How to stay warm for less this heating season

Whether you're dreading big gas, oil or electric bills to keep you snug, or nursing blisters from splitting that last cord of oak, there are ways to lighten the economic burden - well, at least ease the pain.

While most long-range forecasts for the coming winter predict a cold start with a warmer finish, Mother Nature will end up doing as she pleases.

And the task of heating the homestead is not a cheap proposition.

Recent electricity price spikes guarantee that.

Of Anne Arundel County's 189,000 households, according to the 2000 Census, most heat with electricity.

More than 39 percent used heat pumps or some other electric source. Almost as many used natural gas, 37.7 percent. Heating oil kept 19.5 percent of homes toasty. A little more than 4,000 homes used bottled gas. Only 1,062 homes used wood solely, and 86 used coal or coke.

That could change.

Take V. K. Holzendorf down in Shady Side. Searching for some alternative to fuel oil, she stumbled upon an old method, coal.

This is not your granddaddy's coal-fired heater, fed by chunks of coal loaded into the basement via the coal chute. It's more like the wood-pellet stove.

"It's cleaner anthracite coal, that comes in pellets in 40-pound bags," she said standing next to the brand new Reading Stove Mahantoka cs-45 being installed in her 19th-century farmhouse.

"We looked for alternatives considering the sticker shock from heating oil. Considering the BTU rating on coal, we looked at these, went to the factory in Pennsylvania and saw them making them and the coal pellets."

She and business partner Mike Shay were so impressed, they decided to become local dealers and a handful of neighbors already are interested.

Mr. Shay had a larger model installed in his house. "It is local coal and keeps local people working," he said.

Those not supplementing their heat can expect generally higher bills this winter.

"For electric, the average residential usage is 1,000 kilowatt hours per month with an average bill of $150 per month," said BGE spokesman Kelly Shanefelter.

Assuming a normal winter, she said gas customers "can expect to pay approximately $767 for the entire upcoming winter heating season, compared with $682 for the same period a year ago. This change is due to higher market prices for natural gas in 2008."

Fuel oil prices have dipped a bit since last year.

A survey of several fuel area companies last week found a low price of $2.83 per gallon and a high of $3.59. Last year's low was about $3.15.

Tips on saving

But if turning to a new coal or wood stove, or converting to geothermal heat drawn from the earth itself is not in the cards - or the budget - homeowners can take steps to tamp down the heating bill.

Conservation, via keeping heat as low you can comfortably stand, always is an option. Wear a sweater.

Using a humidifier to add moisture to the air will let homeowners shave a few degrees off the thermostat with nary a shiver.

A trip to the local hardware store can prove useful. There one can find various modes to save money, and most are easy to install or use.

The name of the game is minimizing heat loss.

Adding insulation in the attic or under the floor is a large project, but doable.

The trick is to add "R" value - the higher the "R" value, the more heat is retained.

The local hardware store should stock rolls of fiberglass insulation or blown-in cellulose insulation for the do-it-yourselfer. Of course contractors can do the job, too.

But smaller things like insulating or caulking around doors and windows, using a new thermostat, or wrapping insulation around the hot water heater and heating ducts can work wonders.

One dealer had a table with a variety of relatively inexpensive items that would help.

Frost-King insulation materials like duct wrap cost $10.97 for a 15-foot long roll of foil backed insulation. A rubber door weather seal to keep heat from seeping out around your door jamb costs $7.38.

Adding insulation to electrical outlets on outside walls helps, too. A pack of 14 outlet covers costs $2.28.

A more complicated step is to change out an old thermostat for a programmable one that will allow you to set the temperature to run lower when the house is empty, or at night.

Honeywell programmable thermostats on the display ranged from $38.85 to $68.82.

Wood warning

If turning to a wood stove, the Maryland Department of Agriculture warns residents to know what they are getting when it comes to fuel.

"Most consumers do not understand the meaning of a cord, or they are unaware of the many ways wood can be stacked to look like a cord when it isn't," said department Weights and Measures Chief Will Wotthlie. "If the seller uses a term other than a cord or a fraction of a cord, consumers should be suspicious."

A cord is the amount of wood stacked tight measuring 4 feet wide by 8 feet long by 4 feet high, with no internal gaps.

According to state rules, bulk sales of firewood must be accompanied by a delivery ticket with the date of delivery, the name and address of both seller and buyer, the quantity, type and cost of the wood delivered, and the license number or other identifying number of the vehicle that transports the wood. Any seller who refuses or is reluctant to provide complete information should be considered suspicious, the department said.

One should also make sure their heating device and the chimney it is attached to are in good working order.

Boilers, gas furnaces, wood stoves and chimneys should all be checked and serviced, if necessary, before the real chill comes.

And proper disposal of ashes is a must, the fire department warns.

"Of course each year fires get started by careless disposal of ashes in a combustible container like cardboard near the house," Lt. Shawn Jones said.

"Ashes should be soaked if possible and always kept in a metal container, outside, and away from the house."

So get busy, it's getting to look a lot like winter.