Comment by docschol
November 22, 2009 @ 9:33 pm

The first (and most cost-effective) way is to do a top-to-bottom evaluation of your home insulation.
Air drafts:
Look for drafts along widows, doors, outlets.
Use smoke (either with a cigarette or a blown-out match) along those areas to see if wind is blowing in.
Every little crack and crevasse that you fill with insulation or caulk, every window that can be double-paned, every crack around electrical outlets that can be filled in, every door that can be skirted will help keep the heat in.
Roof:
Make sure you have the highest rated “R” factor of insulation in your attic. Also make sure you have proper venting in your roof.
Floor:
If you have a crawl space, place covers over the vents.
Do a temperature check in each room and determine which is cooler, which is hotter.
Then consider which rooms you can close off the heat vents and shut the doors during the night.
Now – I do not know what the gas versus electric ratio is in your city, but here in Oklahoma, it is less expensive to heat with gas.
However, I have used some of these oil-filled electric radiators and I must say that they are very efficient and work very well.
Lastly, check with your utility company – they might offer free evaluations to help you improve your energy efficiency.
Too bad we’ can’t have some of that cold air right now!
We’re burning up here in hell…um, Oklahoma!

Comment by andrey_v
November 23, 2009 @ 6:11 am

Set it on fire.

Comment by prospect
November 23, 2009 @ 5:05 pm

my sugestion would be to install a fire place insert with blower they prevent heat from going up chimney as you already have fireplace buck stoves make a very good insert. Second if you are capable of cutting your own firewood then is is very low cost to heat just a few gallon of gas to run saw and a small amount of electricity to run blower.