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1. Before using your furnace the first time this winter, check furnace filters to make sure they are clean. Replace if needed. And vacuum vents.
2. Open your drapes during the day to let sunshine in and close them at night to keep cold air out.
3. Insulate your hot water heater and any outside pipes.
4. Install insulating kits behind electrical plugs that are on outside walls.
5. Lower your thermostat at night.
6. To help prevent frozen pipes, open the cabinet doors under sinks and let the warm room air circulate around pipes.
7. Make sure your fireplace damper is working properly. Use a screen to keep children and pets from getting too close.
8. Make sure your chimney is clean...dirty chimneys are a fire hazard.
9. Also be very careful if you use space heaters. They may not be very energy efficient and it's easy for children and pets to get burned by them.
10. Reverse the switch on your ceiling fans to they blow upward, toward the ceiling so heat that naturally rises is forced back down into the room.
11. Outdoors, make sure your shrubs and perennials are mulched. It can be expensive to replace these plants in the spring.
12. Your outdoor dog uses more calories in cold weather in order to keep warm, so he needs to be fed more.
By Cyndi Roberts
About the author: Helping you live the good life...on a budget! Cyndi Roberts is the editor of the "1 Frugal Friend 2 Another" bi-weekly e-newsletter and founder of the website of the same name. Visit http://www.cynroberts.com to find creative tips, articles, and a free e-cooking book. Subscribe to the e-newsletter and receive the free e-course "Taming the Monster Grocery Bill".
By
11/14/2005
Space heaters can save you a bundle on your heating bills.... We have one in every room in the house, but only turn them on when we are in the room. This allows us to lower the thermostat on the main heating system and we remain very comfortable while saving on energy... They are especially comfortable in the bathroom while taking a shower.
A few safety tips:
Never place a heater under any material such as drapes
Keep the front of the heater clear by at least 3 feet.
Dont use on a bathroom floor, instead place on a small table away from any water source.
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