Q: It’s not even winter yet, and already I’m worried about how I’m going to heat my house with the lock-in price for oil at more than $4 a gallon. And now it looks like fuel assistance will be cut short. What can I do now to prepare for winter?
A: There are several things you can start preparing right now that will help you make it through another heating season. You’re going to need to combine conservation with heating efficiency improvements.
- Get a home energy audit and see what you can do to heat your house more efficiently. Call your oil company and see if they provide energy audits or can direct you to someone who does. Call your town to see if local civic groups are sponsoring audits or providing weatherization services. Check the LIHEAP (low income heating assistant program) weatherization site for area help.
- Tighten up your house. Shut off rooms you’re not using, caulk cracks in window frames, check your doors, make sure fan openings are covered (use removeable flaps on the bathroom fan). Keep your dryer door shut. There are easy interior stretch plastic window coverings that add a protective layer but still let the light in. Hang a thick comforter at the foot of the stairs to prevent warm air from rising if you spend most of your daytime hours down stairs. Check 211 Maine for help in weatherizing your home. Make it a personal challenge to create the most efficient home you can manage. You may find that some home energy modifications qualify for PACE low-interest financing if you live in one of these towns.
- Wear layers, get a soft and comfy indoor hat, and keep the thermometer at 65. Try “silk” underwear as an easy, warm layer. Use laprobes and shoulder covers, but take care not to tangle or trip on coverings.
- Ask ahead and find out which churchs, civic groups and town offices in your area might possibly have fuel assistance available. See if you qualify for LIHEAP. Most of all, don’t get in the situation where you’re running out of fuel and require immediate emergency assistance, because many oil companies charge a hefty fee, $100 or more, to deliver oil at night or on weekends. Learn how to monitor your fuel supply and make sure you’re asking for help, if you need to, in a timely fashion. If you’re going to need to ask anyway, don’t do it at midnight on a Friday.
In the “olden days” people often moved all their activity into one room and heated only the space they were in. If you can tighten up your living space and heat a smaller part of it more efficiently, you may find this winter more stress-free.