Staying Warm and Saving Money

By From the Archives

Published: November 17, 2008

Depending on how you keep your house warm this winter you could be in for a rude awakening. The U.S. Department of energy’s winter heating forecast is out and officials there say you can expect electric bills to go up by about 6.5%

On the flip side though, oil prices are already down by about 17% and residential propane prices are expected this winter to average $2.22 a gallon. That’s 10% lower than last year.

But there are ways to stay warm and save money. A recent study by the American Red Cross shows 76% of Americans are concerned about staying warm and saving money this winter.

The first place you might want to start is the hardware department. Leaky windows and doors let a lot of heat out and cold air in. So for a few bucks you can pick up some caulk and seal those cracks. Duct tape works too.

Also, here in the Lowcountry a lot of you likely find yourself in the winter constantly adjusting your thermostat. To help regulate the temperature, a space heater is a good idea.
But if you are going to use one, it’s a good idea to close the door in the room you’re heating since the heat stops once the space heater goes off. And safety is always important with space heaters.

If you have a wood burining fireplace, for between $5 and $20 dollars you can get buy fire logs that burn for hours. Several come in a package and can last you for weeks.

A lot of people will be layering up and piling on blankets. You can find some relatively inexpensive. Blankets can also be used as insulation in your attic.

Humidifiers are good too. Extra moisture boosts the heat index and makes 68 degrees feel like 76 it also keeps your skin from drying out.