These kinds of lists are quite the perennial at this time of year, but I like this one because it's specifically geared toward those of us who live in old houses (This Old House, duh).
My own cute little Tudor was built in 1925 and even though we have a high-efficiency furnace and a lot of insulation, our heating bills still make me cry. Polar fleece and warm fuzzy socks are popular items around here come about November, and one of the reasons we don’t cosleep is that we'd shiver all night without our fluffy, potentially baby-smothering down comforter. Sleepsacks are our babies' friends. In other words, it's cold all up in here.
Among the suggestions are to make sure the damper on your fireplace is closed tightly, seal air leaks around doors and windows -- I am the air leak Terminator around my house, walking around the house each fall with a can of expandable foam and a roll of double-stick weatherstripping — and use that window film stuff. Anybody who can make that stuff work on wood-framed double-hung windows without swearing like a sailor and finally giving up has my utmost respect, but whatevs, many say it works.
They also suggest replacing your appliances (including the water heater) with Energy Star models, and even buying a new house. Did you know you could have a whole house Energy Star certified? Me neither.
I've gotta say, I've done a lot of this stuff and don’t generally notice a big difference in our comfort each year, or the obscenely high amounts we pay to the gas company versus the years I haven't bothered. Anybody else in an old house that can confirm or deny the awesomeness of these suggestions? And do you have anything to add?
Photo: This Old House
