A generation or two ago, preparing for winter was something that everyone did toward the end of summer or early autumn depending on where you lived. Square bails of hay were often stacked around the foundation of outbuildings and even houses to keep winter’s frigid air from going up under off grade buildings.

Vast supplies of firewood was split and stacked into the infamous wood shed!
With the advent of central heating systems a lot less people take thought in preparing to keep warm in winter. Yet, today there are things that we can still do to keep the costs of heating our homes from escalating.

Here are a few ideas.

- Turn the thermostat a few degrees lower at night just before going to bed and when leaving the house for several hours.
- Clean or replace the filter on your furnace or heating system monthly.
- Sleep between flannel sheets and under a goose down comforter or an electric blanket.
- Use thicker area rugs on the floor.
- Install blinds or shades on your windows and pull down at sunset to keep the heat indoors. Wait until it is sunny during the day to put the blinds up. The natural sunshine will help warm your home during the daytime.
- Check the weatherstripping on your doors for leakage and replace if needed. To determine if weatherstipping on a door seals out air leaks, light a match or hold a lit candle and move slowly in front of where the doors and jamb meet. If the flame flickers, the outside air is entering the house and needs replacing.
- If space and lodging permit, consider installing a wood burning heater or an insert into your existing fireplace. Cut your own firewood. Or, ask a sawmill for their discards.
- In winter, always wear long sleeves indoors.
- Reverse the direction on ceiling fan blades and keep constantly on low speed to force the warm air down and circulating through the house.

Deborah S. Tukua, author of Pearls of Country Wisdom.

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