Finding ways to cut back

**kabin63** · 02-03-2007, 10:02 PM

With the cold weather in full swing now I am hearing the furnace running more and more. That frustrates the heck out of me.
Since we are still remodeling we don't have the newer furnace installed yet and are still using the old one. It's about 65% efficiency. @#$%
Well, I am trying to find ways to cut back on the energy usage and not sure I am going to succeed. I am terrified of the next bill that will be coming.
We only have one heat vent for the house. The bedrooms and bathrooms are heated with electric baseboard heaters for now. Hopefully that will change after the season is completed. I turn the heaters off during the day because we spend most of our time out of these rooms and hardly ever turn the bathroom heaters on. At night the heaters are never above low or medium low heat.
The problem is that our new dryer is electric. It wasn't my choice, the set was given to us and that's what we got. I am trying to use the dryer as little as possible and still afraid the bill will shoot up. Right now the budget is at $97.00 a month, but the actual usage last month was at $167.00. Talk about being scared.
Also, even though we aren't heating the whole house with gas yet and with the mild part of the winter the bill was about equal to our highest usage last year before we opened up this part of the house. We are doing the work ourselves.
I just don't know what else to do. I keep the heat set between 66 and 68 most of the time. Anyone have any other ideas. We added lots of insulation, with only a little more to add. I turn off most things during the day. Even roll up the shades for radiant heating. I can't close off the upstairs because it's a loft, although I would if I could.
Not looking forward to the next bills. I wish it would warm up again....:-(

**kabin63** · 02-03-2007, 10:07 PM

I should add that with the one heat vent I have a pipe running to the cinter of the house attached. LOL It's funny to look at, but I am hoping it will help keep that furnace from running so much, but tonight, even with the heat set at 66 it's running quite a lot. It's a sight, but we aren't done with these two rooms it runs through and the florring is just sub floor anyway. All drywall mudwork is almost done.
Also, I turn lights off, trying to keep from opening refridgerator door very often, or freezer, even turned off the outside light on the barn that illuminates the driveway. I don't have a lot of energy leachers on in the house either.

**kaykwilts** · 02-03-2007, 11:31 PM

Not sure what I could tell you but is it possible to turn the thermostat down to 65 and just wear a sweater. Definitely turn it down at night and bundle up with covers.

**kabin63** · 02-04-2007, 10:34 AM

Thanks for your response Kay, Yes, I run around the house most of the time in 2 or three layers anyway, so I amalways warm. LOL I guess I will try 65 to see if it helps. I noticed something this morning. I added another pipe to the vent pipe last night. It did help keep it from running so much. I have noticed the newer programmable thermostat is kind of all over the place with the temps. Not sure what to make of that. It had been measuring things fine before.

**mustang80** · 02-04-2007, 01:52 PM

As far as the electric dryer, I've had one for years. If you keep drying loads consistantly while the dryer is warm, this helps cut down on the energy usage. Also I try to hang fleece clothes to dry. If you own enough of them, that is a whole load not going through the dryer. I estimate dryer usage to be about $.50-1.00 per load.

**kabin63** · 02-04-2007, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by mustang80

As far as the electric dryer, I've had one for years. If you keep drying loads consistantly while the dryer is warm, this helps cut down on the energy usage. Also I try to hang fleece clothes to dry. If you own enough of them, that is a whole load not going through the dryer. I estimate dryer usage to be about $.50-1.00 per load.

That estimate per load does ease my mind just a little bit. I don't do anymore laundry than I absolutely have to and trying to keep it to full loads. I do try to do it so that they go in one right after another. Thanks for the info.

**jenray** · 02-04-2007, 09:30 PM

If you keep drying loads consistantly while the dryer is warm, this helps cut down on the energy usage.

Great tip! Thank you!

**Cricketlegs** · 02-05-2007, 01:28 PM

YOu can also dry clothes half way until damp and then hang them on hangers to finish drying.

**northernmom2boys** · 02-05-2007, 01:40 PM

I try to hang as much clothing as possible,I know my dryer makes the bill go up up and away.You have to be careful about turning down the heat too far down when we get temps like we have had because the pipes could freeze.Having gone throught he mess of frozen pipes in our old house 6 years ago believe me you want to pay a bit more for heat and not have to deal with the mess.
Look on the bright side spring will be here before we know it,I hope lol

**Leahmom** · 02-06-2007, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by kabin63

With the cold weather in full swing now I am hearing the furnace running more and more. That frustrates the heck out of me.
Since we are still remodeling we don't have the newer furnace installed yet and are still using the old one. It's about 65% efficiency. @#$%
Well, I am trying to find ways to cut back on the energy usage and not sure I am going to succeed. I am terrified of the next bill that will be coming.
We only have one heat vent for the house. The bedrooms and bathrooms are heated with electric baseboard heaters for now. Hopefully that will change after the season is completed. I turn the heaters off during the day because we spend most of our time out of these rooms and hardly ever turn the bathroom heaters on. At night the heaters are never above low or medium low heat.
The problem is that our new dryer is electric. It wasn't my choice, the set was given to us and that's what we got. I am trying to use the dryer as little as possible and still afraid the bill will shoot up. Right now the budget is at $97.00 a month, but the actual usage last month was at $167.00. Talk about being scared.
Also, even though we aren't heating the whole house with gas yet and with the mild part of the winter the bill was about equal to our highest usage last year before we opened up this part of the house. We are doing the work ourselves.
I just don't know what else to do. I keep the heat set between 66 and 68 most of the time. Anyone have any other ideas. We added lots of insulation, with only a little more to add. I turn off most things during the day. Even roll up the shades for radiant heating. I can't close off the upstairs because it's a loft, although I would if I could.
Not looking forward to the next bills. I wish it would warm up again....:-(

My Mom ( a country gal if there ever was one) used to shut off all the vents except on in her Bedroom- She would hang quilts over the door and window and place sock/draft kitty stuffed thingy under the door crack on the windowsill. We would load up with tray of PB/J and crackers and teapot and hang out and watch movies during those long winter nights. Mind you we were young at that time, but it was cozy and warm. I asked my mom later and she tells us at the time, Dad was out of work and the freezer was broken and we had one electric heater. She used the smallest room and stuffed it with kids. I know your situation is diff, but at night when everyone is in are you trying to heat 2/3 rooms and living room? Maybe if you could do a movie night and warm up a small room. You could get those bedroom heaters off for a period of time. . PLUS that heat (electric baseboard) basically just drifts up,.. Maybe you could see if someone in your family has an electric blanket???If not another trick-ohmigod..you guys am going to think I am nuts but hey I ve seen it done. (by old roomate dad-depression era thinking) He took a box of salt and heated it in a pan and wrapped it in a towel- I assumed a couple of them tied tightly? and then put the towel at the bottom of the bed. No heat whatsover- just warmed the bed and slept in thermals. and quilts. Next morning untyed the towel and dumped salt in bucket for reuse. Anyway..I would look that one up if I were you.LOL This same person tells me that in depression era- the kids (10 of them) would sleep in a room and would sometimes wake up with snowfall on the blankets. (holes in roof- unable to afford repairs. Me I was shocked that it didn't melt!!! by the time they awoke. Must have been coooolllddd..
Anyway hope this helps..
Leah

**suzysaver** · 02-06-2007, 11:19 AM

We don't heat our upstairs at all. At night we sleep with an electric blanket, it is a bit hard getting up in the morning and the bathroom upstairs is like an outhouse...but lets just say you get a running start to the day and we are awake and dressed in a flash. I hang clothes on a line in our spare room with a little fan blowing, I only quick tumble for about 5 minutes to remove the wrinkles (not running the dryer was our biggest decrease on the bill).

**kabin63** · 02-06-2007, 11:27 AM

Thanks everybody. Wow, the salt in the pan is something I have never heard of. Actually I have been able to find a way to keep the heat from running constantly. I don't have it turned down too low. Acutally, our cold water started to freeze the other morning in the kitchen, but we got it taken care of in a hurry and it hasn't frozen since then. Only today before we start the upward temp climb.

**frugalfriend** · 02-06-2007, 12:56 PM

One way to keep warm and save $ is to turn the heater way down and if just watching t.v. or a movie, or sitting and working on a project, use an electric throw to wrap up in! Warm and snuggly!