If you're planning on installing or upgrading a central heating system, perhaps beautifying your home is the last thing on your mind. Practicing safety first when using your straightening iron can make it last longer and prevent accidents from happening. According to the National Fire Protection Association, half of all home-heating fires occur during the winter months. On average, NFPA research shows that heating equipment is involved in more than 62,550 reported U.S. home structure fires per year, with associated loss of more than 516 civilian deaths, more than 1,595 civilian injuries, and roughly $924 million in direct property damage per year.
While it might be a bit more work, my first reaction would be to go with the igloo/shelter and insulate it for the cats - especially since you are thinking about this WAY before winter gets here. Glad you enjoyed this Hub...and I'm thrilled you can take away some great tips and ideas for keeping your outdoor cats warmer this coming winter. Depending upon where (location) you are in the world, the garage may or may not be a warm enough spot in winter. Like a new HVAC system, it is probably not reasonable to replace your hot water heater for a new, more efficient one unless it is already needed; the cost is too high and the Rate Of Return (ROR) is too low. I can't emphasize this enough - I have had visitors keep the door open until the house got down to about 63 Home Heating Payment Plans degrees (wintertime), then raise the thermostat to 80 degrees and when the house did warm to what they had set, proceed to turn on the air conditioner in the dead Home Heating Payment Plans of winter! I also get a much more livable and enjoyable home environment with more consistent heating and air conditioning. Adding sweaters and blankets will allow you to stay warm while you're saving money - it's also a good excuse to snuggle with a loved one! Last, you can contact your heating system installer, or a competitor, to find out how you can upgrade your existing system, or learn about new systems that can be installed. If you don't want to bundle up during the day, you can still set the thermostat down to 65 degrees Fahrenheit at night. If you're worried about how you're going to afford the cost of home heating oil, then you most likely qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Also very good information on how to build winter shelters for cats, but also has great info on other alternatives for shelters, insulation, and what to do in extreme cold. She's still very much an outdoor cat and it gets cold down here too during the winter season, albeit not as cold as up north! I just wanted to share a really good, CHEAP shelter I learned about from an organization in Michigan that specializes in helping ferals. Secondly, just in case you are handy making things (or know someone who is)...here's a link to some outstanding winter shelters that are great in keeping cats warm, even in very cold temps & snowy winters. Check your oil tank, pipe work, valves, flanges and boiler regularly to make sure there are no leaks. Service your oil boiler each year and improve your overall energy efficiency by 10%. The benefits of an annual service include a longer life and the reduced likelihood of breakdown, added safety and maximum efficiency. If you are replacing your boiler, consider investing in a condenser boiler, they are significantly more energy efficient. This will cut reduce your electricity usage and water heating bills and reduce your carbon footprint in the process.
1 Comment
1/2/2016 11:57:16 pm
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