And put in the air condidtioners. It's supposed to be so hot over the next few days and the house just doesn't cool down if it stays warm at night. As long as we don't run all four of them continously the bill won't be horrendous, but still, I am dreaming of central air someday. Not looking forward to winter at all this year though. From what they said about natural gas prices going through the roof this witer I can't even imagine what our heating bill will be like. Think I am going to invest in a couple of energy efficient space heaters.

I have been told that pellet stoves put out a lot of heat. They do not work when the electricity is off, though. My heating repair guy says that they are pretty decent.

I have 2 heat pumps plus I am handicapped. I need dependable heat. Electricity is not always dependable where I live in Virginia. I own 6 warm down comforters. I go to bed under the covers when the lights go out here. My heat pump downstairs did not work Christmas day.

Best of luck to you.

Virginia Needlewoman:

I have been told that pellet stoves put out a lot of heat.

Funny you should mention that. Our friends just gave us a corn/pellet stove that is only a 1 1/2 years old. My dh absolutely refuses to install any kind of wood burning, corn/pellet burning stove in our house. He intends to install it in the barn because he is worried about a house fire if he installed it in the house. Plus my friend had a horrible time with breathing when it was in her house. She has asthma. From that point of view I have to agree as my dd has asthma too.

I have been looking into buying new comforters for all of us for the winter. We don't have any right now and have been using thicker fleece blankets piled on the beds. I kept the heat down last winter and it was helpful, but I did get pretty cold sometimes. I guess I could get busy and crochet a few more blankets for the beds. Either way, I want to be able to keep warm without it costing an arm and a leg, as well as a few pints of blood this winter.

Mom got our down comforters whenever they went on sale. We had an ice storm in 1998. After then Mom started buying comforters.

The bad thing is that they have to be dry cleaned. They are delightfully warm, though. Remember.....I do not have a SO or a DH to curl up next to in bed.

Virginia Needlewoman:

The bad thing is that they have to be dry cleaned. They are delightfully warm, though. Remember.....I do not have a SO or a DH to curl up next to in bed.

I guess I will stick with the idea of crocheting a blanket. LOL

kabin:

My dh absolutely refuses to install any kind of wood burning, corn/pellet burning stove in our house. He intends to install it in the barn because he is worried about a house fire if he installed it in the house.

The handy man I hire has a wood furnace that he heats his house with it runs from outside of the house and has to be at least 300 ft from the structure. Since your dh is worried about fire maybe that's a thought exect someone would have to go out in the cold, snow, wind, rain or/and ice to fill every few hours. Where I live 300 ft in about 6 houses away so that's not an option for me we do have a fire place that we use for emergancies and if I'm trying to avoid turning on the furnace just a little longer. I do have flanel sheets, fleece blankets and comforters that help keep everyone warm in bed but the heat is only turned down a few hours a night. I turn it down when I go to bed @11 am and ds#1 turns it up when he gets up @ 5 am.

DH has medical problems that makes it hard for his body to cool down once it heats up so we tend to keep the house somewhat cool for his sake and he has a fan blowing on him all the time in the bedroom.  I love flannel sheets, but he can't use them.  And if I had any sewing ability at all, I would seriously consider hacking up a pair of regular sheets and a pair of flannel sheets so my side of the bed could be warm and his side could "regular."  We also double fold the comforter over me or, if that's too warm, there's just a lot of blanket hanging off my side of the bed.  I will keep the house cooler this winter than I have in the past, but I doubt I'll buy any space heaters.  I will buy DD some thick socks to wear around the house; she *never* complains of being cold but I'll touch her little feet and they'll be freezing!

I think it's wonderful that you made it this long without it!! I thought we were doing great when we didn't turn our A/C on until the 2nd week of June!! It's gonna be soooo hot here the next few days....and no rain in sight until maybe Saturday!!

sunshinetreva:

DH has medical problems that makes it hard for his body to cool down once it heats up so we tend to keep the house somewhat cool for his sake and he has a fan blowing on him all the time in the bedroom.  I love flannel sheets, but he can't use them.  And if I had any sewing ability at all, I would seriously consider hacking up a pair of regular sheets and a pair of flannel sheets so my side of the bed could be warm and his side could "regular."  We also double fold the comforter over me or, if that's too warm, there's just a lot of blanket hanging off my side of the bed.  I will keep the house cooler this winter than I have in the past, but I doubt I'll buy any space heaters.  I will buy DD some thick socks to wear around the house; she *never* complains of being cold but I'll touch her little feet and they'll be freezing!

If you're comfortable with the thought of an electric blanket they make them with two thermostats so one side can be cooler/warmer than the other.

I don't have AC - I spend a lot of time in the basement when it's like this; it hit 96 again today.

As far as winter blankets go - I crocheted one for myself out of two strands of regular weight acrylic yarn (the dog lays on it, and I wanted to be able to wash it) and a large hook - 1 blanket made that way is warmer than two made out of a single strand.