| Now is not too soon to be thinking about this | | | | long enough to easily be seen. Mine touches |
| years home heating oil costs. If your home | | | | the fireplace logs and acts as a reminder the |
| uses heating or fuel oil as a primary heating | | | | plug is in place.2. Air leaks are the largest |
| energy source, you will no doubt be | | | | source of heating and cooling loss in the |
| struggling with the huge increases in costs | | | | home. Air leaks occur through the small |
| that are heading your way. Heating oil, like | | | | cracks around doors, windows, pipes, and |
| gasoline, are tied very closely together in | | | | outside electrical outlets. A good way to |
| price and we all know what the price of gas | | | | seal the electric plugs is to pick up some |
| has done over the last few years.The absolute | | | | plug gaskets and install on all outside |
| best way to help insulate yourself from | | | | electrica outlets. These are simply a thin |
| fnancial ruin due to rediculously high home | | | | rubber about the shape of the outlet cover |
| heating bills this winter is to insulate your | | | | that fits over the plug and seals around the |
| home instead. Imagine leaving a window open | | | | outlet and the cover.3. Doors are a special |
| all winter long. The heat loss, cold drafts, | | | | problem because you can't simply seal it up. |
| and wasted energy would drive everyone crazy. | | | | They need to opena and close regularly and |
| If however you add up all the places where | | | | seal. Weatherstripping around the perimeter |
| drafts and energy leaks occur in your home, | | | | of the door is a good way to seal out the |
| it would probably be equal to leaving a | | | | leaks around ouside doors. Another |
| window open all winter long. The reason why | | | | suggestion is to take fabric material, cut 2 |
| you don't feel it so much is that instead of | | | | pieces about 3 inches wide and make it 6 |
| a big hole like an open window, you have a | | | | inches longer than your door opening. So if |
| large number of very small leaks. This is | | | | the door is 46 inches, you want 2 pieces of |
| analagous to having every faucent in your | | | | fabric 3 inches by 42 inches. Sew the fabric |
| home dripping in relation to simply running | | | | together along the long sides and one small |
| the bathtub all the time. The result is the | | | | side. This will give you a pocket similar to |
| same. Water loss.So back to the issue of | | | | a pillow case.Next turn the pocket inside out |
| energy and heat loss leakage from your home. | | | | so the finished seams look good, and fill |
| Often overlooked, there are several major | | | | with any small material. Any cooking beans, |
| potential areas where you should check for | | | | rice, popcorn, even sand is a good material. |
| heated air loss.1. Fireplaces. These are a | | | | You now have a bottom door seal that can be |
| chimney or hole to the outside. Check and | | | | placed against the door sill at the bottom, |
| see if the damper is tight. Use glass window | | | | keeping the cold air out but can also be |
| fireplace covers. And if you decide not to | | | | removed during the day. This is also a great |
| use the fireplace, consider getting some 2 | | | | idea for rooms that have been closed off for |
| inch rigid foam insulation from the hardware | | | | the winter. Have a guest room that isn't |
| store and making a plug to close off the | | | | being heated? Make another bottom door seal |
| fireplace even better. To make a fireplace | | | | and save energy. You can even purchase |
| plug, measure the fireplace opening below the | | | | similar door seals from many stores because |
| damper, cut a piece of foam insulation to fit | | | | they're so popular and every efficient.While |
| and wedge it into place. A good safety idea | | | | there's nothing we can do about the high |
| is to attach a short piece of rope to the | | | | enrgy prices next winter, by being prepared, |
| plug to not only help remove it when you are | | | | the bills can be dramatically lowered. The |
| ready to use the fireplace but also as a | | | | key is to keep the leaks down and the warmth |
| safety device to make certain it's remembered | | | | inside your home.Abigail Franks writes on |
| before the fireplcae is used. Make certain | | | | many subjects having to do with home, family, |
| the short piece of rope or even ribbon is | | | | and health. |