Cheap Heat-Coping With Winter Weather

Lowering your heating costs can be easy if you prepare. Heat loss through windows can account for up to 25% of your heating bill, according to Michigan State University. Simply applying window insulation and installing good window treatments will reduce your heating costs and help keep you warm in case of severe winter storms.

Simple steps to reduce your heating costs include:

· Installing window treatments

· eliminating or reducing the loss of warm air from your house

Thin Film

Thin Film Window Treatments allow the light and heat from the sun into your home but prevent the heat from radiating back out through the glass. Choose an all season type of window film like the one made by 3M for year round weather protection. This type of window insulation is a polymer material with a special coating that blocks the suns IR radiation to keep your home cool in summer and has a thermal barrier to keep room heat inside in winter.

Drapes

Drapes and blinds are an excellent way to keep in the heat. Install drapes to fit close to the window and create an air space between the glass and the drape. This air space will act as insulation to help keep your family warm. A winter storm might cause the loss of your electric central heating and good quality drapes and blinds can add an extra layer of insulation to protect your family from freezing.

Coping with winter means having secondary heating. If you have a fireplace make sure it is clean and ready for use. Lay in a store of firewood for emergency use and keep it covered and dry. Fire starter logs can be purchased at your local hardware store to make starting the fireplace easy.

If you do not have a fireplace you might consider investing in a wood fired or wood pellet furnace. This type of heat is easily installed in a basement or in your living room and can provide heat during winter or winter emergencies. It is important that you know what you are doing if you install the heater yourself. Professional installation will ensure that your wood furnace is safe to use and poses less danger of starting a fire.

Cheap Space Heater-Solar Heating

You can harness the power of the sun to keep your family warm. Passive solar space heaters capture sunlight to heat air that is then vented into your home. You can even make your own solar space heater using recycled materials and pop cans. Plans and parts lists are available online at Build it Solar.com.