. On those particularly cold, cloudy days, I keep the curtains closed.

Closing of heating ducts in rooms that are not used allows you to use your heat much more effectively. Right next to our very drafty porch door is a heating vent. Call me crazy but, heat coming out of the vent and going right out the door just made no sense. The vent got taped over with duct tape (stuffing cloth in ducts to divert heat is a fire hazard) and the floor completely covered with a mat. Doors were given an extra coating of weather stripping. We do have the floor vents that can be closed, but ours do not work all that well. We wanted to stop all heat from coming through that porch vent and going out the door. Since I have drafty windows and no choice in getting them replaced, I cover them with plastic. There are expensive window covering kits available, or you can buy some clear plastic table clothes at the Dollar Store. Just tape the plastic to the edge of the window frame and you have insulated your windows. It may not look pretty, but your heating bill will thank you for it.

For every hour you are out of your home, you can turn your heat down by a degree. So, for those eight hours of the day when no one is home, turn down that thermostat. The same is true when everyone goes to bed.  If you own your own home, an ENERGY STAR programmable thermostat can save you a bundle. These thermostats allow you to customize the heat throughout the day. Set it up to kick in before you wake, turn down during the day while you are out, kick in again just before you come home and turn down again while you are in bed. This can save you hundreds of dollars a year in energy costs.

I keep my heat at around 17 degrees. A little cold, but I have allergies and can breathe better with the cooler air. I also enjoy curling up under a blanket on those cold winter nights, especially with my husband. We have often gone to bed early with treats between us and a good book each or a movie. Cuddling with a loved one is a fabulous bonus of turning down the heat. Each degree your heat is turned down equals that percentage of saving on your heating bill. If you keep your heat at 15 degrees at night, every night for a month from the usual 20 degrees, you will save approximately 5 percent on your heating costs.

Everyday, we have access to free heat that is just waiting to be used. A simple attachment to your dryer hose allows you to divert that warm, moist air into your home. Free heat and some much needed moisture to combat that dry winter air. The attachment, Heat Keeper, costs around twelve dollars. Free heat also comes from our ovens. After baking that turkey, open your oven door and use that heat.

So as frost covers the ground, I do not cringe, not much any way, to turn on that furnace. The wind can howl outside because my windows are covered in plastic and the door frames are weather stripped. I have the blankets out and look forward to curling up with a book and my husband. And I am over the moon for our early night dates in bed. The weather may be terrible but our lives can still be warm and toasty. Living a warm life does not have to break the bank.

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1. Beware, Take Care, and Waste Not
2. Forever Healthy: A Complement to Health Care