Tag Archives: Heat

Staying Warm (and Why It’s Important!)

Winter “officially” starts on December 21st for the Northern Hemisphere… but it’s cold right now here in the Pacific Northwest. With the economy the way it is at the moment, it might be tempting to try to keep energy bills lower by keeping the house cooler than you might normally like it. Here are some tips to help you keep warm if you’ve got the thermostat set low. Number one: Check doors for drafts. If you can see daylight around your door, then the cold air can get in. Think about weather stripping or a draft stopper to help keep … Continue reading →

Free Heat 2

Do you know all of the places to find free heat? From taking advantage of normal household tasks to building your own free heat machines, there are many ways to grab some free heat when you need it. If you missed the first post on this topic, click here: Free Heat Our home is zoned into two zones for heat. Because of this, I usually keep the upstairs heat turned on only enough to keep the pipes from freezing during the day. It gets very cold up there. However, when I iron I am soon pretty warm, The ambient heat … Continue reading →

Sleeping in the Heat

I have a hard time falling asleep when it’s too hot in the room. I just can’t get comfortable! If you have the same problem, here are some tips to help you sleep easy in the heat. Heat rises. You might be cooler on a lower story than an upper one. Help prevent heat build-up inside. Use blinds to keep the sun out. Open windows at night if the temperature is cooler. Cool off with a shower before bed. Keep in mind that hot showers can increase the humidity, which can make the heat seem worse. Cool off with a … Continue reading →

Home Projects in the Heat

Warm weather doesn’t mean that you have to put an end to home improvement projects, but the heat can certainly affect anything you are doing yourself, from quality to safety. Here are some guidelines to working in the summer. While it may not be the most pleasant job in the heat, summer is the perfect time for resealing a driveway. In the Fall or spring you might have to contend with pollen or leaf debris, and the winter is too cold for this project. Painting can be iffy in the summer. Hight humidity will increase the time that your paint … Continue reading →

Kids who “Can’t Take the Heat”

I do not know what the weather is like where you live, but we are definitely experiencing the toasty warmth of summer where I live. Warm, humid days do give way to cool and comfortable nights, but during the day there is heat, sun and humidity to contend with. I am one of those people who absolutely loves the warm and you will seldom catch me complaining about it but I do have one of my three children who is physically intolerant of heat. He does not like it and he tends to get sick and needs to take special … Continue reading →

Clueless Nights (or, Clueless in Portland)

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I often joke that my dog Moose is the world’s dumbest German shepherd. The breed is known for being pretty smart, but Moose doesn’t seem to have gotten much in the brain department. (Though sometimes he surprises me!) I love him anyway… but last night, he was driving me insane. It’s been a week of increasing temperatures in the Portland, Oregon area, culminating in the 90s on Friday. The overnights have been somewhat cooler, but I’m the kind of person who likes it COLD in the bedroom. I’m happiest when I can burrow down under a big heap of blankets … Continue reading →

Hot Days (and Hot Dogs) Ahead

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The temperature yesterday was in the 70s in the Portland, Oregon area. By tomorrow, forecasts are calling for temperatures in the 90s! It looks to me like summer is coming… and coming fast. Dealing with the heat is somewhat easier for people than for pets. After all, we have thumbs for turning on the air conditioning… or the option of escaping to a cool, dark movie theater when the sun is too much. Some dogs do love the sun and heat, though. My brother’s American Staffordshire Terrier Lily Biscuits just loves sunshine. She’ll sprawl out on the warm concrete sidewalk … Continue reading →

10 Reasons I Hate Summer Exercise

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Summer time, summer time, sum-sum-summer time! It’s that time of the year again, granted – I’ve seen it be a 100 degrees in May, so this May it hasn’t been too bad. But the heat is coming and the heat is hot and it blisters and it is miserable weather. I know there are a lot of perks to summer, but I think I outgrew most of those when I turned 18 and didn’t get summer vacation anymore. Frankly, if I got 12 weeks off, I’d be happier about the hotter, brutal weather, but then I don’t. So for fun, … Continue reading →

9 Quick Tips to Conserve Heat

February is statistically the month with the highest heating bills of the year. Maybe that is why it is also the month of love–lots of snuggling under blankets. Hey, there is a quick tip to help conserve heat! For eight more, see below. Always lower the heat when you will be out of the house. There is no need to heat an empty house! Moist air retains heat. That is one of the reasons high humidity feels so uncomfortable in the summer. Invest some money in a humidifier, or simmer some water on the stove to add moisture to your … Continue reading →

Affordable Warmth

Those chilly evenings can tempt homeowners to turn up the thermostat just a skosh. Yet, the difference between just a few degrees can mean a much heftier heating bill. If you don’t have natural gas heat, refilling the propane tank sooner may be the result(which translates into a higher bill as well). Heating the entire home via electricity can also be expensive. There are some things you can do instead. Try adding an extra layer of warm clothing (hoodie, robe, slippers, etc). Grab a blanket or even an electric throw. There are also some nice options in blanket wraps. They … Continue reading →