What are some ways I can heat and cool my home cheaply and using less electricity?

Question

I am not asking about how to stay warm or cool during the summer and winter months. I am wondering how I can heat and cool my home during the winter and summer months while using less electricity and reducing my energy costs.

See, we don't have a fire place in our house, but I was thinking of getting a "portable" fireplace for our room. Or maybe we could turn off the heat entirely and put on space heaters in the room. Consumer's Report has some recommendations on good space heaters that are energy efficient.

But how can we go about keeping our house more cool during the summer without using our central A/C? How can we keep the house warmer in the winter?

Suggestions, please.

Answer 1

ok get the portable fire place and subscribe to every single new paper advertisement available.

burning those alone will heat your house everyday.

Answer 2

plastic on the windows

Answer 3

for winter, you could use a space heater and just move it wherever you want. they're pretty cheap, like 50 bucks i think.

for the summer, just turn on any fans you have. i dont even have AC at my house and it's fine with the fans. and it gets up to like 85 around here.

oh, and also, you could invest in new windows. i guess you lose a lot of heat through them and if they're not good already, you should get new ones and save a ton on your electricity bill.

Answer 4

Have you given any thought to having your own power source - ie: taking yourself partially off the grid?

There are solar panels can be used to heat your household water, which will save on electricity.  You can also, while I'm thinking about hot water, replace your water heater completely with a tankless system that runs on gas.  It will only fire and heat water when the taps are turned on full.  Otherwise, there is fuel or power wasted heating water won't be used for hours or days.

You also have the option of getting a residential wind turbine to create your own energy, and store in battery packs in the basement or garage of your home.  Depending on the set up, you can have enough power stored to run major appliances and keep the furnace running if the power is out...so your day to day needs would certainly not be an issue.

Should you want to do a little light reading, I have a few links here that might prove helpful.

:)  Boogins

http://www.skystreamenergy.com/skystream...

http://www.freeenergy.ca/news/121/ARTICL...

http://www.awea.org/faq/rsdntqa.html

Answer 5

get naked and wrap up in a wet sheet.

Answer 6

Believe it or not I've tried it your way and it didn't save anything and them space heaters are dangerous.The cheapest way to go is your central h/a unit keep your setting on78 and you should never need to move it just switch it over in the winter.after we did this for a year we saved over a$1,000. last year.

Answer 7

Put some plants in your home during summer or open all the windows and window curtains of your  home. Use a thick curtains for your window.

Answer 8

Burn a couple a logs in your house.

-Robot #1

Answer 9

do have the space for a pellet stove?  The initial start up cost is a bit but your heating bill will be extremely small!!  Look into that option.

oh and to keep the place cool without ac...during the day...close the shades...that will prevent the heat of the sun getting in.  Plastic over the windows works both ways to help keep heat in during the winter and heat out during the summer.

Answer 10

it takes the same energy to heat a home whether it is from electric space heaters or a gas heater.  what you need is better insulation which reduces the heat loss in winter and cool loss in summer.  

do not use fans.  fans just push air around a room and actually heat the room up because they consume electricity.

Answer 11

Try looking into heat pumps, they heat in the winter and air condition in the summer.. they are really energy efficient.