Help needed from northerners on staying warm

[ruth]

Quote:
Thanks - I'll check into that because we are already at $6,000 a year and they are talking about doubling that. I used a local broker but then again, they only represent a few companies and it's in their best interest to obtain an expensive policy as well. At the time, our current insurance company (on existing home in Covington) Liberty Mutual told us they would not insure an old home in a Fire Zone 8 so we went with the agent who currently had this house insured, under different company for prior owners. He then told us the existing company wouldn't reinsure it and he was lucky to find Chubbs. Of course we need to do some homework but the act of sale happened very quickly and none of this was planned. I actually put a note on door that I wanted to buy their home (had looked at it 2 years earlier when it was on the market) and within a week they had sold it to me and the antiques in it. However, now it's time to do some homework and check on lower insurance because we are also paying $6,000 a year for insurance on our other home which we haven't put on market yet. And no, we are not rich so it's a BIG deal to get affordable insurance AND heating bills.

Thanks all for the staying warm tips. I've just gotten out of my hot bath and am sitting here in my layers of lounge wear about to get under my heavy down comforters for a long winters nap.

 

[patandchickens]

There MUST be somewhere online for people renovating big old southern homes -- you know there are a buncha people doing it, they must get insurance from SOMEwhere, you just have to find them and ask.

Definitely don't trust what some local broker(s) told you -- we had to do quite a lot of shopping around before we found a good deal for hobby-farm insurance.

Pat

 

[claud]

I'd have to say.....insulate, insulate, insulate(your house). Then.......try this.............thermal underwear...wool blend turtleneck....fleece pullover....flannel-lined jeans(wear all at the same time). Should do the trick until spring.

 

[MissPrissy]

Too much insulation and that old house cannot breath and things will start to happen - like warping and mold in the walls. I know. I live in one of those old houses.

Get expert advise. Then get a 2nd or 3rd expert advise.

 

[chickenranchwife]

Try to get ahold of Holmes on Homes he's good at fixing up homes! You can use space heaters, they do make some really safe ones these days. I know what you're going through, our house is old too. We heat with wood and propane. close off all the rooms we don't use to the rest of the house, put blankets up to stop drafts and what not. Like people said before layers layers layers! Good luck with your house!

 

[quadcam79]

hold a lighter near doors, windows, fireplaces etc...you can tell where the drafts are coming from, you can also cover the windows with bubblewrap, works good at trapping heat expecially on the south facing windows. also, close the doors in rooms you arent using and put a blanket or something under the bottomof the door to keep heat in the rooms you are using

The thing is, the south is not like the north when it gets cold. In the north it's more of a dry cold, layers will stop it and 30 degrees up north doesnt feel like 30 degrees. but down here when it gets cold it's usually windy and cold, that wind picks up all of the moistureof the rivers and the ocean and layers dont stop it. I know, i work outside in it. When i moved from Pennsylvania to Florida I gave my winter parka to a coworker, wish i hadn't. it gets COLD at 4am in the middle of january

 

[ruth]

Quote:
BINGO - a point well made that I hadn't thought of. We have 100%++ humidity year round. I travel for a living and spend a lot of time in New York. I walk all over N.Y.' in 30 degree temps with just my coat and never feel the cold to the bones aching cold that I feel here. Plus, my hair doesn't frizz or curl. 2 minutes after straightening it here in humid South, my hair just goes naturally curly and frizzy again. It's either like being in a hot shower or a freezing shower all the time. The hot ones I learned to live with growing up in New Orleans but these freezing showers have left my joints aching. To make matters worse - there's no heat downstairs today. Just called hubby on cell phone and he "forgot" to call and have more propane delivered - we are going through 100 gallons a week and that's while trying to conserve it so I guess I'll stay upstairs.

Thanks all for suggestions. I've been spending most of this first month here alone while hubby goes to our rental home in Baton Rouge each day which we are trying to renovate and put on market so he doesn't really have any idea what it's like to be closed up in a freezing old home every day all day long. Ya'll have been great and a great source of someone to talk to - you'll notice I've made more posts over the last couple of weeks than I've made since joining. Normally I would be spending spare time outside working but it's too cold so I'm here with my BYC support group.

Thanks again.

 

[nccountrygirl]

We love reading you stories. Thank you for sharing your adventures in your new home. Just think spring is right around the corner and in 6 months we all will be complaining about the heat.

 

[ruth]

Thanks so much, everyone, for all of your helpful advice. We closed out the month at just over $2,000 on heating costs ($1,600 in Propane and $600 electric bill). Yikes - definitely need to do something before next winter. GOOD NEWS is - it was HOT yesterday and is hot and muggy today. Wearing T-Shirt, no socks and shoes and sweating. Thank you Lord.

In the meantime I did discover one tip that no one suggested. Go to mall in closet town 30 miles away and buy a few dozen turtle necks and sweaters for "layering". I did and next day was 80 degrees.

Luckily everything was over 75% off and I got a lot of great sweaters and turtle necks for a real bargain so I'm all set if the cold weather comes back or ready for next year.

Also for those following the insurance posts - we got a letter yesterday which said they were cancelling us because the house was "in poor condition". Our agent said it was because of small section of rotted board on side of house and that if we repaired it immediately they might reconsider - nothing about this in our letter however. We are having a local lumber yard custom make a tool to custom carve cypress boarding to match pattern already on house. But we are very disappointed in insurance company. They sent someone out the day we were moving in, and previous owners were moving out, and now send us this letter. I've already called MetLife (thanks Rosalind) and have begun pricing insurance companies that actually WANT to insure a home and not look for a reason to turn one down. I knew I didn't have a good feeling about the way he kept asking about steel walls and satellite call stations and "wow, it would cost millions to replace this place exactly". I was afraid they would come back and say they wanted to bump the coverage up to "millions" which we couldn't afford but instead they just canceled us with no real explanation.

Oh well at least this first month's experience has been "interesting" if nothing else.