Brrrrr. Stay Warm, Save Energy, Spend No Money. Idea #1.

October 20, 2009

Daisy loves our vintage fireplace

I turned on the fireplace this weekend. Yes, turned it on. It’s gas, vintage 1970′s. It’s so much fun, so cozy and oh, SO inefficient. However, I depend on it for heating one whole end of my house. And, it does warm things up eventually, but at what cost? I couldn’t even venture a guess, but I know when I open that flue, natural gas is being sucked right out the top of my house like Dorothy was sucked out of Kansas.

Winter Goals: Be Warm. Be Green. Do It Cheaply.
This is the first in a series I’ll be doing on small ways to heat up the house more efficiently. First of all, besides the fact that I depend on a 1970′s fireplace, you must understand that I am probably the coldest-natured person on earth. I should live in Florida, but I would miss the change of seasons too much to actually move there. And… not only is my fireplace from the 1970′s, my house was built in the 1960′s! That means single-paned windows, drafty doors and poor insulation. God, I do love my house though. This will be my 3rd winter in this house. This year, I’ve decided to stay warm, and this year, also, I’m on a very tight budget.

I am investigating alternative heating methods for the back end of my house. But, while I was mulling over heaters on the internet, the Alabama weather unexpectedly dropped to freezing in a single night! That sent me scuttling for some short-term, preventative solutions.

Idea #1. Insulating Film.
Sunday I was off to Lowes in search of an insulating film for my windows and doors. I’d  read about a clear window film you can apply to decrease the energy loss through your glass. I decided to swing past the space heater aisle, where I discovered that virtually every single space heater had been snatched from the shelves. OK, onward to the film.

I found the film stowed away in bins along with the weather stripping. Unlike the heater aisle, which was practically barren, the insulating film had NOT been picked over. I purchased a box that said it would cover a single interior patio door. Only about $8.00, I figure if this stuff works, it’ll be a bargain! When I got back home, I opened up the box and this is what I had: a roll of double-sided tape, and a sheet of clear plastic. Don’t you love marketing? But, wait, there’s more…

To apply this highly efficient piece of advanced technology, you simply put double-sided tape all the way around the door molding. Then, stick that plastic up there, as smooth as you can. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Then, the fun part. Get your hairdryer and apply heat about 1 inch away from the plastic. The plastic will start to shrink and stretch tight across your window or door. So cool. When you are finished, the plastic will look practically smooth and clear. Light still comes through the door, though hopefully, the cold does not.

When I stood back to look at my handiwork, my patio doors reminded me of old southern homes I’ve been in before. Usually, a place where some one’s grandparents lived. And, they would have their porch or windows all stapled over with milky-looking, plastic sheeting to keep out the cold. I realize this look will probably never make it into Dwell, but somehow, I found it familiar and weirdly comforting. And, I must say, MY plastic is pretty darn clear!

I think it’s worth going back to get another sheet of plastic to put over the other door, and see if it really helps to insulate my house. I’m telling you folks, it can get cold in here and new windows are not in the budget for this year! The packaging claims that the product reduces cold air drafts, and improves R-value up to 90%. We’ll see.

Got an idea for staying warm on the cheap, easy and green? Love to hear’ em!

Filed under: Eco Around the House,Saving Energy,Uncategorized

Tags: eco-friendly, electricity, energy conservation, save money