To any fellow DUers suffering in the cold out there

[RoseMead]

You are all in my thoughts.

It hasn't gotten above 56 degrees in my house in the last three days. We have a furnace, but we couldn't afford the gas to run it this winter. Instead, we've been running electric space heaters off and on, and since our house is well insulated, it has worked well. Until now. Our space heaters just can't keep up with this cold.

But - at least we have a home, and heaters, amd extra clothes to put on, and people we could stay with if it gets really, really bad. I know there are so many who don't have these things. My heart goes out to those people - and animals - who are struggling to survive this cold snap.

So if you're cold today, my thoughts are with you, and my prayers that things get better soon. Take care, and try to stay warm. You're not alone.

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. K and R.

Please stay warm RoseMead. That can't be very comfortable for you.

[RoseMead]

6. Thank you :)

It wouldn't be so bad if I could just stay in bed under the covers until things warm up.

[tblue]

2. Where are you? And I agree with your sentiments.

[RoseMead]

9. Huntington, WV

Where, on top of everything else, it has just begun to snow. 2-6 inches forecast - yippee. (For folks up north, I know 2-6 inches of snow doesn't sound like much, but down here, people lose their minds over it.) :)

[Midlodemocrat]

3. Please check and see if you can get some assistance to help

with your heat.

Best to you. :hug:

[RoseMead]

12. My husband checked to see if there was any help for us

at the start of the winter, and basically he was told there was nothing available. And we really have been doing ok so far. It's been chilly a bit sometimes, but an extra layer of clothes was all we needed to make up the difference.

If the temps will get back up into the 40s during the day, that will be enough to get the indoor temperature high enough to almost be comfortable. But I think the high today was like 20. It was supposed to get to 25, but I don't think it made it.

[leftyclimber]

25. Unfortunately WV is really sticky about who gets heating assistance

And I'm assuming it's because so many of us here need it that they have to put such stringent limitations on it, fiscally speaking. I'd shudder to think that they were just being assholes.

Rose, have you done the blowdryer-plastic junk on your windows? It's relatively cheap. SO and I didn't realize how much heat we were losing through our windows until we did ours with it. That and trying to limit the number of rooms we used, so that what heat we have is concentrated in a smaller area. And make sure you're hydrating, eh? The drier you get internally, the colder you'll feel externally. I got turned on to ginger tea through some of my ice climbing friends. It makes your insides feel a bit toastier.

Staying a bit warmer up here in Morgantown (easier with a small-ish apartment) but thinking of you.

- lefty

[RoseMead]

28. I guess you guys can burn your couches lol

Just kidding. I know a lot of great folks in Morgantown. :)

Thanks for the suggestions, too. My husband and his father did a lot of work on this house a few years ago, and they insulated it well. There's even insulation under the floor! The windows are also good and tight, and we have storm windows as well, which helps too.

You're dead on about the tea, too. Eating hot salsa made me feel warmer some, too. Nice and peppery.

[butterfly77]

43. Bush's new budget is cutting out heating assistance...

[Beer Snob-50]

4. During these cold snaps

I think about this homeless man I met one day. It was frigid and I asked him what he did on nights like that. He shrugged and said he slept under some bushes. I gave him 10 bucks and prayed for him.

[malta blue]

5. It is cold here too.

There was frost inside the windows this morning.

Is there a HEAP program where you are?

You are not alone.:hug:

[etherealtruth]

7. It is freezing here as well

Mercifully we're able to keep the house at 66 during the day.

Let me echo the concerns and advice of others: see if there are any agencies that will assist with home heating costs (start with your utility company)

I am fearful, for you, that the cost of running your electric heaters may be greater than you anticipate. Hoping, with all my heart, that you and yours stay warm this winter.

[RoseMead]

18. Thank you all for your kind words and hugs

DU is my bastion of sanity. DUers really are the best!:hug:

[skypilot]

8. I'm honestly not trying to...

...play a game of oneupmanship although that is what this post is probably going to sound like...but I came within an inch of being homeless this weekend when the cold spell started here in earnest. The boiler in my apartment building caught fire when the serviceman came to fix it. The thing has been acting funny for the last couple years. My realtor was going to replace it this summer but then the owner of the realty company died and her estate got all tied up.

But the fire this weekend brought an end to that stalemate. We're finally getting a new boiler.

In the meantime, I've been without water since Saturday because the water had to be shut off so that the pipes would not freeze. I've been using my oven for heat when I'm at home. I've had offers from friends to stay with them but the people that I know who have the room (and the couch) live in neighborhoods that are kind of inconvenient for me. I live right in the downtown area and work within walking distance. If things get too bad I'll take them up on the offer but right now I'm just glad that my place didn't burn down. My apartment is directly above the basement where the boiler is (was).It's a little chilly but the walls and ceiling are still there and there was no smoke damage of anything. The repair guy and I managed to put out the fire with the extinguishers. The fire department did come an check everything out and a cop went over to my realtor office and put the heat on him. I've stocked up on bottle water and I'm muddling through. Some guys were here yesterday to take away the old boiler so it appears that work has started.

So, my thoughts are with you as well, RoseMead.

[RoseMead]

16. Bless your heart

At least we have hot water, since our water heater is electric, not gas. I can't imagine having no water at all. I hope they get your new boiler installed soon.

[skypilot]

17. Well, not exactly no water at all.

I bought a few 2 gallon jugs of bottled water, and since the stove is working I can heat the water up when I need to. It could have been worse and there are people who are enduring worse.

[Missy Vixen]

10. RoseMead, you're wearing a hat, right?

Please know I'm not making light of your situation. We had a week without power in December due to windstorms, and I found out that if I wore a stocking cap type hat at all times, I stayed much warmer.

I hope that the cold snap is over soon for everyone.

Thinking of you and sending warmth,
Julie

[knitter4democracy]

11. Scarves over the head work well, too.

I've been known to use those instead.

[RoseMead]

15. Thank you, yes :)

Last night I was wearing three layers of clothes, a coat, gloves and a scarf around my head. We joked that I looked like someone from Russia.

[momster]

13. Listen...anyone in this situation

Please don't use inappropriate heating methods! Every year people around here (Washington DC Area) lose their lives because they try to heat with candles or kitchen stoves or improperly cared for space heaters. I know that's easy for me to say but please, please, please take precautions, especially if you have pets or children. (Both of which can knock over heat sources.) It is better to go to a friend's or a family member's home until this cold snap ends than risk the dangers of fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.

[skypilot]

19. What's the problem with kitchen stoves?

I've been using my oven for the last few days (only when I'm at home). I'm honestly asking. What is the potential hazard?

[RoseMead]

20. I can answer this from experience

When the cold first hit, we tried using our oven to suppliment our heaters. The heating element burned through, and caused a fire in the oven. Only for a moment, and no damage was done (except to the element, which we now have to replace). But it scared the living bejeezus out of me.

We use electric heaters because I'm deathly afraid of kerosene heaters or anything where fumes might be an issue. Our electric heaters are very safe, but I still don't dare to leave them on when we're not home.

[skypilot]

21. Thanks, RoseMead

I will keep that in mind. Hopefully, I won't have to rely on the oven much longer. I've lived in my current apartment for about 12 years and I've rarely used the oven (mostly heating up cold pizza). I've probably used it more in the last few days than in the entire time I've been in the place.

[IronLionZion]

37. cold pizza

what works best for pizza IMHO, is to first microwave it, then put it in a dry frying pan on the stove for like a minute. The microwave gets it warm and melts the cheese quickly. The stove quickly dries the soggy crust. Although if you keep the pizza in the box like I do, then it won't be very soggy because the cardboard absorbs the moisture.

[Arkansas Granny]

23. May I add a hearty recommendation to this post. I work for a

contractor who does a lot of insurance repairs and we have worked on many fires that were started by space heaters. Follow all the instructions that come with your heater and don't use them with an extension cord unless it is specifically rated for that use.

[momster]

49. Watch Those Extension Cords

Limit how many things are plugged into one extension cord. It's really easy to overload one...especially if it's one of the older models. (People keep those suckers forever!) Make sure there's no fraying anywhere -- an important thing to check if you have any kitties. All mine loved chewing on the cords.

For the rest, if warm thoughts are of any use to you...you have mine.

[rubberducky]

14. My thoughts and prayers are with you!

Here in MI, my furnace is having a hard time to keep up with the cold. But, we are managing! Usually keep my house at 65 ( the heat of menapause), but it`s getting kind of chilly. Even for me! Stay safe and stay warm!

[wicket]

22. Bless you Rose

:hug:

[EstimatedProphet]

24. Stay warm!

I know what you mean about it being cold inside, at least partially. We're in a refurbished old building, and we found out when it got cold that the carpenters just decided to put the windows in place without actually attaching them, or insulating them at all. Wind comes right through.

[RoseMead]

26. Bleh, that sucks!

Would plastic help at all?

BTW, *love* the graphic. :)

[EstimatedProphet]

29. The landlord is calling in the carpenters to do the job they were supposed to

[Sonicmedusa]

27. So, so many

people doing without necessities- many just barely surviving- in one of the wealthiest countries on earth, while we piss countless money away killing human beings.

It just breaks my heart.

I hope you and yours stay well, RoseMead.

[Pawel K]

30. Good luck to you. Who is your powe company?

I dont know how it is in your state but a lot of counties give assitance to people that can not afford heating. No body should have to suffer from the cold in this country, my prayers are with you.

[RoseMead]

41. AEP

Appalachian electric, or something like that. They're no help, unfortunately. As the poster upthread noted, apparently assistance of this type is hard to get in West Virginia, probably because so many people need it.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

31. What about fellow DUers suffering in the heat? -nt

[RoseMead]

40. You have my sympathy too :)

Maybe we can arrange a trade?

[Cleita]

32. Yep, This is the third year I have been huddling under warm

clothes and blankets. It's been colder than ever this winter it seems or maybe the old bones aren't tolerating the cold very well anymore. When I get my car paid off in the summer, maybe next winter I can afford the heat.

[schmuls]

33. I am in Milwaukee Wisconsin and this is an ass-freezer! You are

right, at least I have a house, which is more than a lot of people have! Take heart, the temp is rising, slowly but surely!

[TZ]

34. good luck and take care

Its really cold here too. I constantly complain about how cold my lab is but definitely your post puts things into perspective. As expensive as my electric bill is, I still can manage to heat my house adequately (plus I have two warm and fuzzy cats that help keep me warm at night). Hope somebody comes up with a good suggestion for you.

[catmandu57]

35. A heating suggestion

At the last apartment I lived in the boiler gave up, the landlord was tighter than whatever, instead of repairing the boiler they put in electric window heating units, air conditioner/heater combined, they actually worked pretty good.
If possible go to a home improvement store and get one of those, they'll work much better than space heaters and they're safe to use, depending on what size you need your heating costs won't be too bad, good luck, there's not too much of this left, we got our first decent day in weeks, but it's going to cool down again tomorrow, for now though my feet are actually warm.

[IronLionZion]

36. electric blankets

It's crazy cold up here in Minnesota. But I need warmth at night or I can't sleep so I use an electric blanket between my sheet and comforter. That helps a lot. Space heaters seem wasteful to me and a little bit dangerous depending on the type. The blanket heats up just my bed so it doesn't waste much energy.

I had an electric space heater that burned a blanket that I had kept a little too close to it last winter. That's when I decided against space heaters. Now I might still get electrocuted by the blanket but I feel safer with it than with the space heater.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

39. lol! We were posting about electric blankets at the same time! :)

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

38. Sending you warming thoughts. Have you tried electric blankets? I use mine here when

it gets unsufferably cold. My bedroom is over the garage and the cold air infiltration can be brutal but the electric blankie makes sleeping easier, and I believe they aren't too bad energy wise.

[RoseMead]

42. Wish I had one

But I've always been afraid to use them because I have cats. We do have like 8 regular blankets on the bed, though, and once we're in bed for a few minutes it's nice and toasty. Helps that my sweetie is a big-time heat generator.

[Suziq]

46. We Have Many Electric Blankets

and we have two cats. I was also a little concerned at first, but no problems. My kitty Maggie is always cold. She loves the electric blanket! She just lays on it and really doesn't mess with it.

I am sitting on my couch with a electric blanket going right now. Can't afford to jack up the heat.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

48. I have one pussycat and she's perfectly fine with the blanket. Normally she doesn't like

anything covering her, and I mistakenly flung the electric blanket over her. She went to sleep under it!

And lucky you and your sweetie for keeping each other warm!

[kitty1]

44. As my Grandma used to say; It could freeze the ass off a brass monkey

In Winnipeg we're used to the Arctic blast this time of year.
Many schools were closed yesterday. Oh to be in Mexico right now.
Stay warm and cozy everyone

[UrbScotty]

45. I'm not financially well-off...

...but at least I have heat. How horrible it is that so many people have to live in the cold due to high energy costs.

[roguevalley]

47. I feel for all of you too. It got to below freezing to way the hell below

zero from November until about early January. Then it warmed up and all around us things melted. Now we are back at 10. For Alaska, even that is weird. Take care, all you out there. By the way, I would be in shorts and sleeveless shirts at 56.

[OneBlueSky]

50. though not financially well off, I'm fortunate to share a house with several others . . .

and by pooling our resources we can afford things like heat, electricity, water, and food . . . not much in the way of luxuries, but then none of us really want or need them . . .

I wish you well and hope it warms up for you soon . . . :hug: