Easy Ways to Save Energy During the Chilly Autumn
I grew up in the Northwest but I think the years in Albuquerque made me more adapted to heat and less hardy in the cold. It gets cold in New Mexico but there you seem to remember the fire-induced heat more.
Now that it’s starting to get chilly here are some small steps you can take to stay cozy and still save energy.
- Close off unused space in your house. This includes shutting down heaters in unused rooms or closing the vents.
- If you have a fireplace keep the dampers closed. Remember to open them when you start a fire or yikes!
- Pull down shades at night and in unused rooms during the day. Real light is healthy for you so don’t block out all the light but there’s no need to have all the shades wide open. When you leave close them all as well.
- Dress warm. I have this annoying habit of wearing summer-like clothing all the time. That’s not so smart in the fall and winter. What I normally do is try to wear my dresses and wrap skirts over jeans — or for the more fashion savvy you could simply wear a sweater.
Co-sleep. Sort of unconventional for some American families. But it does work for most of the world. Cedar likes to sleep with me which I don’t mind because one, kids run hot so he’s always toasty warm and two, I can have the heat on on one room only at night. If you lack toasty hot children or they roll around too much for you try an organic wool comforter. They can be costly; but last forever and are warm to the max- Experiment. Setting your thermostat back even just 10 degrees will result in savings (more than 15%) and you may not need the extra heat.
- If you have separate air conditioning make sure that the AC system is covered during the cold months to avoid energy loss.
- Hang out as a family. Eat dinner in the warm kitchen. Play board games at night or watch some TV together. Tell stories. Everyone in one place is much warmer than spread out.
There are bigger steps (more time intensive or life changing) that you can take to save energy during the cold months. Eventually we’ll cover the biggies but for now give the steps above a try; it’s not so bad to start out small.
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Tags: blogtoberfest-post, chilly-house, co-sleeping, dress-warm, energy-saving, fireplace, heat-loss, keep-your-house-warm, thermostat, tree hugging family, win-a-prize, wool-blankets
14 opinions for Easy Ways to Save Energy During the Chilly Autumn
navi
Oct 10, 2007 at 10:50 am
We’ve got a wood burning stove in our basement. We hung out in the basement most of the summer because it was cold - cold enough that we had to use the stove on occasion. We’re thinking it may be a good idea to rearrange things so it’s practical to spend most of our time in the basement.
Linette
Oct 10, 2007 at 11:31 am
I’m not ready to think about winter yet! I know it’s coming, but the warm days lately have me in denial. We usually close off the heat in a couple rooms during the winter, and only heat them when we’re using them. We also turn the thermostat back at night, and when no one is home.
Peggy
Oct 10, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Cats are great co-sleepers. My cat only sleeps with us in the winter!
I wonder if the organic wool blanket would work for people allergic to wool. Most wool makes me itch and my eyes water.
Jennifer
Oct 10, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Peggy; this wool blanket is from Allergy Buyers so maybe — their stuff is better for people with allergies. Down feels nice but the whole down part bugs me. I agree about cats. I don’t love pets but I did used to have cats and they cuddle nicely.
Navi, is your basement dark though? It is a good idea to gather where it’s warm though.
Linette, I’m not ready for winter either; I LOVE fall. In WA it’s already so cold though. It’s starting to feel like winter.
Thanks everyone for stopping by :)
Lindley Alston
Oct 10, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I am dreading the winter as well- we had a terrible one out here in Colorado. It’s funny because our giant black lab becomes a co-sleeper when the weather cools down- it does make for a snuggly bed! We are also big fans of weatherstripping all our doors and windows!
Mysti
Oct 10, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Okay, so I have to admit the blond moment I had last winter…
Our heater was out and the quick thinking self decided to build a fire in the fireplace. I checked the damper and was positive it was open. A few moments later… I was a hacking blond, begging for the opportunity to open windows and doors.
That’ll teach me!
lace
Oct 10, 2007 at 6:22 pm
We used to close off a part of our house every winter. We moved our couch and tv into another room of the house. I used to love going into the unused room. It was cold and it echoed. I loved it.
Caryn
Oct 11, 2007 at 4:34 am
Living in So Cal winters are not harsh. We try to set our thermostat a little higher in the summer and a little lower in the winter to conserve energy. We also try to open windows rather than use the ac or bundle up a little rather than turn up the heat
Kate
Oct 11, 2007 at 6:10 am
Yeah, we co-sleep to conserve energy too.
homemom3
Oct 11, 2007 at 1:59 pm
I like the co-sleep thing, unfortuneatly we will be on the road during the winter so it looks like hotel rooms. But one thing I’d suggest is purchasing a bunch of blankets during the off seasons that way you’re stocked up when it comes winter time. This way you can keep the temperatures just about even and not over do it.
Gayla McCord
Oct 11, 2007 at 2:57 pm
I’ve been working on a Fall/Winter budget so these tips came at just the right time. I really do hate winter - suffer from seasonal depression and the whole nine yards. Thanks for the tip on saving. With a family of 6, every little bit helps.
Richelle F
Oct 12, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Thanks for some good ideas.
Jennifer
Oct 12, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Mysti… too funny. But not safe at all! Yikes. Lindley, weatherstripping is good too but a bit more intensive for an easy steps post. But a black lab is sure easy and likely super warm!
Kate… why am I not surprised that you co-sleep :)
Thanks everyone for stopping by and we’ll have a winner announced soon for the contest!
Angela
Oct 14, 2007 at 1:06 pm
In our partially finished two story home the heat definitely rises. This was a great post with great tips and some of them I had not even thought of before. I am going to have to try the whole light thing and maybe put away our summer clothes because like you, I have this habit of sporting them around the house instead of dressing warm. Shame on me!
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