My buddies over at the Compact Yahoo Group have put together a No Heat Challenge. This challenge is simple — see how long you can go without firing up the ol’ furnace.
I like this challenge as it not only saves money, but is also about minimizing energy usage. A win-win situation in my book, (library of course!)
My husband installed a programmable thermostat and we partake of it greatly. We’re able to keep set the heat at 57° fahrenheit at night and then go crazy to bake the house up to a balmy 63° during the day. This may sound extreme, but it felt just fine. We all have thick flannel duvets, and there’s no reason to expect to be able to wear the same wardrobe in winter as we do in summer.
Cold during the day? Throw on a sweater. Cold at night? Add another blanket. Open up those curtains to let in the light, put on a pair of warm socks. It is not necessary to heat an entire house in order to warm the human body.
My goal is to go until November 1st until revving up the furnace. How long can you go before heating your house?
Put your name in the comments section below to add yourself to the No Heat Challenge. And make sure to include where you live.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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Hiya, we lived in a house that is always been above 91 degree’s for 30 years we live in england, my family passed away 13th dec last year, i no longer work so to cut down on price we turned the boiler, heating off completely.
it’s been 11 months now since we have had no heating at all, the house sits at 18c a day, and sometimes drops to 16c on the night time, no doubt when dec hits we’ll be in a real bad way but the cost of gas these days and electric it’s just stupid.
how we survive me and the wife
1. when it’s freezing in the house go out bike riding for a hour with thin clothes on, it gets bitter cold, then come back to the house it feels like you’ve just stepped into the bahama’s
2. drink lots of hot coco or get a few hotwater bottles and just keep hold of them while sitting down watching tv,
3. get a nintendo wii with work out games
gets really hot after a jumping about everywhere.
Knitting socks is an fun challenge because of all the shaping and you can do interesting things with the patterns, but knitting is not economic. Store bought knit goods are almost always cheaper, even before you assign a cost to your labor.
I knit anyway.
Is your fireplace dolled up to be efficient? Standard fireplaces, with just a grate and chimney, usually are net negative heat generators.
As far as ‘learn to knit’ videos, try knittinghelp.com. the woman who created (or runs) the site has loads of videos that are close up and really help with just about every type of stitch. I refer to it when I need refreshers in certain things. I’m a fairly new knitter, but an old crocheter so I plan on making some crocheted pichous first. (pichou is french for slipper)
I have a traditional style cape cod home. meaning, it is a center chimney cape so when we run the fireplace, we actually can feel it through most of the house. Also, we use compressed logs with regular logs (they are pellets that are in a log form instead of pellets) and each log burns for over an hour and throws off a lot of heat.
Yeah, knitting isn’t the cheapest way to go overall, but then you got to compare apples to apples. After all, you’re not just getting knit socks, you’re getting *custom* knit socks which — assuming you can knit pretty well — are probably better suited to your needs and tastes than the socks you’d buy down at Walmart. And it is a productive hobby. You can play video games for fun but all you get afterwards is a thumb ache.
I actually don’t knit yet but I’m hoping to learn. Anyone have any good suggestions for how to start? I’ve had several people say they’d teach me to knit (and sew, and crochet, etc. etc. etc.) but no one ever seems to have time these days.
Meg, try to find the videos by Elizabeth Zimmermann. Fair warning: they’re hard to find so if you want them you may have to buy them new from Schoolhouse Press, the company that she and her daughter created. Her tone is extraordinarily down to earth, her technique impeccable. Her books are very good and a nice read, but it’s practically impossible to learn from a book.
Your first knitting should be with light colored yarn so you can see what you’ve done. It should be wool because it’s forgiving of mistakes and irregularities.
Have fun! Knitting is a great thing to do with your hands.
I agree with William. I am a sock knitter and it’s not economical at all but I love my hand knit socks and the project keeps me busy for a long time. Nothing feels like hand knit socks.
Thanks, William, for the tips! I really appreciate it!
I am a diehard sock knitter. It’s not economical, although I am able to make mine a sustainable hobby by selling some of what I make (click on my name). The pleasure and serenity I get from this hobby outweighs the cost. My family all wears hand-knit wool socks to bed in cool weather.
Our goal is usually not to turn on the heat until the end of October. We have a pellet stove and just use the boiler for hot water.
Here in downstate New York it’s been down to the high 40s at night, but it’s still reaching 60 most days. Quite comfortable.
Elizabeth do a bit a of research on electric blankets. I told told one of my metaphysical friends that I was getting an electric mattress pad for the winter and she freaked. She made me promise not to use one as it does a bunch of bad stuff to the body.
One of the things that scared me: http://www.communicationagents.com/chris/2007/04/26/cancer_fear_over_electric_blanket.htm
So I am back to plenty of blankets and a hot water bottle.
I wish the authors of articles like that would be a little clearer about their sources but I found it here: http://journals.lww.com/eurjcancerprev/Abstract/2007/06000/Use_of_electric_blankets_and_association_with.11.aspx
However, here is another study that you can read in full showing there to NOT be a statistically significant link: http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/156/3/262 I wish I could read the other paper without paying, but this study did seem well done, imho.
Until I hear better evidence that it’s dangerous, I’m not worried. The overall incidence is pretty low, either way, despite the widespread use of electric blankets and mattress pads. Furthermore, even if there is an association, we’d still have to figure out what that association meant. Remember: correlation does NOT imply causation. And, even if they caused it, we don’t know if it’s from the electricity or from the heat. As far as we know, the heat from hot water bottles could be just as bad.
Also, keep in mind that “metaphysical” does not mean scientific and the study of metaphysics is quite different than the study of physics. It’s much more philosophical. That’s not to say that metaphysicists are always wrong, but they are just not even on the list of all those I’d go to get answers on this sort of thing.
Nothing wrong with blankets and a hot water bottle. Based on this site, nothing wrong with electric blankets, either. I assessed the site using the following questions:
- What is the site author’s academic or professional background? Is he formally educated in the field?
- What information does the site’s author offer about himself at all?
- Does the site author cite the study he refers to?
- Does the site author link to the study he refers to?
- Are the risks presented in detail or in general terms? Are they provided in context or in a vacuum?
- Does the site author use proper statistical language?
This site fails on almost all these counts. There may be a risk from electric blankets but this site does not provide enough detail – or even the cited studies – to tell.
The site does say that readers should consult their medical professionals before any specific use of products referenced therein. Did you follow this advice?
When I say metaphysical that is my slang for my friends that homeopathic, holistic and all that jazz.
I tend to listen to this one as she is freakishly healthy and I have an excess of comforters
Somewhat different areas of study, but still not what you’d call a “scientist”. Just because someone is healthy doesn’t mean they really know much about electricity. I’m sure she’s a nice person and all, but I wouldn’t count her as anything close to an expert on the subject and would take that sort of thing with a big grain of salt.
Sierra,
Keep in mind that I live in Oregon, which doesn’t usually get too, too cold.
The only time we let the temperature dip below 63 degrees is when the kids are at school or when we’re snuggled under our thick flannel down comforters.
I have no qualms about keeping the furnace at 57 degrees when I’m alone, I just throw on a hat.
My house is big and uninsulated. I am at a point of no more home improvement until we pay off the debt from the last round. So . . . until then, I’ll bundle up.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
The Non-Consumer Advocate
P.S. We do crank the heat when guests are over, but that is sadly infrequent.
Well, it looks like the laws have changed. According to http://www.mass.gov:
“The landlord must pay for the fuel to provide heat and hot water and electricity unless the written rental agreement states that the tenant must pay for these. The heating season runs from September 16 through June 14th, during which every room must be heated to between 68˚F and not more than 78˚F between 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and at least 64˚F at all other hours.”
I think each state has different rules. Just thought it was interesting…
Hee hee. I would have a rebellion on my hands if I tried to go all the way to Christmas with no heat.
I wonder if I would be thrown out in the snow with my thick socks and sweaters and told that I could now fulfill the challenge
Even our Great Dane sleeps by the floor heaters when it is really cold..lol
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