By Erasmus Baxter
Turn your heat on!
It might seem cheaper to try and get by without turning your heat up this winter. That is until water in your pipes freeze and explode your pipes. Now you don’t have running water to your shower, but you have it all over your floor. Water damage is expensive and will definitely make it a lot harder to renew your lease next time around. Most leases mandate that you run your heat at least 60 degrees during the winter. Do it!
Insulate windows
One way to keep that heating bill low is to make sure your warm air isn’t being immediately leached into the great, freezing outdoors. Try putting some heavy curtains over your windows. If you live in a house with single pane windows, you can buy plastic sheeting that you can attach to the inside of your windows to insulate them. Worst case scenario hang a blanket over them. Don’t let lack of insulation cause you window pain!
Prepare outdoor faucets
This only applies if you have a house with outdoor faucets, but can be important. You don’t want any exterior pipes bursting and driving your water bill up either. If you can, turn off your exterior faucets water supply and drain the line after detaching any hose or other attachment. Then insulate the faucet. This can be as easy as buying an insulating cover at the hardware store, or just duct taping some rags over it. You live in Bellingham, you don’t need to water your plants.
Eliminate drafts
With how old a lot of houses in Bellingham are, you’re sure to get some drafts from ghosts and architectural failures. While exorcisms might cure spooky drafts, you need something more mundane for regular drafts. Try to find the source of drafts and cover them if possible. Otherwise consider covering doorways and other entrances with blankets to trap in heat.
Move somewhere warmer
Did you know the temperature in Miami is in the low eighties right now? Just saying…