Comments on: How To Slash Your Heating Bill http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-slash-your-heating-bill/ Sustainable Living: The Heart Of The Matter Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:24:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Vic http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-slash-your-heating-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-23718 Vic Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:01:00 +0000 http://www.diamondcutlife.org/?p=302#comment-23718 Thank for sharing ! Thank for sharing !

]]> By: Trent http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-slash-your-heating-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-23713 Trent Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:49:31 +0000 http://www.diamondcutlife.org/?p=302#comment-23713 Thank for information. Thank for information.

]]> By: Luxury Fireplaces http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-slash-your-heating-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-7727 Luxury Fireplaces Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:28:43 +0000 http://www.diamondcutlife.org/?p=302#comment-7727 Interesting read Alison thanks very much. So simple just to buy a cheap fleece for £10 and keep active. We'll see if my heating bill is reduced due to your helpful advice. Interesting read Alison thanks very much. So simple just to buy a cheap fleece for £10 and keep active. We’ll see if my heating bill is reduced due to your helpful advice.

]]> By: Laura http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-slash-your-heating-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-2333 Laura Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:30:52 +0000 http://www.diamondcutlife.org/?p=302#comment-2333 Our new house has a lot of single-pane windows in it, which make it a real "pane" to heat. We plan to replace them with double-pane windows once the weather is warm enough. Closing the blinds/curtains over windows when they're not in use and not looking at the sun also helps. Our new house has a lot of single-pane windows in it, which make it a real “pane” to heat. We plan to replace them with double-pane windows once the weather is warm enough. Closing the blinds/curtains over windows when they’re not in use and not looking at the sun also helps.

]]> By: Alison http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-slash-your-heating-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-2315 Alison Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:20:19 +0000 http://www.diamondcutlife.org/?p=302#comment-2315 Thanks for the additional tips, folks! Thanks for the additional tips, folks!

]]> By: Deb http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-slash-your-heating-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-2304 Deb Sun, 28 Dec 2008 08:12:26 +0000 http://www.diamondcutlife.org/?p=302#comment-2304 You're right, a programmable thermostat is an excellent investment - we reduced our oil heat consumption 30% by doing this. Same routine as yours, and down to 55 degrees at night. Investing in a good down comfortor is also worth the money. I can't recall the source, but I read that water heaters can account for up to 25% of one's electricity/gas use. We are saving for a tankless hot water heater, which can run anywhere from $600-$1000, depending on the capacity needed. These water heaters reduce energy use by heating water as it comes through the pipe, instead of keeping a large tank of water heated. They are fairly small, wall mounted units. Excellent suggestions, Alison - especially about closing vents & doors in rarely used rooms. In a larger home, this can make a real impact! You’re right, a programmable thermostat is an excellent investment – we reduced our oil heat consumption 30% by doing this. Same routine as yours, and down to 55 degrees at night. Investing in a good down comfortor is also worth the money.

I can’t recall the source, but I read that water heaters can account for up to 25% of one’s electricity/gas use. We are saving for a tankless hot water heater, which can run anywhere from $600-$1000, depending on the capacity needed. These water heaters reduce energy use by heating water as it comes through the pipe, instead of keeping a large tank of water heated. They are fairly small, wall mounted units.

Excellent suggestions, Alison – especially about closing vents & doors in rarely used rooms. In a larger home, this can make a real impact!

]]> By: Topher http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-slash-your-heating-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-2293 Topher Sun, 28 Dec 2008 01:08:31 +0000 http://www.diamondcutlife.org/?p=302#comment-2293 While saving energy by closing off your laundry room or cabinets, make sure you don't do such a good job of keeping heat out of them that the pipes freeze. My folks had to keep the doors beneath their kitchen cabinets OPEN on really cold nights for exactly this reason. It takes warm air circulating against those walls to keep the pipes in the walls thawed. While saving energy by closing off your laundry room or cabinets, make sure you don’t do such a good job of keeping heat out of them that the pipes freeze. My folks had to keep the doors beneath their kitchen cabinets OPEN on really cold nights for exactly this reason. It takes warm air circulating against those walls to keep the pipes in the walls thawed.

]]> By: Rob http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-slash-your-heating-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-2208 Rob Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:31:27 +0000 http://www.diamondcutlife.org/?p=302#comment-2208 Being Minnesota native, wearing layers is always a must. I remember how painful I thought it was to have the thermostat set to 60F during the winter. Chopping wood didn't seem so painful when it meant maybe 65F+ Also keeping all of those spent cobs from the fall sweet corn ;-) Being Minnesota native, wearing layers is always a must. I remember how painful I thought it was to have the thermostat set to 60F during the winter. Chopping wood didn’t seem so painful when it meant maybe 65F+ Also keeping all of those spent cobs from the fall sweet corn ;-)

]]> By: Vince Scordo http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-slash-your-heating-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-2193 Vince Scordo Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:04:20 +0000 http://www.diamondcutlife.org/?p=302#comment-2193 Nice post. On sealing your fireplace, you actually don't need to buy a set of fireplace doors; I actually cut a slice of R30 insulation (stuff used for walls and ceilings) to fit my fireplace flu. I usually don't light a fire from say, Nov - Feb so it stays in place for about 4 months. As you said, fireplaces are notoriously not efficient! Thanks, Vince from http://www.scordo.com/blog/blog a practical living blog Nice post. On sealing your fireplace, you actually don’t need to buy a set of fireplace doors; I actually cut a slice of R30 insulation (stuff used for walls and ceilings) to fit my fireplace flu. I usually don’t light a fire from say, Nov – Feb so it stays in place for about 4 months. As you said, fireplaces are notoriously not efficient!

Thanks,
Vince from http://www.scordo.com/blog/blog a practical living blog

]]> By: the weakonomist http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-slash-your-heating-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-2190 the weakonomist Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:57:35 +0000 http://www.diamondcutlife.org/?p=302#comment-2190 We've always kept the thermastat low. I much prefer the warmth of many blankets than the sweaty heat generated by warm air. I'm also a big proponant of the hooded sweatshirt, which when used properly, keeps the whole body warm. We also keep door liners at each entry to the house which keeps cold air from getting in to the house. I must admit we do this to save money instead of the planet, but reduced emissions is a great side effect. We’ve always kept the thermastat low. I much prefer the warmth of many blankets than the sweaty heat generated by warm air. I’m also a big proponant of the hooded sweatshirt, which when used properly, keeps the whole body warm.

We also keep door liners at each entry to the house which keeps cold air from getting in to the house.

I must admit we do this to save money instead of the planet, but reduced emissions is a great side effect.

]]>