Abide the Winter - some cheap tips for staying warm. **edited**

My wife and I have been blessed with good luck, good opportunities and  family that has always been there for us.  However I also know that not everyone has the fortune, family or opportunities that we have had.   

We have sadly learned a lot about those families in our area through the IOOF and other charities in the local area that Sue and I belong to.  

So as I throw another log onto the proverbial fire and think about how lucky I've been compared to others I thought I would pass on some common sense, and not so common sense ideas to help someone save a bit of money and get through the coming winter months.   I can see no reason why someone needs to live in an icebox, or choose between food and warmth.  

Sadly there is no easy solutions and everything that is worth doing takes time and energy.  Sometimes even a little money.  So what I'm offering here is advice that will help reduce your energy costs at least and can be used to help cool your home in the summer as well.  I've tried to keep the costs to the reader as low as possible.

We all know that that high cost of food and other commodities is stretching everyone's dollar.  

 I've been there, I feel your pain...so hopefully these cheap and simple tips will help.  I'm going to avoid some of the more obvious ones, like placing a film of plastic over your windows to provide another layer of insulation simply because that is common sense and easily available.  Or making sure the heating vents and doors are shut in rooms you don't use often.

An old Russian tradition

We will be looking at some cheap solutions, and even looking back into history for solutions, like hanging heavy blankets or rugs up to provide insulation like the tapestry of old.  Yes, it sounds silly but using a blanket to prevent a draft just makes sense, and you might start a fashionable trend among your friends!   Even an old wool blanket and duct tape works.

Another idea stolen from history but completely sensible is the concept of a box bed.  If you are like me I'm sure you've wondered why the beds of the Medieval Kings were so elaborate.  Not only were they designed to provide wealth and status, they also were designed for insulation.     Your body heat serves to help warm the air around you.  Now, of course, I'm not suggesting that you build something like this, however you can buy a tent pretty cheaply or even make a blanket fort.   Both will serve the same purpose of trapping air inside and providing a bit of insulation.  The air in the tent can actually be about 5 degrees warmer than the surrounding air.   I don't need to tell you about how much fun your kids will have.

A programmable (or smart) thermostat will allow you to adjust the temperature of your home.  For example if you are going to bed at 10 PM and waking up at 7 AM the programmable thermostat will allow the temperature to drop over the night and stay steady during those times.  It will slowly increase the heat when you wake up to the desired temperture.  The same thing occurs if you are out at work, saving you money because it's running at a lower temperature when your not home.  If used properly they can save up to $180 a year and you can buy a good unit for under $50 in most cases. 

Foam insulation is another great trick.  You can buy pool noodles and cut a slit in them to insulate water lines, and we also recommend wrapping your water heater in an insulation blanket.  If you want to save even more money wrap your water lines in old newspaper (which you can often pick up from your local hotel for free).  Just be sure you don't have leaks if using newspaper. 

Again this is about saving money and although this will not have an immediate savings, it's only going to help in the long run.  Also if your pipes freeze, that will just be a bigger expense for you in the end.  

You can also get pre-cut foam insulators from your local hardware store.   Place these in the electric sockets and light switches of your home.   Again, this is all about air flow and keeping the warm air in.  Again it's something that's often overlooked and will save you money in the long run. 

Depending on the age of your home, you may have a radiator for heat.  Placing tin foil behind the radiator will not only reflect more heat back into the home, but serve as an insulation barrier. You can use tin foil or other heat resistant reflective surface on your ovens, wood stoves or other heat sources as well!  Another simple solution is to simply make sure that your not blocking these heat sources with furniture or other "debris."

An example of blackout drapes, and my new windows

One of the reasons we replaced the windows in our home was due to heat loss.  Frankly if you decide to replace your windows go to a general contractor instead of a window contractor.  You will save a lot of money.  The more panes of glass the better and there is something to be said for the gas that fills the gapes between the panes.   We aren't going to get into that here but if you decide to do window replacement, please note that you want to buy windows that are designed for colder climes.   The higher the R-factor the better. 

If you can't replace the windows, then consider blackout curtains, thermal curtains or insulating blinds.  What I like about both of these options is that you can use them to keep your house cooler in the summer as well.  When you do have a sunny winter day, open them up to allow passive solar heating to occur.  Close them at night or in areas where the sun is not shining directly in.  

Thermal curtains tend to be a bit more expensive and require more work to install but will lower your heating costs because they are designed to be closer to window, reflect and/or adsorb sunlight and serve as another insulation barrier.  Blackout drapes are thicker than regular drapes which will lower your heating costs although not as much; but are not as expensive as thermal curtains and easier to instal.

Finally there are a lot of little things that people frankly don't think of.  Don't close that bathroom door when you shower.   Let the steam enter the home.  Believe it or not you can remove the dryer vent - be sure to block off the outside vent - and place nylon or some other similar material over the hose end to catch the lint.  When your drying clothes, this heat will stay in your home instead of being vented outside.  

Have a basement or garage?  Add foam board insulation to the walls.   Styrofoam is cheap and you can stack it as needed.  Tape the gaps with insulating tape or duct tape in a pinch.  It's going to provide some insulation even it it gets wet and has another hidden feature.  You can apply stucco to the wall later to increase the living space of your home. 

Hopefully these tips will keep you warmer in the coming winter months, and will save you a bit of money as well.   

Finally if you can think of anything I might of missed or have another idea.  PLEASE, please leave it in the comments.   We are all in this together.  

 12/30/22 - A great cheap and simple to make draft stopper from our friends at SpoonFlower.