For what the typical family wastes every year on air leaks—about $350—you can plug energy-robbing gaps, start saving money, and enjoy a more comfortable home.

A typical family spends about a third of its annual heating and cooling budget—roughly $350—on air that leaks into or out of the house through unintended gaps and cracks. With the money you waste in just one year, you can plug many of those leaks yourself. It’s among the most cost-effective things you can do to conserve energy and increase comfort, according to Energy Star. Start in the attic, since that’s where you’ll find some of the biggest energy drains. Then tackle the basement, to prevent cold air that enters there from being sucked into upstairs rooms. Finally, seal leaks in the rest of the house. Here are eight places to start.

1. Insulate around recessed lights. Most recessed lights have vents that open into the attic, a direct route for heated or cooled air to escape. When you consider that many homes have 30 or 40 of these fixtures, it’s easy to see why researchers at the Pennsylvania Housing Research/Resource Center pinpointed them as a leading cause of household air leaks. Lights labeled ICAT, for “insulation contact and air tight,” are already sealed; look for the label next to the bulb. If you don’t see it, assume yours leaks. An airtight baffle ($8-$30 at the home center) is a quick fix. Remove the bulb, push the baffle up into the housing, then replace the bulb.

2. Plug open stud cavities. Most of your house probably has an inner skin of drywall or plaster between living space and unheated areas. But builders in the past often skipped this cover behind knee walls (partial-height walls where the roof angles down into the top floor), above dropped ceilings or soffits, and above angled ceilings over stairs.

Up in the attic, you may need to push insulation away to see if the stud cavities are open. If they are, seal them with unfaced fiberglass insulation ($1.30 a square foot) stuffed into plastic garbage bags; the bag is key to blocking air flow. Close large gaps with scraps of drywall or pieces of reflective foil insulation ($2 a square foot). Once you’ve covered the openings, smooth the insulation back into place. To see these repairs in action, consult Energy Star’s DIY guide to air sealing.

3. Close gaps around flues and chimneys. Building codes require that wood framing be kept at least one inch from metal flues and two inches from brick chimneys. But that creates gaps where air can flow through. Cover the gaps with aluminum flashing ($12) cut to fit and sealed into place with high-temperature silicone caulk ($20). To keep insulation away from the hot flue pipe, form a barrier by wrapping a cylinder of flashing around the flue, leaving a one-inch space in between. To maintain the spacing, cut and bend a series of inch-deep tabs in the cylinder’s top and bottom edges.

4. Weatherstrip the attic access door. A quarter-inch gap around pull-down attic stairs or an attic hatch lets through the same amount of air as a bedroom heating duct. Seal it by caulking between the stair frame and the rough opening, or by installing foam weatherstripping around the perimeter of the hatch opening. Or you can buy a pre-insulated hatch cover kit, such as the Energy Guardian from ESS Energy Products ($150).

5. Squirt foam in the medium-size gaps. Once the biggest attic gaps are plugged, move on to the medium-size ones. Low-expansion polyurethane foam in a can is great for plugging openings 1/4-inch to three inches wide, such as those around plumbing pipes and vents. A standard 12-ounce can ($5) is good for 250 feet of bead about half an inch thick. The plastic straw applicator seals shut within two hours of the first use, so to get the most mileage out of a can, squirt a lubricant such as WD-40 onto a pipe cleaner and stuff that into the applicator tube between uses.

6. Caulk the skinny gaps. Caulk makes the best gap-filler for openings less than 1/4-inch wide, such as those cut around electrical boxes. Silicone costs the most ($8 a tube) but works better next to nonporous materials, such as metal flashing, or where there are temperature extremes, as in attics. Acrylic latex caulk ($2 a tube) is less messy to work with and cleans up with water.

7. Plug gaps in the basement. Gaps low on a foundation wall matter if you’re trying to fix a wet basement, but only those above the outside soil level let air in. Seal those with the same materials you’d use in an attic: caulk for gaps up to 1/4-inch wide and spray foam for wider ones. Use high-temperature caulk around vent pipes that get hot, such as those for the furnace or water heater. Shoot foam around wider holes for wires, pipes, and ducts that pass through basement walls to the outside.

In most older houses with basements, air seeps in where the house framing sits on the foundation. Spread a bead of caulk between the foundation and the sill plate (the wood immediately above the foundation), and along the top and bottom edges of the rim joist (the piece that sits atop the sill plate).

8. Tighten up around windows and doors. In the main living areas of your home, the most significant drafts tend to occur around windows and doors. If you have old windows, caulking and adding new weatherstripping goes a long way toward tightening them up. Bronze weatherstripping ($12 for 17 feet) lasts for decades but is time-consuming to install, while some self-stick plastic types are easy to put on but don’t last very long. Adhesive-backed EPDM rubber ($8 for 10 feet) is a good compromise, rated to last at least 10 years. Nifty gadgets called pulley seals ($9 a pair) block air from streaming though the holes where cords disappear into the frames.

Weatherstripping also works wonders on doors. If a draft comes in at the bottom, install a new door sweep ($9).

Before working in the attic, take some precautions
Try to do attic work on a cool day. Wear protective gear: disposable clothes, gloves, and a double-elastic mask or half-face respirator. Bring along a droplight with a fluorescent bulb, plus at least two pieces of plywood big enough to span two or three joists to support you as you work. To save trips up and down a ladder, try to move up all of the materials you need before you get started. One warning: If you find vermiculite insulation, hold off until you’ve had it checked for asbestos; your health department or air-quality agency can recommend a lab.

Jeanne Huber writes a home-repair column for the Washington Post and has commissioned three new roofs on various houses over the years.

When your winter bills start to raise look to your heating source for respite from more than just the cold, consider the following. By changing your filter once a month you will significantly cut down the energy it takes to push warm air through a dirty filter. That in turn will cost less in your monthly energy bills.
If you don’t have central heat and have a window heating unit, clean your filter at least once a week to help prevent the same expense. Filters cost $1.00 to $5.00 on average and will save you much more in energy cost over the winter months.
You can also buy plastic to cover your windows and doors that will prevent cool air from intruding your living spaces. The directions are easy to follow and the kits can be purchased at any hardware store. You can also roll up an old towel and place it at the base of your entry doors to further prevent cool air from entering. Replace weather stripping (or install) as needed to finish off the efforts to stay warm and reduce your potentially hefty utility bills.
With central air/heat units, don’t set your thermostat to “on”, keep it on “auto” so that it doesn’t run all the time, just when you need it. It is a good idea to keep your temperature in the 60-70 degree range. If you want 80 degree weather move to the desert, otherwise you will pay a premium to bring the temperature to you living spaces

Driving in Maine’s winter weather…

Well, we had what I have been told our first snowfall here in Maine this past weekend, although I saw none of it, and I felt it would be a good time to address surviving a winter auto emergency and a few driving tips. We all know here in Maine that the highways in winter here can be treacherous, even on a nice sunny day, and an accident or other problem can waylay the best laid plans, possibly stranding you on a lonely stretch of road when surviving is an iffy thing at best. For those who live in the big cities, like up in Bangor or down in Portland, there is little worry of the worst case scenario occurring if you simply break down.

But for those of us who live out of town, and in the hinterlands of Maine, the story can take on a decidedly different picture. My gas lines froze once while driving to a service call trough the western mountain regions. Three and a half hours later the temps climbed high enough that I was able to start the truck and get rolling again. Not one vehicle passed me the whole time I was on the side of the road, and I had no cell phone back then. Not a big deal and little more than a distant memory today, but it illustrates that there is much more to winter driving than making sure you have an ice scraper in the front seat.

The temperature here in Maine fluctuates quite a bit from one section of Maine to another, so we really should take care to be prepared for almost any kind of emergency, from breakdowns and accidents to a surprise blizzard that may strand you in the middle of the interstate system. To better prepare yourself, and your car, there are some basic things you should do to get ready.

• Inspect your tires, and change them over to all season or snow tires if you can afford it. Also make sure that the tire pressure is maintained to recommended pressures. If I lived in the northern part of Maine I would use nothing less than a real life, honest to goodness snow tire. They have a more aggressive tread than the all seasons do. I would also consider putting studs on as well if you live in the out of the way areas of Maine.
• Check your antifreeze and make sure that it is good for the lowest possible temperature rating. This usually means that the fluid in your radiator should consist of equal parts antifreeze and water.
• Replace your wiper blades with new winter grade wipers.
• Make sure all of your lamps are working properly. Many people forget to check their driving/fog lamps and emergency flashers, as well as any lamps that may be on your doors. These are all important and may help avoid an even greater catastrophe if they all work, especially during a snow storm.
• Check your car battery and make sure it is up to par. If it is at least five years old it may be a good idea to replace it if you can afford to do so.
• Ethanol is required in all gasoline in Maine now, and that causes what is known as phase separation more rapidly in colder temperatures. Make sure your fuel tank is kept filled, and try not to go below a half tank unless you are on a long trip. the excess water in your fuel will cause the lines to freeze up quicker. It would also be a good time to replace your fuel filter as well. Don’t succumb to the pressure to add what is called fuel dryer to your tank. This stuff contains alcohol and makes the process of phase separation leading to too much water in your fuel occur even more rapidly.

When driving the highways you should always be aware of the temperature and learn to be extra careful when the temp dips below 35 degrees. Even on a clear sunny day you may encounter black ice unexpectedly, causing you to lose control of your car. Bridge decks are also a high risk area as they freeze quicker than the pavement does since there in no ground under the bridge for insulation. Also make sure you have a pair of good no glare sunglasses in the car at all times. Squinty driving can be hazardous.

If you find yourself skidding out of control, gently steer into the skid to avoid making the car go even further out of control. Ease up on the brakes and if you can, shift into neutral when safe. Turn your flashers on as well to alert oncoming motorists of the danger. If you do get into an accident, remember to follow the same guidelines as you would at any other time of the year. Stay in your car if safe to do so, and turn the flashers on and alert the police to your accident. Having a cell phone with a charger is vital this time of year. Make sure you check for any leaking fluids before allowing the car to run for heat while you wait. If you see anything dripping from the car, don’t take any chances. It is better to be cold than burned to a crisp because of a leaky fuel tank, ain’t it?

Always drive at or below the posted speed limit, according to the conditions you encounter. If it is snowing, it is a good idea to drive about ten miles an hour under the posted limits on the main roads such as the state and interstate highways. Maintain more distance than normal between cars when the weather is inclement. Never jam on your breaks. Gently pump them to come to a controlled stop. If you have ABS on your car simply apply pressure to the brake pedal and let the computer do the work. Drive with your headlights on at all times.

Checklists for winter driving needs…

I have a little checklist of supplies you should have in your car while traveling out of town, or even in town. The list is divided into two parts. The first part is of things your should always have in your car, and the second part is of things you should keep in a bag, and bring into your house when not travelling to avoid freezing.

1. Always in your car…
   1. Steel shovel, small enough to fit in your trunk. The plastic ones have a tendency to crack and break when you least desire that to happen.
   2. Ice scraper and snow broom.
   3. Jumper cables. Get at least a ten gauge wire with heavy duty clips and at least twelve feet long. A pair with side terminal adapters is a good option to have.
   4. Tow rope. Get a pre made rope at least fifteen feet long with steel hooks on the ends, if you can.
   5. Blanket. Get a real blanket, not a cheap five dollar throw that won’t cover you completely. I would recommend one of those orange and silver rescue blankets as the silver will reflect your own body heat. Get one for everyone that may be traveling with you.
   6. First aid kit.
   7. Empty fuel can. Unless you have an open bed pickup it is dangerous to carry fuel with you. The fumes could build up in your car and kill you in many ways.
   8. Siphon tube and pump. Sucking gas out of a car looks good in the Hollywood blockbusters, but it’s actually a pretty unhealthy thing to do, especially with the ethanol added to the gas now.
   9. Telephone numbers for the police, road service company and your insurance company.
   10. Flashlight or trouble light.
   11. Reflector triangles that you can put out as warning signs. There are some models that fold up into a self contained carry case.
   12. Wheel chocks. These will keep your car from rolling if you have to change a tire.
   13. Salt and sand. I carry one bag of salt and one bag of sand when the snow starts flying. If you get stuck these will help get you unstuck much quicker because of the extra traction they give.
   14. Tire chains. Learn how to use them before the snow falls. There are many versions on the market, so it would be a smart thing to familiarize yourself with them when dry weather is available.
2. In a carry bag…
   1. Water
   2. High calorie food bars
   3. Flashlight with extra batteries, or a wind up flashlight. Solar flashlights are fine if there is sunlight to charge them with, but we get many winter days when there is insufficient sun to charge those batteries.
   4. Cell phone and charger
   5. Extra trash bags for when you just can’t hold it any longer.
   6. A book or some games if you have kids in the car.
   7. Any medication you (or someone with you) may be needing in the event of an extended trip.

That’s just a few ideas. As usual I encourage you to get the mind working and think the issue of winter driving through your head. Equip your vehicle as suits your needs and pocketbook and learn more about the risks of winter driving, and ways to avoid those risks. Remember to be prepared means having to live with a survival mindset. If you are always prepared for the unexpected, the unexpected will never happen. And make sure you always dress warmly for these winter road trips. A nice warm coat, hats and gloves or mittens won’t do you any harm, even if it is a nice day when you first set out on your drive. You never know when the weather will turn brutal here in the Maine winters as we survive the coming times.

Traycee, of the Keep It Simple Sista Blog had some great tips for the winter. A few I never considered. My favs were keeping your hair covered at home. I never thought my heater was the reason my hair hair dry but it definitely explains things. She also mentioned using a humidifier for added moisture in the air. I definitely could use this at night. Check out K.I.S.S for the rest of her tips and other great info. Her hair is amazing and proof that black girls can have long hair too!

XOXO,

Angelique

So you want to travel in the winter?  Why?  Do you want to go some place to play in the snow?  Visit family and friends?  Get out of the cold and into the sun?  Whatever your reason, let me give you some advise.

I live in Seattle.  We are having the worst winter in 18 years.  I am sitting here looking at 12 inches of snow and no sign of relief.  Our city is not equiped for this kind of weather, so we shut down.  Rarely am I hearing a car go by.  This is the 2nd week and a snow plow just went down our street, blocking our driveway.  Having just returned from the Bahamas, I, too, got caught in the airport mess.  So, here are my suggestions.

• AIRLINES.  Most people make their reservations several weeks or months ahead and have no idea what the weather will be.  If you HAVE to be someplace on a particular date, make your departure at least one day if not two days early.  Some parts of the country always have issues, so figure delays or cancellations will always occur.   And ALWAYS buy travel insurance. 
• AIRPORTS.  Anymore all airlines can change your flights to another carrier.  If your arrival airport is closed, ask to be rerouted to another airport.  Many times the reservation agents are so stressed they can’t think straight.  You tell them what you want.  It doesn’t matter whether you go north, south, east or west, just have them send you someplace on some carrier.  Then you may be able to get another connection onto your destination.  If possible, hang out at the airport rather than going to a hotel.  Staying around as a “standby” could get you on quicker.  If you are traveling with others, you may get split up.  Flip a coin or something to decide who gets to go.  Don’t make an issue if there aren’t 4 seats.  Take what you can and go.
• PACKING.  Always pack as though your checked bags will never been seen again.  Make sure you have a couple of changes of clothes (at least underwear), all your meds, toiletries, your electronic chargers, even a blanket and snacks in your carryon.  I use a small back pack size suitcase and with those vacuum bags from the luggage store, I can get a lot in it.  I even have a small pillow and blanket so I could sleep on the floor.  
• MONEY.  Never max out your credit cards.  Or at least. have an emergency one.  You may need to pay for a hotel.  Airlines are not obligated to comp you a hotel in case of bad weather.  Basically they are not obligated to do anything for you.  You may need to buy food at the airport.  Always keep a small stash of money for emergencies in case the power is out and credit cards won’t work.
• ATTITUDE.  It is never the fault of the gate or reservation agent that you are stuck.  Being VERY polite and  many thank you’s will help you get out quicker.  My husband is over gushy, but it works every time.  You could even wind up in 1st class like we have at times.  If you are angry or frustrated, take a walk, get your smile back and then talk to the agents.
• OTHER OPTIONS.  Sometimes the train or bus is a help.  Check them out.  Or if all else fails, a rental car might work.  Take all the phone numbers you might need.  Especially if you have a hotel reservation some place and you can’t make it.  Unless it is a “guarantee”, you will be charged if you don’t cancel it. 

Air travel is challenging at all times of the year but especially in the winter.  It doesn’t matter how you are routed when you buy your ticket unless it is a non stop.  Anytime you need to do a connection, that plane may not make it in and you will be stuck.  Planes are full these days and even when they begin flying after a stoppage, it could take some days to get the airports cleared out.  Pack a huge amount of patience.  If you don’t have any, then stay home!!!

(Drafted from www.dailymail.co.uk on 17-Dec-2008 by Lucy Mines)

Below-zero temperatures and freezing winds signal winter is well and truly here – along with dry, flaky and sometimes sore skin.

But don’t let the cold winds chap and chafe you. Stay smooth, soft, and supple with our essential winter skin and
supple with our essential winter skin and hair survival secrets.

Lancome Absolue Ultimate Advanced Replenishing Serum, £104.95, www.lancome.co.uk Rodial Glamtox Peel, £70, www.rodial.co.uk Precision Chanel Sublimage Essential Regenerating Mask, £110, 020 7493 3836.

No matter how well you wrap up, wintry weather can still strip the skin of its natural moisture barrier and cause the top layer to go dry.

At-home peels are a great way to keep skin looking fresh, as the build-up of dead skin cells can leave the complexion looking dull and grey.

Rodial’s Glamtox Peel is easy to use and ultra quick  -  ten minutes to be exact. A clay mask, it contains LaraCare, which firms, lifts and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and Argirline, which works to relax contracted muscles.

Apply a generous amount to clean, dry skin, avoiding the eye area.

Allow to dry and remove by gently rubbing with fingertips. Finish by rinsing with warm water. Even after just one use, skin will look illuminated and brighter.

Follow with Chanel Sublimage Essential Regenerating Mask.

It comforts the skin with its thick, velvety soft texture. Apply a small amount with the flat of the brush, smoothing over the skin, working up from the neck to the forehead.

Let the skin soak up the active ingredients for ten minutes, then dab off any excess with a tissue.

Use one to three times a week, or when your skin is crying our for TLC.

Serums are secret beauty elixirs that provide intensive care to treat problem or fragile skin, ideal for this time of year.

They penetrate deep into the three layers of the skin to strengthen the cells as well as deliver active ingredients.

So forget diamonds, Lancome Ultimate Advanced Replenishing Serum is every girl’s new best friend.

Finally, revitalise lacklustre locks while you sleep with Frederic Fekkai Advanced Overnight Repair.

It provides protection from the harsh effects of winter, leaving your hair healthy, silky and protected from future damage.

Applied to dry hair before going to sleep, it absorbs instantly so won’t leave an oily residue on your pillow. Then wake up, shampoo, condition and style as usual.

So with all your winter skin and hair problems taken care of, you can look great and enjoy the simple comforts of cosy jumpers and snuggling next to the fire with a glass of mulled wine.

For fashion, beauty, hair and general advice and guidance call Re’Voil Hair & Beauty and book in for a treatment on 0161 950 9933 or alternatively visit the website at www.revoil.co.uk

I know I haven’t said anything about the environment in a while… no, I haven’t stopped caring, so here I am again! I was reading some Nature Conservancy stuff online, and this article caught my eye. Read it!

I’m one of those people that get really cold easily. Well, let’s just say that I’m the queen of layering: I own many a spandexy top, too many fleece hoddies, fleece pants, long johns. And just to further prove my point, let me describe my oh-so-wondrful bed. Since September, I had a fleece blanket lining my bed with two blankets. One was a thermal and then the one on top was a quilted blanket to trap the heat. In October I added another smaller fleece blanket to wrap myself up in when I curled up in bed. I will soon be adding a comforter. I get cold super duper easily!

Ok, so what do I do as a college student during the winter to save energy and not catch a cold?

1. I layer up (Outdoors). I pretty much live on campus because of my schedule – I have three labs per week and have (too) many classes to go to. It’s a tough life. The thing is, when I go from class to class, building to building, it’s pretty much from below freezing (not now, it’s been an pleasantly odd week) to boiling hot. Want to see my life preservers?
   
   Beautiful, eh? The point of layering is: layering creates space between your layers, which equals trapped air, which equals insulation. I think that’s how dry suits for kayaking, diving, etc. works. Multiple layers mean more comfort when there is a change in temperature, especially when the day goes from super cold to chilly. Try fleece or other synthetic fibers in wet weather – they’re quicker to dry than animal/plant-based fibers and don’t absorb moisture, a. k. a. keeps you warmer.
2. I layer up (Indoors): warm socks, light sweater or fleece jacket (teehee) – but layering does really help. I know that many green people are obsessed with bamboo, hemp and all them naturals, but synthetic fibers are probably the easiest way to control your body temperature, whether indoors or outdoors. Plant-based fibers seem to take away your body heat (at least in my experience) and seem to be not as cozy. So what about animal fibers?, you ask. Well, I personally think they’re a little bit itchy and a little bit heavy. And, yes, I know that there are all those beautiful cashmere sweaters and what not out there, but not all of us can afford those light and cozy sweaters.
3. Get a Travel Mug & Drink Warm Beverages: Instead turning up the heat the whole time, try a warm beverage, it really warms you up. (And in the case of Coffee and Hot chocolate, wakes you up, too!) Especially, if you’re in college, you know how going in and out of classrooms, running from one side of the campus to the other and how irregular the hours can be… it’ll keep you going. I have a super sweet Contigo thermos (just in a plummy-pretty color.) and it keeps my hot chocolate/coffee/tea warm for long hours.
4. The Heat: Turn it off when you’re gone. End of story. Save your bill, too. Besides, keeping the heat on just makes your nose drier during the winter and this dry condition may cause epistaxis (the esoteric word for nosebleeds.) Besides, keeping the heat on incessantly will dry out your skin, hair, etc.
5. Your Bed: Not rich enough to buy a down comforter? Neither am I! On top of my bedding, I keep a fleece blanket as my base layer so that when I jump into bed, it generates and holds on to heat faster than a cotton blanket would.

That’s it for now. Yeah, I’m not feeling too creative right now… So here’s something else. This was another great slide show for home owners – there were things that I had never heard of that could help with a lot of people. I realize that the economy is bad and there are ways that the GOVERNMENT can help (this is for US citizens only, obviously.)

Anyways, got to go finsh some homework and studying. Finals are coming up soon and I am about to… be not so pleasantly grilled. I’m so excited to go home! I can’t wait!

P.S.  I love The Lord of the Rings… that’s all I have to say for now.

While Austin is certainly a month or two away from experiencing cold weather, the weather has definitively changed.  What does that mean?  It’s time to winterize your lawn!  If winter landscaping isn’t your thing, be sure to head to Austin Custom Landscaping for all of your Austin landscaping needs!

1. Before the freeze hits, plant your spring bulbs.  Map out where you want the blooms to be when warm weather returns.  Bulbs are typically planted at a depth 3 to 4 times their height. This protects them from harsh winter weather.

2. Aerate, seed, and fertilize your lawn before the freeze, too. This is a very important part of landscaping that should not be neglected. Aerating is needed to loosen the soil so the seeds can get in deep to grow. The fertilizer prepares the grass for spring growth.

3. Drain and store your water hoses and blow out the irrigation systems. Leftover water can freeze and cause damage, which can be expensive to a sprinkler system.

4. Bring in container plants that accented your landscaping. They cannot take the cold nights of winter.

5. Pull up any dead annuals. If you have a compost pile, add them to it so the dead plants can be used to fertilize the new growth in the spring.

6. Weed the vegetable garden and flower beds one last time for the season.

7. Clean up any debris in your yard that can be hidden by the snow and cause damage or disease.

8. Protect any sensitive plants in your landscaping by mulching or using a screen. Several inches of mulch or soil gathered around most plants should do the trick, but for the very delicate it helps to cover with a screen.

Winter landscaping is a lot like helping your plants and flowers to hibernate for the cold weather. You are settling them into their dens and helping them to stay warm for the winter months, so that there will be a burst of bloom in the spring to greet you with a smile!

Put another log on the fire!

This winter, more than ever, many people in Pike and Wayne County are worried about the cost of keeping their families warm, along with putting food on the table and buying other necessities.  Oil used to be one of the most economical ways to heat your home, but those days are gone…

Some folks are relying on kerosene or electric space heaters to keep the winter chill away.  Many of us are preparing to install wood, coal, or pellet stoves in order to have a less expensive heat source.

There IS help available for lower income Pennsylvanians.

LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) can help qualified home owners pay for heating costs this winter.  (PDF brochure)  The funds are paid directly to the utility or fuel company.  You can apply online!

This is terrific news, especially for those with young children or seniors on limited incomes.  This year, eligibility was expanded, which will enable nearly 80,000 more citizens to qualify for this assistance.  For instance, a family of four with an annual income of up to $44,443 can qualify for LIHEAP.

Click here for a Benefit Outline, which will tell you approximately how much you will be eligible for, depending on your county and type of fuel.

MISCELLANEOUS TIPS FOR A WARMER WINTER

• Seal up drafty windows with a shrink wrap material like these kits, available at Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Lowes, or other home supply stores.  Here is a DIY YouTube Video on shrink wrapping your windows, though I am going to caution you to please be careful with knives and ladders!I did not know that there was an exterior version of the window film available; we have always used the interior type.  Once the plastic is stretched tightly across the window, we go over it for a few minutes with a hair dryer to tighten it even more.

WARNING: Be aware that you do need air circulation in your home in the winter as well!  Read this important info about CARBON MONOXIDE DANGERS. Be sure that your home has working smoke AND carbon monoxide detectors!

• Slippers, socks, flannel clothes! Yes, it seems silly, but stock up on warm and cozy socks, slippers, and warm clothes made from flannel/fleece materials!  My favoritest thing in the world is my huge, ratty sweater and my red-n-black plaid fleece pajama bottoms.  Put on several thin layers when you’re at home and turn the thermostat back a degree or two.
• Have your heating system serviced and checked by a professional.
• EXERCISE throughout the day – and then reward yourself with a hot cup of herbal tea or spiced cider!
• CROCK POTS are great for making delicious soups, stews, and chili to warm you up.
• Old fashioned but comforting: try a hot water bottle for a retro flashback!

It has snowed a lot in Kingston over the past week as in many other places. I love the snow. I love how it makes indoor spaces brighter on gray days (and we have had many of those with gray days far outnumbering sunny ones). I love how snow can seem to make everything quieter, especially during those days and times of days when there are already not so many people driving cars around. I love the sound of snow crunching under foot while walking (a phenomenon reserved usually for crisper, colder days). I love snowmen and snow forts, long stretches of pristine fields and forests covered in glistening snow. I love the moon on the snow and colourful mittens that go with snow–especially hand-made ones. I love snow angels and the giddiness that can come alive in snow as commonly witnessed in children and dogs though something that has also been elicited in adults as I have observed, for example, among colleagues at work in the wonder and dazzle in their chatter and expressions after a particularly beautiful falling of snow.

A tip I might offer to anyone who feels the excitement of snow but finds they often hold back from enjoying it: acquire snowpants. Uninsulated or insulated, they are, in my opinion, a *must* for any adult wardrobe where snow is part of the climate. They make being in the snow much more pleasant and fun. They also serve as a gateway to filling the lands with snow angels, as one example. When you have snowpants, it is much easier to follow the impulse to lie down in the snow, start up your wings (quoting Kat Goldman here from her album, sing your song), and enjoy the peacefulness and expanse of sky. When you have snowpants, it is much easier to leave that unmistakable, magical imprint of flying, icon of life and hope for all who may pass by.

That there has been a lot of snow lately means that there has also been a lot of shoveling. After the last large snowfall, I realized as I began to shovel that my body was still physically tired after the previous shoveling adventures. I realized that I was going to have to complete the task a bit at a time with breaks in between, which made me think of that theme of perseverance bit by bit, one small step at a time. I did. Thankfully, it all worked out just fine. I might mention here, however, words from my 80-plus year old neighbour last weekend one evening when she was shoveling her walk in the midst of a LARGE snowfall and I went over to help her. After a few minutes, she essentially indicated that what we had done (what she had done mostly) was enough for today. Tomorrow is another day, she said and I thought, yes. God willing, good luck, and me doing my part–yes indeed.

As I look out my window right now, I see a series of snow ploughs and sanders have parked across the street from my house–tea time, perhaps–and also that there are thousands of white velvet flakes falling from the grand expanse of gray sky, each one completely unique, each one completely its own entity, all coming together to glisten and dazzle the heart, soften the harsh sounds, and brighten the land once again.

Winter tip number two: a snow shovel is a very good investment.

Kind, warm, bright regards,

tracy