Tips from you folks in AK

[Tracy Feuer]

Hi Liss:



When I first read your potato article I saw AK and thought Arkansas I thought

why would cold be a problem in Arkansas then I figured out hey AK is Alaska. I

thought maybe you and some other of our northern friends could help me out.



I live in VA in a mobile home that seems to have zero insulatin. I put plastic

over the windows in winter. But I am still freezing. Of course not freezing

like a AK winter but cold to me.



How do you folks in AK keep warm without killing your budget. I am thinking

about using my stimulus to install a woodstove. I can't afford to have the

trailer insulated. I am not sure about the whole wood stove thing because I

have never had one.



One thing I do is during the day I close off the bedrooms and use an oil filled

electric radiator in the living room. But boy when dd goes in one of those

rooms for something. I feel like I am going to freeze to death from the blast

of cold that comes out. I use an electric blanket on my bed at night. I would

like to be better prepared for this winter.





Especially since VA dominion power has just approached the powers that be about

a twenty percent rate increase. Did I mention this mobile home is all electric.



Tracy

in VA

[Verlee]

Hi Tracy! I have lived all over the US, including Alaska and it has often been

in trailers not built for the cold... or the

heat! Keeping them cool can be almost as exasperating as keeping them warm!

You mentioned some good things

you have already done like closing off rooms and adding electric oil space

heaters. Here are some other ideas I can

think of:

1)buy foam insulation pads that fit behind your electric sockets and switches

(in a pinch, pieces of fiberglas batting

will do) Believe it or not, a lot of air can blow in there!

2)Definitely look everywhere walls, windows, doors and floors meet for cracks

where air might be infiltrating. Then

apply some kind of caulk or spray foam insulation.

3)If you find a big space you need to fill and obviously do not want to use a

whole can of spray... fill it up with empty

plastic grocery bags, first. Then, spray the foam!

4)Any added insulation to the walls, floor and ceiling is a big help. Now, it

all depends on how desperate to get

warm you are and how much you have to spend, but here are a few ideas:

a) purchasase foam insulation boards to install on your wall and or

ceiling... if you like blue...

b) hang quilts or comforters on your walls.. over windows, too...a real

homey feel

c) Throw down an extra carpet over the existing one... nice change in

scenery

d) Dress warmly... this includes your head and feet... nice wintery

look

e) Drink a hot drink down as fast as you can when you feel like your

body temperature is low

f) Most of all... think warm thoughts and dream of sunbathing in the

bahamas or ?



Hope something helps. We have lived in all kinds of housing and in all kinds of

weather and with all kinds of

pocketbooks. Definitely makes life interesting! God bless, Verlee



--- In Budget101_@yahoogroups.com, Tracy Feuer <tracyfeuer@...> wrote:



> I live in VA in a mobile home that seems to have zero insulatin. I put

plastic over the windows in winter. But I

am still freezing. Of course not freezing like a AK winter but cold to me.

> Especially since VA dominion power has just approached the powers that be

about a twenty percent rate increase.

Did I mention this mobile home is all electric.