Wolfie Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 I just posted the mug cake receipe! Hope everyone enjoys it. We had this last night, and it was soooooo good! Next time we will add some chopped nuts to it! Ice cream on top is delightful! And my spiced chocolate coffee goes very well with it too! Wow! Now having cake and eating too is less than 10 minutes away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 LOL Holly!!!! I suppose DH can't argue with thar remark Hugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted September 29, 2008 Author Share Posted September 29, 2008 I found these tips online at the Old Farmer`s Almanac Website. These may help if you didnt already know you should be doing them. I always knew about number 8 (ceiling fans) I clean them twice a year (spring and fall) and flip the switch. Kind of like when you should change your smoke detector batteries when we change the clocks. 1) Seal Windows and Doors! Windows and doors are the biggest losers when it comes to heat loss, especially if they’re older. While replacing old windows with new double-paned windows is a great idea, it may not be in the budget. Instead try a caulking gun and caulk. If you caulk completely around the outer window frame and maybe even the outside of the window, you may be pleasantly surprised at how well it keeps the hot air in and the cool air out. Another option is rope caulk – which requires no caulk gun, and it is easily removed when the warm weather returns. It’s even reusable for next year. Check with your local hardware store for additional information. 2) Furnace/Chimney Check Up. Now is the time to have the filter on your furnace changed as well as a cleaning or check up. This will allow your furnace to run more efficiently. And if you’re heating with a stove or fireplace, be sure to have your chimney cleaned and checked. 3) Purchase a programmable thermostat. Then learn how to program it! If you’re smart about programming it and turning down the heat during the day or at night, you may be able to cut your heating costs by 20%. 4) Roof. Is your heat literally going through the roof? If you have an attic, be sure to check if it is properly insulated. This insulation will keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. A home that has zero attic insulation will lose around 48 BTUs per square foot on a minus-10 degree day. 5) Payment Plans. Check with your utility company to see if there are any special plans that will help you budget your winter heating costs a little more efficiently. Some plans allow you to spread your payments out over a 12-month period. 6) Look for ways to cut costs. This winter may be tough on many of us. Take some time now to analyze the cell phone, cable, satellite radio, and other plans that fit into the budget when you signed up, but may not make sense now. You don’t have to get rid of these things, but maybe a downsizing to a smaller plan would be more affordable in the long run. 7) Dress in Layers! Find the blankets, wool sweaters, and socks. If you can dress in layers while watching TV or working from home, you may be able to keep the heat at a minimum during certain times of the day. 8) Ceiling fans are not just for summer. Flip the switch to reverse the spin of the fan and turn on the lowest speed to blow warm air down from the ceiling. 9) Use energy from the sun. During the day, open drapes and blinds to allow sunlight to help warm the house, and then close at night to hold the heat in. 10) Do not heat unused rooms. Close the door to the unused room and shut off the radiator valve or close the vent. 11) Save on hot water. Lower the thermostat on the hot water heater to 120 degrees or below. Install a programmable timer so water is only being heated during times of the day when it is typically used, such as mornings or evenings. Insulate the hot water heater with a blanket to help water stay hot longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 All super tips! Also since our indoor garden uses 5 T-5 Grow lights, the heat from those is also helping to heat the house as well! Makes it toasty downstairs without the stove being on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted October 5, 2008 Author Share Posted October 5, 2008 I wanted to give you an update on our heater that we bought. It is made by Lasko and it is a ceramic tower heater with remote control. It oscillates. We were working outside yesterday and we were bone cold. Even sweaters didnt take the chill out. So I decided to give the heater it`s virgin voyage in our living room last night. I kept it on 75 deg F on low and had it oscillate the room. We went upstairs for a bit and came back down 15 mins later and the room was toasty warm! I lowered the temp to 65 and put the timer on for an hour. This was a great addition to keeping the living room warm this season! It is small so it does not take up room. It retailed for $49 in store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Sounds great Heidi! Nothing beats coming in from the chill outside and have a toasty warm room to snuggle up in!!! Hugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Sounds like a good deal Heidi! The price is right too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 I found something out today. You should make sure the there is caulking around the outside of your window and door trim INSIDE your house too. Most of my windows are okay. A couple do need to be re-done. It will keep the cold out that can seep between the trim and the window/wall. You can also buy these insulating things that go inside your outlets. You put them in the outlets that face the outside walls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 Grrrrr! I have been using the same brand of window insulation kit for ten years...Frost King. It is not working like it used to. The adhesive is not sticking. Is anyone else using this brand and having the same problem. I just emailed the company about it and hopefully they can come up with a solution..I asked if they had a stronger adhesive tape then what is in the kits. When you have been using them as long as I have, you know when something is not quite right. I sent them my snail mail so maybe they will send me some tape! They better hurry cause it is getting cold! LOL Oil for house is down to $2.60 gal. Going to order this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miniwendy Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 An oscillating heater- what a perfect idea! I always thought it was such a pain to have a heater that only blew in one direction, or a plug in radiator that heated only the 3 feet right around it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Heidi, supplement with your masking tape until you hear back from the company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 Heidi, supplement with your masking tape until you hear back from the company. I am way ahead of you Holly. I have to do the bedrooms today and I will be mucho miffed if it happens with them also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 I got a surprise package in the mail today. Frost King sent me plastic for all nine windows and 8 BIG rolls of the adhesive tape! That tape costs $3 a roll at Home Depot! I am happy. Now I must send a thank you email back to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalani Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I love that idea of an oscillating heater! I'll have to get one and try it upstairs! (we have forced air and a really good heating system....but I have 175 gallons in the tank right now and I'd love to not have to fill it this winter (we put 100 gallons in at the end of last winter) Our house isnt that old so we don't seem to have any drafts at all. Even though its only October though...it seems so cold already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 YEAH!!! I got the acceptance letter from the CT heating fund. $625 worth of fuel. I can make my first call after November 3rd. Sooo Happy! Now I wonder if the quarter tank will last until then....*thinking*. The temps are going to be in the upper 60s-lower 50s the rest of this week and all of next week. I think I will keep the money and watch the tank. If it gets between 1/4 and empty before November 3rd..I will fill it myself. If it holds steady until then, I can save the money for the next fill. I found out my friend needs plastic for her windows. She is a single mom with a teen and a grandbaby to raise. Since I was fortunate to get the extra plastic (9 windows worth) and 5 rolls of adhesive..I think I will give her what I have left over so she can keep her house warm also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 I love that idea of an oscillating heater! I'll have to get one and try it upstairs! (we have forced air and a really good heating system....but I have 175 gallons in the tank right now and I'd love to not have to fill it this winter (we put 100 gallons in at the end of last winter) Our house isnt that old so we don't seem to have any drafts at all. Even though its only October though...it seems so cold already I have to fill in October-November, then I have about 2-3 fills in the winter (depends on how cold it is) and then a final fill in April-May..that fill lasts all spring and summer. We have a 250 gal tank. Lately though when I say fill..I mean 125-150 gallons. Last year we could not afford to fill it to the top once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 We turned on the heat Monday (electric, heat pump) and set the 'stat at 68. It's been running off & on today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalani Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 We usually just put 100 gallons in (I figure if the oil prices stabalize a little or go down, we'll fill in November) but right now we're only putting the heat on for half an hour in the morning to shake the chill from the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muriel Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 I've always lived in cold houses/flats, but I love the one we're in now!! It would take about 7 minutes to heat up the heaters enough to heat the flat, but the smallest increment on the boiler timer is 15 minutes. So we have 15 mins in the morning and 15 mins in the evening, and the flat stays warm enough not to have to wear a jumper. We're at work throughout the day, but even on the weekend I didn't notice it being cold. In the evening it is timed for when I get back from work, so come in from a cold drive home to a warm flat, and that lasts the rest of the evening. It hasn't been too cold, mid to low 50s the high, mid to low 40s the low, so may need a jumper when it gets quite a bit colder, but for now I'm happy only needing 30 mins of heating to keep the flat warm! (Oh so happy!) But I have lived in cold houses the rest of my life, so my sympathies are with you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted November 19, 2008 Author Share Posted November 19, 2008 Fred asked how the electricity bill was since we have been supplementing with the heater in the livingroom. I have not noticed a difference up or down. So he wants to pick up a couple more. One for each of the girls rooms. They are notorious for jackin up the heat at night..you wake up at 2am thinking you are having a hot flash. We are going to have a talk with them about not keeping them on constantly (turn them off when you wake up) and also not to get anything on them like clothing. I had the heat on 64 deg and the heater in the livingroom on 75 deg and it was 10 deg F outside. The whole downstairs (kitchen included) was warm and toasty! So I am definitely purchasing a couple more..Chelsea said she gets the first one..LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 We have a small electric space-heater with blower we use in the livingroom, we haven't had to use it yet. It's supposed to get down in the 20s again tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Talking about heat, I can finally have the heat on up in the bedrooms and I can wash clothes with warm water again. The guys installed the new boiler today. That sucker weighed 500 pounds! There were 3 or 4 guys and my husband who told them to just get it on the truck and drive through the back yard to the clamshell doors to the basement. I heard lots of hoots and laughter as the guys tried to get the new one down the steps and the old one up and out. We went into the 20's the last 2 nights and it's supposed to be around 20 tonight. The boiler arrived just in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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