CasaSugar

Guess What This Is Called?

CasaSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:00:10 -0800

This ingenious little device is a super-smart home accessory in chilly weather. It's called a ___________ stopper. Can you fill in the blank?

How-To: Save Money on Heating This Winter

CasaSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:15:44 -0700

Recently, heating expert Chris Cooper shared some advice for thrifty Winter heating. Check out these ideas for reducing your Winter heating bill with these tips, which may surprise you. Even small adjustments in everyday life and habits can result in significant cost savings.

Keep window shades open to take advantage of the sun's natural heat.
Prune back tree branches that might obstruct part of the sunlight, and remove any awnings over windows that might create cooling shadows.

For the rest of the tips, read more.

Cover bare floors with dark carpets that absorb the sun's energy and warm the room.
Cover attic stairs with an insulated cover to block gaps between the stairs and the ceiling. Keep the heat in the home from escaping into the attic and the cold attic air from leaking into your house.
Place a chimney stopper (an inexpensive, often inflatable plug) at the lowest part of the flue in your fireplace when it's not in use to prevent drafts. Remember to remove the plug before you light a fire.
Cook consciously using the proper equipment. Use the smallest pot for the job and use a burner that most closely covers the entire heating element. Use a lid to keep heat in the pot which means using a lower heat or cooking for less time. Turn off the oven five minutes before the scheduled end time and allow food to finish cooking as the oven slowly cools. Organize meals to cook multiple dishes simultaneously. Above all, avoid opening the oven to check on food while it's cooking; this allows up to 50 percent of the heat to escape and increases cooking times.
Use a ceiling fan on low setting to push rising hot air back down where residents can benefit from its warmth. Conversely, limit use of ventilation fans over stoves or in bathrooms which draw hot air out of a house.
Smart consumers can lower their heating costs in many ways, some obvious and some less obvious. Using common sense and a little bit of extra effort, you will be warmer and wealthier this Winter.

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How-To: Make Thrifty Home Heating Decisions

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:45:03 -0700

Worried about how you'll pay your heating bill this Winter? Since I know that this is a concern for many families, I decided to ask heating expert Chris Cooper for some advice on the subject. He took my queries to heart, and then sent me some ideas about lowering heating bills.

According to Chris, this Winter, the cost of heating a home is going to leave many people feeling anything but warm and cozy. In fact, those living in the coldest areas of the United States may well find themselves facing a home-heating crisis when trying to pay their bills. "We have a serious problem," said Dale McCormick, director of Maine's state housing agency. "This Winter is going to be our (Hurricane) Katrina."

To find out the first steps in keeping your heating costs under control, read more.

However, there are some ways to keep your bills lower. Chris says that keeping a house in good repair and well insulated is as important as properly servicing your furnace and water heater. Consider negotiating for annual maintenance as part of any new furnace purchase and ask the contractor for conservation and saving tips specific to your house. Homeowners with oil furnaces might also consider joining a fuel co-op to reduce oil costs.

Need more advice? Check back tomorrow for a list of specific changes you can make in your home to reduce your home heating bill. Thanks Chris!

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Decorating With Warm Colors

CasaSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:00:14 -0800

Last week, we talked about decorating with cool colors as part of my series for Color Theory month. This week, we'll heat things up with a discussion of warm colors.

Warm colors, such as red, orange, and yellow, are associated with stimulation, appetite, and warmth. These hues give a room a feeling of closeness, since the colors appear to come forward. They're great to use for establishing a cozy mood in a room.

What warm colors have you used in your home?

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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:00:35 -0700

Check out these gorgeous solar system-inspired quilts. - Craft
Master your daily cleaning routine. - AT:Chicago
Here's a quick tip to prevent board splits. - Charles and Hudson
Are you joining the Green Cure? - Re-Nest
A Dixie Chick is selling her home. - ShelterPop
Quiet those noisy heating pipes. - This Old House
Browse Istanbul shop Tulu. - Decor8
Light your living space with this unusual lamp. - Shelterrific

10 Chimney-Free Portable Fireplaces

CasaSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:33 -0700

This is the dawn of a new era of home heating. Traditional fireplaces with chimneys have always been something that adds value to a home; turning your heater up just doesn't have the same effect as sitting around a cozy fire. But now there's a wide range of portable fireplaces that burn eco-friendly ethanol ready to replace traditional fireplaces. They offer that same cozy vibe, but they can be used in any home, in any room - chimney or not - and can be taken with you when you move. The only problem is that many seem to be more modern in form, which doesn't appeal to everyone's taste. Come take a look!

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Nice and New: Travelmate Portable Fireplace

CasaSugar — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:30:14 -0700

When it comes to most of the products I recommend, finances are usually the only thing keeping you from taking them home. OK, maybe your husband would be opposed to mirrored furniture, but, moving on . . . There's one thing that's never been an easy purchase, and that thing is a fireplace. Why? Because a fireplace requires a chimney, which requires a contractor, bricks, etc.
To find out how to get around those pesky requirements, read more.

Lucky for all of us, that reality is no more, thanks to the Conmoto Travelmate Portable Fireplace ($3,300), a portable, stylish suitcase of black powder-coated steel and glass that holds a smokeless fire, burned from bio-ethanol liquid fuel. The Travelmate allows you to burn a fire literally wherever you want (so long as it's a flat surface): on your coffee table, in your bedroom, on the lawn, next to your favorite reading chair . . . on wood, on carpet, on stone, anywhere! Talk about house warming! That's right, FDR, you're not the only one who can have fireside chats.

Cool Idea: A Fan That Ventilates and Warms

CasaSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:30:55 -0700

One of my least favorite things about chilly Fall mornings is stepping into a freezing bathroom to take a shower. Since I live in the Bay Area, we seldom turn on our central heating, so more often than not, the bathroom feels like an icebox.

Instead of using a space heater, I’m thinking about adding an exhaust vent fan with a heater. This will not only warm the bathroom, but also improve indoor-air quality by circulating the air and removing odors and contaminants. One fan that I’ve had my eye on is the WhisperWarm ventilation fan by Panasonic Home & Environment Company. It’s quiet, lightweight, compact, and comes with an optional light and nightlight that uses CFLs.

Looking for a simple, eco-exhaust fan that doesn't heat? Then check out the WhisperGreen Energy Star-rated fan. The WhisperGreen uses a super-efficient DC motor, and comes with variable 2-speed and delay timer controls built-in or as a single-speed fans. All WhisperGreen models exhaust fans comply with Green building IAQ standards.

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:00:04 -0700

8 rooms that get it right! - AT:SF
10 modern dining rooms to love. - The Nest
Whip up these cute sponges. - Craft
Would you install radiant floor heating? - Re-Nest
Some advice on warranties. - Simply Stated
Will Madoff's Montauk home sell quickly? - ShelterPop
Tour Rancho la Puerta. - Danny Seo

Casa Verde: Pope Benedict Goes Solar

CasaSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:00:34 -0700

Still thinking about adding some renewable power to your home? Well, maybe this story will inspire you. Pope Benedict XVI recently installed photovoltaic solar panels in his home outside of Regensburg, Germany.

The panels are estimated to generate as much as 5,800 kilowatt hours per year, the equivalent of $3,500 worth of surplus electricity, which will be routed back to the German power grid. Any profits from the panels will be donated to job- and skill-training programs for disadvantaged youth.

To hear what the pope has to say about energy use, and to find out about tax credits for renewable energy, read more.

“Technologically advanced societies can and must lower their energy consumption, either through an evolution of manufacturing methods or through greater ecological sensitivity among their citizens. It should be added that at present it is possible to achieve improved energy efficiency while at the same time encouraging research into alternative forms of energy,” said Pope Benedict in a prepared statement.

The Vatican's roof was also covered with solar panels, beginning last Winter. Pope Benedict was also instrumental in the Vatican's plan to install a $600 million solar plant. A 6,000-seat hall's heating, cooling, and natural light needs will be supplied through 2,700 solar panels. When the hall is not in use, the energy will be used to power the Vatican.

If you live in the United States, you can find about renewable energy tax credits here.

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