Toning Down the Kerosene Smell From a HeaterI know it might be a little late in the season for this, but my sister taught me a little trick. If you use a kerosene heater to cut down on heating bills, like we do, and you can't stand the kerosene smell, put a pan of water on top of heater, and the smell will be gone!
Make Your Own LogsIf you have a wood burning stove and receive the daily newspaper you can make your own newspaper logs. Lay newspapers flat and roll it into 3 inch diameter logs then wrap metal wire around the finished log.
Tissue to Tell if Heat Is RunningTape a piece of toilet tissue to the register and when the heat is running, the air from the heat system will blow it up and you can see it waving.
Save on Heat with a VaporizerOne year, it was brittle cold outside. I used a vaporizer to add some humidity in the air. I was very surprised to feel the difference after a couple of hours. It was cozy and warmer than it had been before I turned the humidifier on.
Infrared Zone Heating SystemBefore ordering this product, I did a lot of research and one of the main reasons I like it is, because it costs hardly anything to run and our home heater isn't working as hard. Besides heating up our den, it also heats up the kitchen and is now the warmest room in the entire house.
Indoor Winter Air TipsIt's winter way before most expected it. However there's still time to help your cold body, dry skin, and other winter issues that are always there when it gets colder outside. Your source of heat is the other.
Changing Your Furnace FilterI could never remember for sure when I changed my A/C furnace filter, so now I write the date I need to replace it on the filter with a permanent marker. Works great!
Arm Protectors For Carrying WoodTo save getting scratched, I keep the sleeve of an old sweatshirt beside the door, it is quick to slip over my arm as I step out to grab an armful of wood. We don't like to store more than a couple of extra logs inside because I am very allergic to bug bites.
When The Green Alternative Is Not The BestMy partner and I are currently completing a half built house. As we both have degrees in Environmental Studies, we were very keen to use the latest technologies, for instance; ground source heat and biomass to heat our home.
Furniture Polish Helps Catch Dirt on Furnace FilterEach month when you change your furnace filter, spray it with a furniture polish first before installing. This will help trap more dust in the filter due to the oil base of the spray furniture polish. I use a cheap can of spray from the dollar store.
Magnetic Sheets for VentsMagnetic Sheets are a great way to cover a heating/air conditioning vents! We rent an older home, and most of the heating/AC vents are rusted wide open. Since our landlord isn't interested in fixing our oven, we know she's not gonna repair the small stuff, either.
Burning JavalogsDuring Christmas we experienced some very cold weather. We have a fireplace and have not used it because firewood has been high in our area, plus my husband has asthma and we do not like to burn some types of wood.
Saving Money on Heating Your HomeTips and advice to heat your home for less this winter as suggested from the ThriftyFun community. To help heat our home, we winterize by covering all the windows with the plastic made especially for them.
Easy Stove HumidifierDuring this cold winter weather, the air in our homes gets terribly dry and some people don't like the added work of keeping a humidifier machine clean. An easier way to keep moister in the home is to keep a pot of water on a low burner on the kitchen stove.
Keeping Warm When the Thermostat is DownSnuggling under electric heated throws and electric blankets lets you turn down the thermostat and saves on the high cost of heating your home.
Cleaning Furnace FiltersDo you buy those cheap cardboard furnace/ac filters and replace often throughout the year because they get dusty and dirty? Even though they are cheap, I find that I can vacuum the dust off the filters carefully and reuse them.
Buy Heating Fuel in the SummerBuy the fuel that you heat your home with during the winter in the summertime. It'll be cheaper then!
Benefits of Getting a New FurnaceIf you are hesitant to put in a new furnace, don't be. We had a really old furnace that came with the house we purchased. We upgraded to a high efficiency furnace this year and I can't believe the difference in our gas and hydro bills!
Checking the FurnaceAbout twice a year, turn off your furnace and A/C, pulling your furnace door(s) off, taking out the filters, take your vaccuum cleaner and clean around your furnace fan and motor.
Reusable Furnace FiltersBuy reusuable furnace filters. These you can put in your shower/bathtub and rinse the the lint and dirt off or take out to your yard and use the garden hose to rinse the dirt off.
Using Newspaper LogsNewspaper "logs" work great in the fireplace. Instead of buying expensive starter logs for the fireplace, roll and tie with string or twine newspapers. To start the fire, place several newspaper logs on the grate, then smaller kindling scraps, then the real wood pieces.
Covering Heat RegistersTo stop cold air leaks from coming in your unused heat register vents just cut up one of those large magnetic calendars for your fridge. I got 3 covers from a Dollar Tree calendar.
Wood Stove Sales After ChristmasWood stoves come on sale after Christmas. I first purchased one that was not welded together. Big Mistake! Downdrafts would fill the house with fumes while we slept. I got rid of it for one that is sealed.
Generate Humidity From Within Your FireplaceI take quart canning jars and fill them full of water and put inside my fireplace on either side of it. It helps keep moisture in the air. Before I start another fire I fill jars up again.
By Darlene
Frugally Humidify Your Home in the WinterTo combat dry indoor air (without the expense of running a room humidifier), place old containers of water in or near your heat vents (if you have forced air heat).
Reflecting Heat Back Into A RoomIf you have radiators in your home, place a metal reflector behind each one to bounce heat into the center of the room.
Warm Air CirculatorIf this winter, you are going to be using a wood burning stove or a free standing fireplace to heat all or part of your home, try this tip.
Finding and Storing FirewoodFor all of us living in areas that get lots of snow we are stocking up now on firewood. Whether you cut it up yourself or have some one else cut and deliver it to you, here are some tips you need to know.
Prepare Your Home Against Winter & High Energy CostsOne of the best ways to prepare a home for the winter weather and high energy costs is to take time now, before winter arrives, to do some simple home maintenance.
Keep Your Furnace Filters CleanTo save on your electric bill and to make your air conditioner compressor last longer, keep your furnace filters clean. We put a post-it note on the furnace door with the date we last cleaned them.
By Terri H.
Buy Now to Save Money on Heating FuelIf you use fuel oil for heating, have your tank topped off now, the price will be more expensive when you need it in the heating season.
Prevent Buildup of Scale in HumidifiersPut vinyl magnets in the well of humidifiers and it will prevent buildup of scale. Use Refrigerator pictures, Magnetic Calendars/business cards etc. I have used this in both Furnace and Room units.
