Save money and remain cozy throughout winter by acting now before the bitter cold arrives. Build a DIY iPad Stand and Enjoy Movies in Bed Tim Burton-Inspired Gingerbread House Will Get You Psyched for Halloween How to Build a Dog Feeding Station Clever DIY Toilet Sink Makes Your Flush Do Double Duty Magic Wine Rack Appears to Defy Gravity Why Is The Drywall in My Garage Cracking? These Ingenious Window Inserts Will Slash Your Heating Bill 7 Tips for Assembling IKEA Furniture17 Things That You Should Do for Your Home Every Winter With frosty temps, ice, and snow, our homes stand to take a beating around this time of year. To help keep your house safe and cozy, we’ve rounded up a checklist of care necessities and decorative swaps that will take a little of the chill out of winter. Call your gas & electric provider to schedule a winterizing check— have your furnace checked, and air ducts and vents cleaned, cleared, and opened. This will not only increase efficiency, but to cut down on dust-related allergies.

If it has been several years since you had your fireplace chimney cleaned, you should have it done by a professional chimney sweep service. Otherwise, ensure that the chimney is clear of debris and that it’s drawing up fire and smoke properly. Check your flue’s damper operation. Make sure it opens and closes fully, and that it can be locked in the open and closed position. Put together a cold-weather emergency kit consisting of flashlights, candles, batteries, blankets, bottled water, and nonperishable foods. Tend to dead trees or overhanging branches. Freezing temps could make them a real threat. If you have a window air conditioning unit in your home, either remove it for the season, or purchase an air conditioning cover so that air does not enter or escape. Make sure patio furniture is covered. If youre still using a light weight comforter, we suggest you give into the temptation of cloudlike down, instead. Hang curtains in a darker color and heavier fabric than you might in summer/spring months.

They'll act as decorative insulation! Reverse your ceiling fans to help circulate warm air that gathers near the ceiling. When the fan blades rotate clockwise, they push the warm air down to “reheat” the lower areas. Mount (or change the batteries in) smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Heating appliances may emit (odorless) carbon monoxide and other harmful fumes. Hardwood and tile floors can get mighty chilly and cause you to overdo it pumping the heat. Lay out a seasonal area rug and you’ll warm the space right up. Do a roof check: Have loose shingles replaced or repaired as heat can be lost this way. Make sure gutters and downspouts are clean. Wet leaves add significant weight and volume to the gutter when frozen and increase the risk of damage. If you have exposed water or drain piping in chilly spaces such as crawlspace, an attic, etc., make sure to insulate them with foam insulation at a minimum. Did we miss anything? Share your best advice for winterizing your home below!

Sign up for our newsletter and receive exclusive stories, breaking news, sale alerts and much more straight to your inbox! Recently I listened to a podcast from an Air Conditioning expert, which I didn't even know existed . It got my brain going about how to stay cool without using an air conditioner. I have been trying some of his tips, plus some of my own ideas, and thought I'd share them here. The results have been very successful, and at my house we now run our air conditioner for only brief periods of time throughout the day while the other tenants in our unit blast theirs almost nonstop.12 volt portable air conditioner for trucks The most interesting thing I discovered is just how arbitrary the standard 72 degrees F is. ac unit vertical windowI am convinced that this temperature is based on wearing a business suit, which people almost never wear in their own homes in the summer. ac power supply function generator

The truth is that there is no ideal temperature. These ways to stay cool fit into three categories: Lowering the temperature of your house, lowering your body temperature, and changing your perception so that the heat doesn't bother you so much. Not all of these steps are practical for everyone, but if you can find one or two that you can turn into habit, it can make a difference in comfort and/or in energy consumption. In addition, I have listed some bonus "green" benefits on each step where they apply.Step 1: Get naked! Published on July 14th, 2015 | Creating a maintenance plan for any window A/C unit is an important first step in optimizing your comfort, while making sure each appliance is functioning with the best energy efficiency possible. Window air conditioners work like central air conditioners, except they are smaller and usually more expensive to operate. Depending on the size of a unit, a window A/C unit may cool one room or multiple rooms. Remember, you want to stay cool in the heat of the day, but you want any cooling unit you use to be a miser about the electricity it demands.

Located between the coils are a compressor, two fans, a motor, and thermostat controls. Dirt is the biggest problem for window air conditioners; it can lower the efficiency of the evaporator coil, block the operation of the fan that blows out the cool air, clog filters, and block drain ports. This video from MrJustDIY will prove to be very helpful.You can make minor repairs and regular maintenance will keep your unit running well. When extensive repairs are needed, you can also save the cost of a service call by removing the air conditioner from its mounting and taking it to the technician’s shop. When all is said and done, enjoy keeping a “cool head” about yourself! Images via LG, How Stuff Works, MrJustDIYFaribault apparently has had it with ugly window air conditioning units. The Faribault Daily News reports the City Council yesterday took aim again at AC units installed in apartments in the city’s downtown. In 2014, it declined to ban them. This time, the heat is on.

The city staff is giving the Council the option of banning air conditioners. In the discussion, Councilor Steve Underdahl explained the complexity of putting restrictions on these units. “We have a situation where we have tenants living in units in downtown,” he began. “A window AC goes for $200 to $300. It’s an affordable way to do it. If we ban those and fans in the window, we are putting them in a predicament.” He also said that if they make these AC units the landlord’s responsibility, the cost of internal cooling or HVAC systems range from $6,000 to $8,000, according to Underdahl’s estimates. Councilor Kay Duchene recalled that this issue was first addressed by the council in 2014 because of the ways the systems were installed, sometimes being propped up by pillows or other household items. Councilor Joan Van Dyke echoed her concerns over the safety of the units. Councilor Janna Viscomi explained that proper installation should be a focus of the policy as well. In addition, Viscomi voiced concerns about the time needed to implement policies regarding AC units, saying, “We have to allow some time to accomplish that.”