I'm in the process of totally going over my house to save some $ this
year in heating costs...Here in SC last jan/feb my heating bills were
over $350 for a 2600 sq ft older home and this year the costs are
supposed to go up at least 30%.

I'm gonna do the 3M plastic thing on most of the windows and liberally
caulk them (most windows haven't opened in years).

Add insulation in attic

weatherstrip my ancient doors

go on a caulk frenzy to all cracks/holes in foundation/brick

setup my automatic thermostat to a lower setting (will probably have to
get some rugs to cover some hardwood flooring)



any other suggestions?

"Billy Thompson" wrote in message


I'm gonna do the 3M plastic thing on most of the windows and liberally
caulk them (most windows haven't opened in years).

Good short term, but long term, perhaps new windows and storm windows for
even better insulation.


setup my automatic thermostat to a lower setting (will probably have to
get some rugs to cover some hardwood flooring)

How low is low? We keep the house very cool at night (60)and sleep under an
electric blanket. Some tradeoff of energy cost, but sure is comfy. The
heat comes on about 15 minutes before we get up.

Edwin.

Are you really saving anything as the furnace will run a longer period of
time to catch up to a temperature that your comfortable with.

Tom


"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
. ..

"Billy Thompson" wrote in message


I'm gonna do the 3M plastic thing on most of the windows and liberally
caulk them (most windows haven't opened in years).

Good short term, but long term, perhaps new windows and storm windows for
even better insulation.


setup my automatic thermostat to a lower setting (will probably have to
get some rugs to cover some hardwood flooring)

How low is low? We keep the house very cool at night (60)and sleep under
an electric blanket. Some tradeoff of energy cost, but sure is comfy.
The heat comes on about 15 minutes before we get up.

Billy - Make sure, when you add insulation to attic, that you maintain
proper ventalation. See
http://www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/ventilation.htm for discussion
about attic venting. If you have vents, don't block them. If you dont,
consider adding them. The vents will help keep you house cooler in
summer, prolong the life of the roof and prevent ice dams. They will
not negatively affect your heating capacity if done properly.

Quite certainly Ed is. I know I am, with deep setbacks and woodstove
supplement. And ... quite comfortably, thanks.

Typical furnace is most efficient when it's essentially off (setback)
or essentially on (recovery), not to mention the reduced loss to
ambient durning setback.

Just don't want pipes to freeze, nor to have resistive heat-strips kick
in with heat-pump.

This has been discussed ad-nauseam, if you DAGS on "thermostat setback"
you'll find lots of hits: 70K on websites, and 1550 on GoogleGroups.

HTH,
J

"twfsa" wrote in message
news:WK8%e.11343$GK2.9266@lakeread07...
Edwin.

Are you really saving anything as the furnace will run a longer period of
time to catch up to a temperature that your comfortable with.

Tom

The subject has been debated for a long time. Generally, if the down time
is more than the time to recover temperature, yes, there is a savings. ( we
also like it for sleeping comfort)

Heat is always seeking equilibrium to a cooler place. The higher the
differential between the two spaces, the faster the transfer. This is why
it is cheaper to maintain 68 degrees instead of 70 degrees and why 64 would
be even better in any given situation of a lower outdoor temperatures. .
It is not only the temperature of the air, it is also the sensible heat
being stored in your furnishings that come into play They are absorbing and
giving off heat as the settings change.

Do what I do. Only heat the house in the morning when you wake up so
that when you step out of the shower, you step out into a warm room.
Other than that, you really don't need heat unless your house gets
below maybe 50 degrees anyway.

During the process of other long term improvements with our old
double hung windows, I put 3/4 inch styrofoam sheets between the storms
and inner windows. They are put in during winter time on some of our
windows, and I'm quite sure that helps cut down heat loss. I have
continued to do this even how with the window work done.
Of course, it looks bad, and it cuts off the view through those
windows, but its a trade off that we live with. --Phil

Billy Thompson wrote:

I'm in the process of totally going over my house to save some $ this
year in heating costs...Here in SC last jan/feb my heating bills were
over $350 for a 2600 sq ft older home and this year the costs are
supposed to go up at least 30%.

I'm gonna do the 3M plastic thing on most of the windows and liberally
caulk them (most windows haven't opened in years).

Add insulation in attic

weatherstrip my ancient doors

go on a caulk frenzy to all cracks/holes in foundation/brick

setup my automatic thermostat to a lower setting (will probably have to
get some rugs to cover some hardwood flooring)



any other suggestions?

--
Phil Munro Dept of Electrical & Computer Engin
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, Ohio 44555

Study the following web site like there is no tomorrow. Plan (over time) to
get new "Energy Star" appliances, windows, heating system, air condition
system, etc.

http://www.energystar.gov

"twfsa" wrote in message
news:WK8%e.11343$GK2.9266@lakeread07...
Edwin.

Are you really saving anything as the furnace will run a longer period of
time to catch up to a temperature that your comfortable with.

Tom

There's only one way to tell. On any night where the outside temperatures
are nearly identical, put the thermostat to your set temperature that you
plan to wake up with and measure the fueld consumption during the night
(let's say 10pm to 6 am). Then try it Edwins way on the other night, given
that by 6 am the temperature has reached the target morning temperature
(same as first nights set temperature). Compare fuel use.



"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
. ..

"Billy Thompson" wrote in message


I'm gonna do the 3M plastic thing on most of the windows and liberally
caulk them (most windows haven't opened in years).

Good short term, but long term, perhaps new windows and storm windows for
even better insulation.


setup my automatic thermostat to a lower setting (will probably have to
get some rugs to cover some hardwood flooring)

How low is low? We keep the house very cool at night (60)and sleep under
an electric blanket. Some tradeoff of energy cost, but sure is comfy. The
heat comes on about 15 minutes before we get up.

In article , Phil Munro says...

During the process of other long term improvements with our old
double hung windows, I put 3/4 inch styrofoam sheets between the storms
and inner windows. They are put in during winter time on some of our
windows, and I'm quite sure that helps cut down heat loss. I have
continued to do this even how with the window work done.
Of course, it looks bad, and it cuts off the view through those
windows, but its a trade off that we live with. --Phil


Eww.

Ok - it's your house. I've made a trade-offs like that too, in the past. My
priorities are a little more on the quality of my living space now, though.

Banty (who likes looking through her new Marvins..)

[snip]


any other suggestions?


Build a frame around a fan to tightly seal into a window or door opening.
On a cold morning set this up and turn it on to depressurize the house and
then go from room to room feeling for cold air being pulled in to find all
the air leaks. I found some pretty substantial leaks this way. Nice of
the previous owner of my house to leave an old squirrel cage blower behind.

Steve.

any other suggestions?


Just be careful if you have any gas or oil burning appliances as this will
suck the CO2 back into the house. Turn them off before depressurizing the
house. Close your fireplace damper too.

Steve.

"Billy Thompson" wrote in message
...
I'm in the process of totally going over my house to save some $ this
year in heating costs...Here in SC last jan/feb my heating bills were
over $350 for a 2600 sq ft older home and this year the costs are
supposed to go up at least 30%.

I'm gonna do the 3M plastic thing on most of the windows and liberally
caulk them (most windows haven't opened in years).

Add insulation in attic

weatherstrip my ancient doors

go on a caulk frenzy to all cracks/holes in foundation/brick

setup my automatic thermostat to a lower setting (will probably have to
get some rugs to cover some hardwood flooring)



any other suggestions?

Billy.. I lived many years in "cold" country. Minus 35 degree nights. I made
redwood frames and covered with 3M shrink plastic (clear) added thin felt
strips to edges of frames to make a snug fit against windows. This really
helped because even on high quality thermo windows I would get icing up to
to cooking humidity. Problem was solved. WW

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 22:38:08 -0400, Billy Thompson
wrote:

I'm in the process of totally going over my house to save some $ this
year in heating costs...Here in SC last jan/feb my heating bills were
over $350 for a 2600 sq ft older home and this year the costs are
supposed to go up at least 30%.

I'm gonna do the 3M plastic thing on most of the windows and liberally
caulk them (most windows haven't opened in years).

Add insulation in attic

weatherstrip my ancient doors

go on a caulk frenzy to all cracks/holes in foundation/brick

setup my automatic thermostat to a lower setting (will probably have to
get some rugs to cover some hardwood flooring)



any other suggestions?

I have natural gas heat, but am planning on adding a 14 SEER heat
pump when I replace my AC.

Next year, I plan on modifying my fireplace with an efficient wood
burning stove.

One of my neighbors has those black coils on the south side of his
roof.

I'm thinking about venting my electric dreyer back inside via some kind
of a lint filter.

Keep the heat and humidity inside where I need it and not pushing nice
warm air outside.

Anybody have any idea about a good filter ot use for this?

"Mark" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm thinking about venting my electric dreyer back inside via some kind
of a lint filter.

Keep the heat and humidity inside where I need it and not pushing nice
warm air outside.

Anybody have any idea about a good filter ot use for this?

Tried it many years ago. The filter caught much of the lint, but the oil
heater serviceman showed me where a lot of it went too. Now worth the
hassle of having damp dirty air circulating in the house.