Comments on: Trying To Keep Heating Costs Down This Winter http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/ About finding balance in your life, connecting with who you are, and creating a lifestyle where you wake up each morning eagerly anticipating the day ahead. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:41:58 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Jane http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/comment-page-1/#comment-5095 Jane Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:40:27 +0000 http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/#comment-5095 We have no heat at all upstairs. The oil furnace in the basement has vents going only to the ground floor. With the woodstove going in the keeping room, the heat rises up the stairs and keeps it toasty warm upstairs. The furnace heat doesn't go upstairs at all. I had plexiglass indoor storms made for the two main upstairs windows which I attach with wingnuts and use plasticene to seal the edges. It works reasonably well, but actually not as good as the shrink-wrap plastic that I used to use! I also made curtains with fabric covering both sides of quilted material for more insulation. The downstairs windows have their original storms. This house is over 150 years old, so I've added all the insultation, etc., possible. I'd love to have a cookstove and am also going to save my pennies for a pellet stove. We have no heat at all upstairs. The oil furnace in the basement has vents going only to the ground floor. With the woodstove going in the keeping room, the heat rises up the stairs and keeps it toasty warm upstairs. The furnace heat doesn’t go upstairs at all.

I had plexiglass indoor storms made for the two main upstairs windows which I attach with wingnuts and use plasticene to seal the edges. It works reasonably well, but actually not as good as the shrink-wrap plastic that I used to use! I also made curtains with fabric covering both sides of quilted material for more insulation. The downstairs windows have their original storms. This house is over 150 years old, so I’ve added all the insultation, etc., possible.

I’d love to have a cookstove and am also going to save my pennies for a pellet stove.

]]> By: Alissa http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/comment-page-1/#comment-3277 Alissa Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:30:54 +0000 http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/#comment-3277 Hi Shirley, We use wood to heat our home as well. Our woodburning insert is in the centre of the main floor of our house, and, like you, all of our bedrooms are on the second floor. We installed a register in the ceiling above the woodburning insert, which allows heat to rise upstairs to the bedrooms (and the cool air comes down the stairs). It makes the upstairs just comfortable enough that we don't need any additional heat. We prefer our bedrooms cooler than the rest of the house anyway, so it works great for us. Hi Shirley,

We use wood to heat our home as well. Our woodburning insert is in the centre of the main floor of our house, and, like you, all of our bedrooms are on the second floor. We installed a register in the ceiling above the woodburning insert, which allows heat to rise upstairs to the bedrooms (and the cool air comes down the stairs). It makes the upstairs just comfortable enough that we don’t need any additional heat. We prefer our bedrooms cooler than the rest of the house anyway, so it works great for us.

]]> By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/comment-page-1/#comment-2991 Shirley Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:08:43 +0000 http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/#comment-2991 Yes, definitely I will be posting photos of the stove... I'm planning a post about the stove sometime in the future. Yes, definitely I will be posting photos of the stove… I’m planning a post about the stove sometime in the future.

]]> By: Melsky http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/comment-page-1/#comment-2989 Melsky Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:50:39 +0000 http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/#comment-2989 In addition to the plastic film I put several layers of heavy curtains over our windows and that helps a lot. I used materials I got mostly in thrift stores. We are looking to buy a house and I want to get a wood stove for it. In addition to the plastic film I put several layers of heavy curtains over our windows and that helps a lot. I used materials I got mostly in thrift stores.

We are looking to buy a house and I want to get a wood stove for it.

]]> By: Slawebb http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/comment-page-1/#comment-2952 Slawebb Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:53:34 +0000 http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/#comment-2952 That sounds like a great stove. Saves money when you cook on it, too! What kind is it? Where did you buy it? I live in VT so I understand the cold. Might be a harsh one this year. That sounds like a great stove. Saves money when you cook on it, too! What kind is it? Where did you buy it? I live in VT so I understand the cold. Might be a harsh one this year.

]]> By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/comment-page-1/#comment-2935 Shirley Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:14:20 +0000 http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/trying-to-keep-heating-costs-down-this-winter/#comment-2935 Joel, I don't have any numbers about the savings, but we found that the plastic film on the inside of the windows really made a difference, even with two layers of glass already there. We had an almost three-week spell of horrendously cold weather last year, and that is when we added the plastic. The difference was amazing. Joel, I don’t have any numbers about the savings, but we found that the plastic film on the inside of the windows really made a difference, even with two layers of glass already there. We had an almost three-week spell of horrendously cold weather last year, and that is when we added the plastic. The difference was amazing.

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