The Cost of Heating a 156 Year-Old House
Alex, what is: $300-400 per month?
That is correct.
Holy cats, it's going to cost us $400 per month to heat this pile. Peder, Sarah, think you've got us beat on how low the thermostat can humanly be set before one starts seeing one's breath? It is coooooold in this house. The radiators in the kitchen don't even work. I was going to complain to our landlady about it, but now that we've gotten our first oil bill, I'm thinking that we'll just run the stove for heat. It's gas, and the gas bill was about $17 last month. What the?
And Grandmas, before you start being concerned that the children are going to be affected by the cold, try not to worry. We are keeping them dressed in multiple layers and are running space heaters (for short, closely monitored durations) around them. They are wearing multiple layers to bed and sleeping under layers of blankets. They don't seem to notice the chill in the air.
We were (or rather I was, as Hans was out) dumb enough to decide to put our bedroom in the alcove of the parlor, the floor of which is uninsulated. For some reason, that little alcove was added on to the house at some point after 1850. They didn't even run the floorboards in the same direction, so it's pretty easy to tell. Anyway...sliding into bed at night has become a test of endurance. It is like sleeping between two glaciers. And please, no jokes about "keeping warm". Husbands don't tend to be attracted to wives who are wearing stocking caps, mittens and earmuffs to bed. In addition to two long sleeved shirts, heavy socks and fleece pants. Plus, said wife refuses to roll over once her little area of bed is warmed.
Anyway, I feel like Laura Ingalls Wilder around here. I seriously have considered baking potatoes and putting them into the foot of the bed to warm it up (as Laura's cousins did in the sleigh in the Big Woods--yes, I know all things LHOP). We have a fireplace and should figure out how to build a fire...but then I started considering the fact that we have a toddler and an infant around the house, both of whom would be highly attracted by the beauty and sparklyness of a fire. It's just not worth the risk.
Other than that, not much is up. Oh, add on top of the insane oil bill the fact that our lovely 3-1 ARM interest-only home loan has come up and we will now be making mortgage payments on our Chula Vista manse that are nearly $1000 more than they were a month ago. I think we've finally agreed that the time has come to sell, thank heavens. So, wish us luck on that.
I wonder why these sorts of things all happen around Christmas? It must just be a way for God to test us and how much we trust him.
For those that believe, pray for us to stay warm...
That is correct.
Holy cats, it's going to cost us $400 per month to heat this pile. Peder, Sarah, think you've got us beat on how low the thermostat can humanly be set before one starts seeing one's breath? It is coooooold in this house. The radiators in the kitchen don't even work. I was going to complain to our landlady about it, but now that we've gotten our first oil bill, I'm thinking that we'll just run the stove for heat. It's gas, and the gas bill was about $17 last month. What the?
And Grandmas, before you start being concerned that the children are going to be affected by the cold, try not to worry. We are keeping them dressed in multiple layers and are running space heaters (for short, closely monitored durations) around them. They are wearing multiple layers to bed and sleeping under layers of blankets. They don't seem to notice the chill in the air.
We were (or rather I was, as Hans was out) dumb enough to decide to put our bedroom in the alcove of the parlor, the floor of which is uninsulated. For some reason, that little alcove was added on to the house at some point after 1850. They didn't even run the floorboards in the same direction, so it's pretty easy to tell. Anyway...sliding into bed at night has become a test of endurance. It is like sleeping between two glaciers. And please, no jokes about "keeping warm". Husbands don't tend to be attracted to wives who are wearing stocking caps, mittens and earmuffs to bed. In addition to two long sleeved shirts, heavy socks and fleece pants. Plus, said wife refuses to roll over once her little area of bed is warmed.
Anyway, I feel like Laura Ingalls Wilder around here. I seriously have considered baking potatoes and putting them into the foot of the bed to warm it up (as Laura's cousins did in the sleigh in the Big Woods--yes, I know all things LHOP). We have a fireplace and should figure out how to build a fire...but then I started considering the fact that we have a toddler and an infant around the house, both of whom would be highly attracted by the beauty and sparklyness of a fire. It's just not worth the risk.
Other than that, not much is up. Oh, add on top of the insane oil bill the fact that our lovely 3-1 ARM interest-only home loan has come up and we will now be making mortgage payments on our Chula Vista manse that are nearly $1000 more than they were a month ago. I think we've finally agreed that the time has come to sell, thank heavens. So, wish us luck on that.
I wonder why these sorts of things all happen around Christmas? It must just be a way for God to test us and how much we trust him.
For those that believe, pray for us to stay warm...
Comments
Our pantry and 1st floor bath are add ons too. Don't go near the granite floor in the pantry. your toes will turn to icicles!
We got a twin size electric blanket to put at the foot of the bed. We try to remember to turn it on sometime before we go to bed.
Ya, I would say that fuel bill is a little high! You mentioned Laura Ingalls Wilder, remember the BAD winter in DeSmet when they heated with twisted grass and ground wheat in the coffee mill and they had unmelted snow on their blankets upstairs in the morning? Now that was cold! Just between you and me, I don't think that cold sleeping conditions are bad, once you get your nest warmed up. Love you guys, stay warm and in touch.
Dad