Thursday, March 5, 2015

How To Survive The Polar Vortex


The winter season is upon us, and it's as bad as it ever was. The recent debate over drastic (or catastrophic) climate change has led to endless bickering in Congress, but one thing simply cannot be denied: Whatever the reason, these past few winters have been nasty. And one of the greatest casualties in this recent climactic tail spin has been the average American utility bill. 


Winter, Be Ready


Were you aware that 50 percent of all spending on utilities goes directly toward heating or cooling your home? And here's another handy statistic that's sure to brighten your day: During last year's winter season, 90 percent of homes in America were predicted to receive higher utility bills than ever. And that prediction came true. Now, we're facing an even uglier, longer, colder, and more expensive winter. What can be done to stave off the impending financial disaster? 


Saving Energy Means Saving Money, But How Can It Be Done?


Luckily, the news isn't all bad, There are some steps that you can take to "winter proof" your home and reduce the amount of money you spend on your utility bill. For example, if your gutters are clogged up with debris, now is an excellent time to get them cleaned up. Doing so will get all of that excess water out before winter causes it to freeze up solid. A frozen or bursting gutter is a serious hazard in winter time.

Another important thing to consider is the amount of cold air that creeps in through your front and back doors. If you're someone who needs to go in and out a lot of times during the day, you'll soon notice that your heater is working overtime to warm up all that cold air that's coming in when you open the door. Use a door snake, or maybe a rolled up towel, to seal up any cracks in your doors that might be letting all of that cold air in.


It's An Excellent Idea To Call On Professional Advice


Even if you're completely unskilled when it comes to making home improvements, there is still a way you can prepare for the upcoming winter season. You can call on expert advice and assistance in order to "winter proof" your home. For more handy tips on how to survive the winter freeze, feel free to contact Columbia Utilities.  

24 Smart Readers SAID::

MikiHope said...

Global change certainly has arrived--let the politicians and scientists argue--we all KNOW what is happening!! I live in an apartment so can not regulate the heat or winter proof my apartment too much. If you own a home there is lot you can do-but I agree-you really should get a professional in to help you out!

Lynndee said...

This winter has been brutally cold - the coldest winter that I've experienced. Thank you for the tips. Good to know these things.

Jennifer said...

This winter... ugh! These past few winters have been some of the worst in my memory. Gahhh! Make it stop!

Unknown said...

I do think this winter has not been as bad as last years...and low and behold, it's almost over!! ;-)

jheylo said...

I feel sorry for those people i know who go through this kind of bitterly cold winter. Fortunately, we live in a state where we don't have to suffer as much as you guys do. It is obvious that you guys have to make sure that your heater is working good and that consumes a lot of electricity which means huge bills. Gladly, there are ways on how to conserve power that helped many to save money.

Unknown said...

I can't imagine places that are colder than where I am. There has been so much snow over the years. Im just glad its almost Spring. I heard birds chirping the other day!

My old apartment cold air would come from the cracks in the baseboards..it was an old house. I used some caulking and it did a good job.

Peachy @ The Peach Kitchen said...

I want to experience winter and snow but seeing how it can be bothersome in some areas makes me glad it doesn't snow here.

StylishGeek said...

Oh goodness! Winter sure came in late for you. I have heard the worst winter experienced last year and I hope that is not the case this year. :)

Mama to 5 said...

Can you tell I am from Florida? I have never heard of a polar vortex before! LOL

Echo aka The Mad Mommy said...

We seal our windows every year with plastic in order to save on heating costs and it really does help. We used to have a door snake, but our dog chewed it up, LOL!

krystal said...

I have never seen snow before so I didn't know what this was! ;) I can't wait for spring to reach the entire country :)

Terri Ramsey Beavers said...

I can tell that my electric bill has gone up like it did over the hottest part of summer. Thanks so much for sharing your tips and info.

Jenny @cookeatgo said...

I am so thankful we have had a mild winter the past two years!! I hope you get a break from the weather soon!

Sophie's Plus Size Wonderland said...

The weather in London has been cold and we have had to have the heating on constantly, when leaving a room I make sure to shut the door. Luckily it's starting to get a bit sunnier.

Carolann said...

It's so important to winterize your home effectively. It's important in the summer as well for your AC. I have gas heat and that can be costly too.

Anonymous said...

Pretty sure the best way to survive the Polar Vortex is to move somewhere warm ;)
If only, if only...

Unknown said...

Oh, we're used to that kind of thing here :/ Mind you, February was one of our coldest months on record...oddly enough, my utility bill (compared to last year at this time) was down. No idea why.
I can't even believe that climate change is a debate in the US- it seems so crazy to me :P

Rebecca Swenor said...

Great post indeed. It is important to winterize your home where we live. Here we usually have about 5 months of winter. It literally snowed in July one year. I need to do something with the cold coming in from around my door. Normally I put a sheet in front of my front door to keep the cold air out. Thanks for sharing.

James, Davis, and Associates Test said...

It has been extremely cold and snowy where I live so energy saving ideas are priceless.

mail4rosey said...

Winter proofing the home is a great tip and def. a necessity for saving. Our winter here in Michigan wasn't as bad as last year's, I'm happy to say. :)

Unknown said...

I just can't deal with winter. I hate the cold and the bills aren't a fairytale also. Thanks for sharing!

Bonnie G said...

This Winter has been so bad here, it's one of the worst. I cannot believe how much money we have put into heating our home this year. We are definitely looking into better weatherization next year.

Yona Williams said...

It's crazy how some places that don't get snow often, are experiencing it now! We've been using a rolled up towel to prevent cold air from coming through our front door. I live in an apartment and the door has this inconvenient gap at the bottom.

Unknown said...

This winter was the worst for us. We live in a very old home that is not properly insulated. Which means lot of cold air gets in.

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