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It is true winter heating bills may take a big chuck of change out of your pocket during the winter months, but please do not even think about turning your heat so low that you might expose yourself to hypothermia. Ice fishermen are not the only folks
who risk hypothermia. The elderly, even though they may be indoors are at risk too.
There are things you can do yourself to keep winter heat bills down and also prevent
Hypothermia.
First, what is Hypothermia? Hypothermia happens when our body temperature falls below 96 degrees. Temperatures as cool as 60-65 degrees can bring on hypothermia in the elderly. The National Institute on Aging recommends that the elderly protect themselves by dressing in layers, even indoors! Remember how our grandmothers always had a button-up sweater over their housedresses during the winter months? And grandpa wore a sweater or vest over his work shirt? They knew something we didn't! Now you know too. Layering helps to keep your warm body heat next to your skin, one layer at a time.
Sometimes, the one thing that is overlooked when we are thinking about how to stretch those dollars during our heating season is having our furnaces checked before cold weather strikes. Why is that important? Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless. It kills over 100 people a year, and it can be avoidable with a good furnace inspection. So simple to do, and so simple to ignore. Don't ignore this tip, your furnace will run better too!
Other helpful things to do: Have someone to look for obvious places where warm air inside could escape to the outside. Think about having caulking and weather stripping around doors and exterior windows checked. This will reduce drafts and can save you as much as 10% on your energy use. And don't forget to close up crawl spaces too, if your home has one. It will help prevent cold drafts from blowing under the house.
According to Unique Indoor Comfort, insulation helps to improve the ability to keep your heat inside. A poorly insulated home wastes so much energy that no matter what you do to improve it, you will have immediate payoffs. So, have someone check the insulation in walls, ceilings, and attic. Insulating your water heater can make a difference too.
So there you have it in a nutshell. Our winters in Texas don't last long, but these are some of the things that you can do to protect yourself against Hypothermia; keep your heat bill down and help you remain in your home for as long as you like right here in beautiful Texas.
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