Planning, Insulation, and a Pellet Stove

by Jeannette
(Calgary, AB)

With two young children and modest incomes, saving money on heating costs is always a priority in home during the winter.

We try to prepare well in advance by putting $10 a week from April 1st to October 1st into items that "button up" the house.

This year we bought a lot of foam insulation to be sure to seal any cracks that would let in the air from the outside.

Every year we put plastic over all of the windows and our second door from the inside of the house to stop any drafts.

Last year we invested in a pellet stove to conserve oil and even with the added costs of the pellets, we saved nearly 30% on our heating cost over having just used oil the year before.

I always stress the importance of not leaving the door open to our boys and make sure that we limit the number of times doors are open.

I have even found that if I leave the oven door opened after I am finished cooking dinner (with the oven off, of course) the residual heat from the oven helps greatly in keeping the kitchen warm.