25 Cheap Ways to Keep Your House Warm in Winter

The following article 25 Cheap Ways to Keep Your House Warm in Winter is courtesy of Total Survival

For those looking to reduce your heating bill without a big investment, we've put together a list of 20 cheap ways to keep your house warm in winter. Some of these options reduce heat loss, others add heat to the home or keep the heat where you need it.

This post is part of our Winter Home Heating Series, which includes:

Best Ways to Keep Your House Warm – New Construction and Remodeling

Keeping Warm – Winter Prep Check List for You and Your Home

Emergency Heat During a Power Outage and other Winter Storm Preps

25 Cheap Ways to Keep Your House Warm in Winter

Use the Right Ventilation

1. Replace bathroom exhaust vent switches with timer switches so vents can't be left on by accident. Vent only when needed. Winter air tends to be dry, so if you don't mind a little less privacy, open your bathroom door and let the steam escape into the house instead.

2. Make sure bathroom fans/vents have baffles/draft blockers on the outside so you don't have cold air blowing back into the house.

3. Switch ceiling fans (reverse them) spring and fall. If you have heated floors turn off the ceiling fans, if you have forced air heat, turn them on.

4. Close the doors and vents in unused rooms if you are trying to reduce heating costs or keep your living space warmer in an emergency.

5. Outside ventilation makes a difference, too. Consider a snow fence to control where snow drops and control drifting. See the post How to Put Up a Snow Fence. Even a small snow fence can break the strong winds somewhat.

Get Heat Where You Need It

6. If you have radiators, line the inside of the exterior wall with tinfoil. This will reflect some of the heat back into the home.

7. Make sure you aren't blocking airflow from forced air vents, and that the vents are open where you need heat. Don't block your vents with furniture, piles of dirty clothes or other debris.

8. If you have a chimney and are not using it, make sure its flue and draft (if it has both) are closed. Open chimneys can suck the heat right out of your home. (This is one of the biggest issues with open fireplaces – too much heat loss from the room. ) Consider blocking the chimney with a fireplace insert insulation to reduce heat loss if it will be left unused indefinitely – just don't forget to take it out if you decide to use it again.

Insulate Inside and Out to Reduce Heat Loss

9. Insulate hot water/radiator pipes and ductwork running through non-living areas. You don't want that heat dumped in a crawl space or utility area, you want it to get your house warm.

10. Pipe insulation isn't just for exposed pipes. You can place it along the bottom of an exterior OR interior door to reduce drafts.

11. Attic access or attic doors can be the source of large amounts of heat loss. Make sure your attic access is VERY well insulated.

12. Don't let the cold radiate up from your floor. An uninsulated floor can cause more than 10% heat loss in a home. This is especially important if your home is “built on a slab” (no basement). Insulate the floor with warm rugs and/or carpets. The bearskin or sheepskin rugs were historical solutions for floor insulation.

13. In extreme cold, hang blankets along the wall, even where there aren't windows, the wall can radiate cold through it, if the insulation isn't good enough. If this happens regularly you need to check your wall insulation.

14. Consider placing bales of hay along the edge of your basement and lower portion of 1st floor of your home. You will need to make sure you protect against mice, they will move in. The hay functions as basic exterior insulation.

Reduce Window Heat Loss

15. Uncover the south facing windows to let in solar heat on sunny days. See “Passive Solar Heating Basics” for more information on how to make the most out of your solar gain.

16. Add insulating window coverings. Honeycomb insulating shades are a good option to consider. Home Depot, Menards, Lowes, and numerous websites and stores will allow custom orders. We have Bali insulating cellular shades. We open and close them with the sun, they lasted about 10 years with daily use in the winter before we had to replace a few. If you don't like the insulating shades, consider Insulating Curtains to reduce your heat loss.

17. Add interior window insulation using something like a 3m insulation kit. These window insulating kits can be combined with the shades or curtains.

18. For a cheap short term solution, use duct tape and an old blanket to cover your windows. It's ugly, but functional.

19. If you have a really big window and want to reduce heat loss, you can tape a large clear shower curtain to the inside (just past the frame). (A shower curtain is thicker than the window insulating kit plastic.) It will allow sun in during the day and still provide an air gap to reduce heat loss. Adding a curtain or shades over it helps even more at night.

Adding Extra Warmth to Your Home

20. Don't drain a bathtub that is hot. Wait for it to cool before you drain it. If there's a storm coming where you may lose power, fill the tub with hot water. You get additional heat in the home and an emergency water source.

21. When you finish baking, leave the stove open slightly to let the home get all that wonderful heat. Winter is a great time to practice your homemade bread baking skills. If you froze fruits and berries in the summer, winter is a perfect time to finish your jam and jelly making.

22. Your pets are mobile heaters. Consider cuddling if it gets really cold. Our cats think movie time is the best thing ever since they have nice warm humans to nap on.

23. Keep blankets and lap rugs handy and use them. When we sit, our circulation slows down. Keeping a throw blanket over your lap while you're knitting or watching TV can improve your comfort levels without turning up the thermostat.

24. If you spend a fair amount of time at a desk, a heated foot warmer may be a good investment. My mother in law has the Cozy Products TT Toasty Toes Ergonomic Heated Foot Warmer under her desk. It gets a good workout when she's working on genealogy.

25. Invest in a small, clean burning portable propane heater to add heat only where and when you need it. The Big Buddy Heater is well reviewed online and by friends who have used it.

Do you have an inexpensive tip for keeping warm that I missed? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

You may also find helpful:

• Emergency Cooking – 10 Ways to Have a Hot Meal When the Power Goes Out
• Emergency Power Options for Your Home
• Winter Vehicle Maintenance Checklist and Preparing a Winter Vehicle Emergency Kit and
• other posts in the Common Sense Preparedness series

The post 25 Cheap Ways to Keep Your House Warm in Winter appeared first on Common Sense Homesteading.

This Article Was Originally Posted at commonsensehome.com Read The Original Article Here

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Cardboard Fireplace DIY for Christmas

Cardboard Fireplace DIY for Christmas Find more on: http://ift.tt/1Qfw8v0

No place to hang your stockings or Christmas decor? DIY a faux firplace with cardboard! Start with four cardboard display boards. I think this is a great idea and the kids will enjoy it. What do you think? How-to here:

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Source Here: Cardboard Fireplace DIY for Christmas

How To ‘Speak Chicken’ To Your Flock

How To ‘Speak Chicken’ To Your Flock is available on http://ift.tt/1nr27gs

Do chickens have a language? Yes – and you can learn it, too!

So says author and backyard chicken keeper Melissa Caughey, who studied her flock and concluded that chickens have behaviors and sounds that have specific meanings. There’s even scientific research proving this!

Caughey is this week’s guest on Off The Grid Radio, as she tells us why every homesteader and chicken owner should know how to “speak chicken.” She is the author of two books: “How to Speak Chicken: Why Your Chickens Do What They Do and Say What They Say” and “A Kid’s Guide to Keeping Chickens.” Both are published by Storey.

Caughey also tells us:

• The chicken sound for “hello.”
• The chicken sound for “I’ve laid an egg.”
• How to watch your flock and learn their specific behaviors.
• Why she thinks chickens are smarter than we realize.
• How to recognize chicken emotions.

If you own chickens, then this is one show you don’t want to miss!

This Article Was Originally Posted On offthegridnews.com Read the Original Article here

Article Source Here: How To ‘Speak Chicken’ To Your Flock

Troll Doll upcycled into a fun and unique planter

The blog post Troll Doll upcycled into a fun and unique planter is courtesy of http://ift.tt/1Qfw8v0

How cute are this? The original troll doll has been upcycled from a children’s toy into a fun and unique planter that can be used for a variety of plants. Kids will love this! What do you think? Check out these troll doll planters in the links below.

He is dressed as an elf ready for Christmas.

He is dressed as an elf ready for Christmas… Find it HERE…

Vintage Troll Doll Planter – SNOW WHITE

Vintage Troll Doll Planter – SNOW WHITE … Find it HERE…

Troll Doll Planter

Troll Doll Planter … Find these HERE…

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Why You Should Be Scared Silly About A Nuclear Winter

The article Why You Should Be Scared Silly About A Nuclear Winter was first published on http://ift.tt/1nr27gs

Image source: Pixabay.com

Maybe you’ve heard people say they’d like to see North Korea wiped off the face of the map. Maybe you’ve even said it yourself. You might agree with Americans who think Kim Jong-un should be taught a lesson by way of American nuclear firepower.

Perhaps you agree with those who feel, for any one of myriad possible reasons, that the immediate loss of life—on the Korean peninsula and among its neighbors—is not enough of a deterrent to the idea of unleashing nuclear weapons on North Korea. You may or may not be right, but I am not here to argue that point with you today.

Instead, I would like us to consider the possibility of nuclear winter. This is the term used to describe the earth’s atmosphere being shrouded in a heavy layer of smoke, limiting the sun’s rays and cooling the planet significantly—or worse, causing the sun to be blocked out entirely. Nuclear winter is mostly theoretical, predicted by scientists and computer models as something that could happen under certain conditions. These conditions include extreme amounts of industrial smog, massive fires, volcanoes and nuclear detonation.

I admit that I have not given the concept of nuclear winter much thought before now. It’s an idea that was around in the latter decades of the 20th century and has not gotten much attention since then. Or, at least, it hasn’t gotten much of my attention. But I heard a radio show recently that examined the possibility, likelihood and repercussions of what could happen in the event of a nuclear conflict, and it frankly scared the heck out of me.

Sun-Blocking Clouds

The idea of nuclear winter takes the concern for people living on a distant continent and transports it to my own backyard. Nuclear winter would, at the very least, have widespread impacts on agriculture, causing extensive famine. And in today’s global market, even if you and I are not directly affected by sun-blocking clouds, we will still feel its effects.

Get Free Backup Electricity — And Never Be Without Power!

I have never been the kind of prepper who believes in storing up 10 years’ worth of rice and beans and other dry staples with a long shelf life. I’ve always thought it makes much more sense to instead have land and skills, and be tough and independent. Why have a bunkerful of processed food—why not instead be able to grow and harvest and preserve my own? Sure, that stuff is great for the short term, as my pantry chocked full of both home-grown and store-bought foods will attest to, but nothing I want to rely on for the long haul.

But if the science is correct, even a small-scale nuclear event could cause a cloud to spread over enough of the atmosphere to create significant famine. And if there’s no sun at all, all the land and skills and tough independence in the world won’t be enough.

The prominent 20th-century astrophysicist Carl Sagan was among the first to warn the world about the possibility of nuclear winter. According to a New York Times video, the predictions of Sagan and other scientists influenced decisions by superpower leaders that helped bring about the end of the Cold War.

Successive studies suggested that nuclear winter was not a certainty, and that something closer to “nuclear fall” was more likely to occur. People sort of set it aside and forgot about it.

The Science Behind It

Image source: Pixabay.com

Recently, the topic of nuclear winter and its possible global repercussions is again making the news, as tensions mount between the United States and North Korea, and the threat of nuclear detonation feels more real than it has for decades. And again, scientists are telling us that nuclear winter is real, and it is a big deal. In a January 2017 “Open Letter to President-elect Trump” about Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Winter, climate science professor Alan Robock offered this dire prediction:

“In the 1980’s…scientists…discovered that smoke from fires ignited by nuclear explosions would be so dense that it would block out the sun, turning Earth cold, dark, and dry, killing plants, and preventing agriculture for at least a year. In the last decade…using modern climate models and computers, I found that this nuclear winter theory was correct, that the effects would persist for more than a decade, and that the New START-reduced nuclear arsenals will still be able to produce this nuclear winter.”

Those are strong words. Strong enough to make people sit up and pay attention, and strong enough to make people like me start thinking about a bunkerful of food. Alan Robock was among the guest experts on the radio show I heard that shook me awake to this topic. The show On Point, entitled “The Ramifications of Going Nuclear,” also featured president Joseph Cirincione of the nonprofit Ploughshares Fund, which seeks to abolish the threat of nuclear warfare.

After hearing the episode, my husband and I mulled over what Robock and Cirincione had said, and we discussed the potential implications in our own lives. Should we begin building a bunker of foods that will last us the duration of a nuclear winter? Should we wait until we hear on the news that the first missile has launched and then run out and max out our credit cards on pasta and canned goods? Should we hope and pray that cooler heads prevail and the crisis is averted altogether?

Some might dismiss the likelihood of nuclear winter, or even nuclear autumn. It’s true that scientists are not always right about the future. None of them are A cardiologist cannot tell you with absolute certainty whether you will have a second heart attack. Meteorologists don’t always get tomorrow’s weather exactly right. Intelligent people do well to maintain a modicum of skepticism.

But experts do know more than we do about their subjects. For example, I assure you that you are far better off driving across a bridge that was designed by engineers, rather than across a bridge that was designed by me. And getting your teeth fixed by a dentist is probably a better choice than asking the guy at the coffee counter to do it. We cannot realistically be specialists in every area of our lives. We can’t be our own pediatricians, electricians, software engineers, homebuilders and astronauts—along with every other area of scientific study most of us rely on in our daily lives. In the end, we have to trust somebody else’s interpretation of science and their predictions of what might happen.

And what some scientists are saying is that nuclear warfare could spell absolute disaster for the planet. Not just for the people and landscape in its immediate vicinity, and not just for a brief period of time. It could be quite literally the end of the world as we know it. They may not be right, but as Carl Sagan said, “I wouldn’t want to bet my life on it.”

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the section below:

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Keeping Warm – Winter Prep List for You and Your Home

The article Keeping Warm – Winter Prep List for You and Your Home was first published to http://ift.tt/1nr27gs

Little things can make a big difference when it comes to keeping warm and comfortable in your home. A friend of mine made one change from this list and raised the temp in her daughter's bedroom over 10 degrees – without turning up the thermostat. With the right preps, we reduce our heating bills all season, and are in much better shape if a winter storm knocks out the power.

This post is part of our Winter Home Heating Series, which includes:

Best Ways to Keep Your House Warm – New Construction and Remodeling

25 Cheap Ways to Keep Your House Warm in Winter

Emergency Heat During a Power Outage and other Winter Storm Preps

Keeping Warm – Winter Prep List for You and Your Home

Start with the house, inside and outside, then make sure each family member has the right gear for keeping warm.

Home Heating Safety

Get stocked on fuel. Make sure your propane tank is full for the winter and/or you have plenty of dry firewood or heating pellets. In the middle of a snowstorm is not when you want to realize you are out of fuel.

Make sure everything is clean. Change your furnace filter (if you have one). Clean the woodstove and chimney and inspect for any signs of wear.

Have emergency supplies on hand. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit – because things happen, and no one wants to see you on the nightly news for bad things happening.

Use space heaters wisely. My friend, CJ Harrington, recommended Buddy Heaters (that burn propane) for safe indoor use. There are also a wide variety of electric space heaters available. Check and double check to make sure any combustion device you choose is rated for indoor use and that you have enough airflow. On electric heaters, watch for frayed cords or other signs of excess wear. Always keep combustible items clear of your heat source, and don't plug electric heaters into a power strip. They will melt the strip.

Outside the house. Inspect your house. Walk around the exterior looking for openings and gaps. Do the same inside and check the attic in late spring when its still cool. Keep an eye on your roof throughout the winter. If you get icicles or ice damns, you likely have excess heat loss in the attic. Inspect the roof the following spring/summer for leaks due to ice damage.

Control Drafts

Even with good windows, doors and patio doors, you might need to block drafts. In our first house we had a brand new front door. When we got below zero weather, the door frosted up along the bottom edge. We added draft blocker against the door to reduce heat loss.

Some spots to check for drafts include:

• Weather stripping on all windows and doors. Replace any that is damaged or missing.
• Electrical outlets – many may have drafts. If you are qualified, disable the circuit, pull out the plug and carefully insulate around the box. Simpler fixes are outlet insulation and outlet covers.
• Door bottoms. Place rolled up towel at the base of a front door or drafty door to keep heat in or cold out. For a sturdier draft blocker, use a leg from an old pair of sweats stuffed with old socks, tshirts and other “rags”. Fill it and tie off ends and lay along door blocking the draft. Another more attractive option is heavy duty draft blockers that lock to the door.
• Windows – See the Reduce Window Heat Loss Section on 25 Cheap Ways to Keep Your House Warm in Winter. Installing window insulating film over an old patio door helped my friend warm up her daughter's bedroom.

Keeping People Warm

Stock Warm Clothes. Make sure each family member has:

• Long underwear tops and bottoms.
• Good winter boots and outdoor gear (if you're freezing outside, it'll take you that much longer to warm up when you get in)
• Clothes that you can layer for warmth, such as flannel overshirts or sweatshirts
• Polypropylene 1st layer socks, very warm wool socks and slippers

** For more info, see The 4 Layers of Winter Clothing Everyone Should Know

Bedding. Make sure you have a few extra very warm blankets and comforters. Watch for sales or buy them secondhand to save money.

• A good wool blanket can really improve the livability of a cold house or cold bed. If you don't like wool, sandwich it between cotton sheets or other blankets.
• Electric blankets can heat up the bed before you get in and then turned off once you get warmed up.
• Choose flannel sheets for extra warmth.
• Purchase cold weather sleeping bags (one per person) for emergencies (or winter camping or really chilly bedrooms).
• Down comforters trap insulating pockets of air, keeping you warm without adding a ton of extra weight.

See “No More Cold Feet in Bed” for more tips for toasty toes.

Targeting heating. Use chemical hand warmers in gloves, footwear or pockets – but be careful because they may be too warm to place directly against the skin. These warmers can be purchased almost anywhere. They are inexpensive and work fast. The heat can really make a difference for comfort and keep you from getting frostbite. Many boots, gloves and mittens have a pouch for the warmers.

What other preps do you make for cold weather? Leave a comment and let us know.

Don't forget to check out our other Cold Weather Preparedness posts.

The post Keeping Warm – Winter Prep List for You and Your Home appeared first on Common Sense Homesteading.

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66 Shelters You Can Make From A Tarp

66 Shelters You Can Make From A Tarp was originally published to http://ift.tt/1nr27gs

A number of ways are available to make shelters for survival or during an emergency. If camping is among your hobbies, you probably know a lot of useful tips and tricks in this field. But what do you do when you go camping and you’re surprised by a sudden rainstorm? You can create a safe shelter from several materials, you just have to make a list before packing.

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