Entry bubble Brace Yourself for Home Heating Oil Prices

By: Joanne | September 09, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

turning down the thermostat to conserve energyLast week we filled the home heating oil tank in preparation for the cold weather. We got 435 gallons at $3.60 a gallon. Payment due upon delivery – swoon. What’s up with that?

There are a lot of factors that determine the price of home heating oil. Even when the price of crude oil is stable, it’s typical for home heating oil prices to rise in the winter months when you need it the most. It’s that old supply and demand thing from Economics 101.

We don’t have the furnace cranked on yet, but already we’re thinking of things we can do to save a few bucks and increase the energy efficiency of our home this winter. We’ve got some old, old windows in our old, old house and I think that the cost of fuel this winter is going to be enough to push us into replacing them with modern, energy efficient windows. I’ll actually clean the radiators, which, um…hasn’t been done in a while. We’ll have the furnace cleaned and the filters replaced so it’s running in tip top shape and we’re definitely going to be keeping the temperature a few degrees cooler this year. We’ll just have to break out the sweaters and fuzzy slippers and curl up with the warm kitties. I read in Consumer Reports that by turning your thermostat down between 5 and 10 degrees at night can reduce your heating costs by 20 percent. That’s pretty impressive. If you’re away from the house during the day it’s also a good idea to turn the heat down while you’re gone. If you have trouble remembering to turn your thermostat down, some people find that programmable thermostats are helpful.

The cost of heating the house this year will definitely be a burden, but we’ll make it. If you’re worried that you’re not going to be able to afford to heat your home, you should contact your state coordinator for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (also known as LIHEAP).

| View Comments [16] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: assistance   energy   heat   joanne   liheap   oil   winter  

 

Entry bubble Beat the Heat

By: Colleen | July 23, 2008 | Category: Health

hot sunThe oppressively hot and humid summers typical of our nation's Capital have reared their ugly head this week.

It is HOT HOT HOT!

What was the first indication of this? Me looking as if I just stepped out of the shower after walking from the Metro to Gov Gab headquarters. And no, it's not cute.

While temps in the 90's are mostly just the cause of some bad hair days and being uncomfortable, for some people they pose a serious health threat.

Senior citizens, small children, and people with chronic illnesses need to be especially careful when the mercury soars. They are most at risk for heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and sun overexposure. Check out this list of signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses. To avoid these, do you best to stay cool and inside. Drink plenty of water to insure that you're properly hydrated. Wear loose clothing made out of materials like cotton that allow your skin to "breathe."

Friends and family of the elderly should try and visit them at least twice a day to check for signs of heat stroke and exhaustion. Take them to air conditioned locations if they have transportation problems. Make sure they have access to an electric fan. Sometimes local governments have programs to help out.

Enjoy the summer months, just be careful. It really makes me wonder how I survived those mid-August outdoor field hockey pre-season practices, but I suppose when you're 16 you can survive pretty much anything.

What are your tips to keep cool?

| View Comments [7] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: citizen   colleen   exhaustion   heat   humid   senior   stroke   sun   weather  

 

Entry bubble Tips for Keeping Pets Safe This Summer

By: Stephanie | June 17, 2008 | Category: Health

There's a new notice on the door of my neighborhood supermarket: "Don't Leave Pets in Hot Cars." As I read the sign, I learned that it's more than a gentle reminder—apparently it's the law in my county. king charles cavalier sitting on a beach with sunglassesEven though my 40-year-old pet turtle seems to like temperatures as hot as possible, the warm weather brings hazards to many of our warm-blooded pets that we may not even think about.

Like the sign on my supermarket door advises, don't leave your pets in the car when it's hot outside. In my county, people can be charged with animal cruelty if their pets are left in a vehicle, even with the windows cracked, if the temperature is above 70 degrees (which can get much hotter in a matter of seconds). Since dogs and cats are less efficient at cooling themselves, they react to the high temperatures and humidity faster than humans.

According to the Army Medical Department, signs that your pet is having a heat injury include a bright red tongue; thick, sticky saliva; rapid panting; and weakness, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea and shock. If your pet is overheating, you can lower its temperature by hosing it off with a garden hose or placing it in a sink or tub of cold water. Move the pet to a cool environment and contact your vet.

Another Army website reminds owners to provide shade and plenty of cool, clean water for pets staying outside, and to bring them inside during the hottest part of the day (if not simply keep them inside all day when it's especially hot). Exercise pets in the cool of the day, and be alert to hot pavement that can burn their feet.

If you take your dog to the beach, provide it with a shaded area and plenty of fresh drinking water, and rinse it off if it's been in salt water. And don't forget that pets with light-colored noses and fur can get sunburn, too.

The summer brings some other hazards to our four-legged friends, too, including cars leaking antifreeze and coolant that can taste sweet to a pet but be deadly, even in small amounts. And ticks, which carry Lyme disease, are most prevalent in the warm weather. As fellow GovGabber Colleen notes, check your pets to be sure they don't have ticks on them. Don't use human repellents that contain DEET on animals—check with a vet for the appropriate products. Lyme disease vaccines are available for dogs (my pup received the vaccine). Pueblo.gsa.gov offers information for both people and pets on the disease.

As we approach the Fourth of July, be sure to keep your pets indoors during fireworks, which can frighten them and damage their sensitive hearing.

Do you have any other tips for keeping pets safe this summer?

| View Comments [7] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: animals   car   cat   dog   heat   hot   lyme   pets   stephanie   summer   ticks   tips