Staying warm

The US is experiencing record cold temperatures in many areas, and millions are without electric power or experiencing rolling blackouts because power grids are struggling.  Many are looking for ways to stay warm while reducing energy use.  DO NOT bring cooking or heating appliances designed for outdoor use into your house, because there is a high risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.  Here are some ideas to help keep yourself and your home warm with less energy use:

• Hang blankets, towels, or sheets over windows to provide an extra layer of insulation.  You can tack a layer of plastic sheeting over the outside of the windows to reduce drafts.  The air space between the window and the covering also provides insulation, because air that is not moving is a good insulator.  It’s highly unlikely in most buildings, but make sure you don’t seal your home so tightly that there is no air exchange with the outdoors. 
• If you have an old-fashioned ceiling fan (the ones with the big blades that hang from the ceiling), set the direction of rotation to “winter” and run the fan slowly.  Warm air rises, and using the ceiling fan will bring the warm air back down to where you are sitting.
• Turn your thermostat down 2-3 degrees at night, wear heavy socks to bed and add an extra blanket.
• Put a rug or rolled up towel against the bottom crack of doors to the outside to help block drafts.  When the weather is warm again, check to make sure you have good weatherstripping around your doors and windows.
• Put furniture along outside walls.  It provides an extra layer of insulation.
• Minimize the number of times you open doors to the outside or to unheated areas like garages. 
• If it’s been a while, change the air filter on your furnace.  A dirty filter can significantly reduce the efficiency of your furnace.