Across the U.S., families are looking to the winter with dread as energy costs soar and fuel supplies tighten. Here's what to expect and how to prepare.
By DAVID SHARP, Associated Press JAY, Maine — Across the U.S., families are looking to the winter with dread as energy costs soar and fuel supplies tighten.
People are also reading… "It's a hard one," he said."What are you going to choose for food, or what amount of fuel oil are you going to choose to stay warm?"A number of factors are converging to create a bleak situation: Global energy consumption has rebounded from the start of the pandemic, and supply was barely keeping pace before the war in Ukraine further reduced supplies.
The pain will be especially acute in New England, which is heavily reliant on heating oil to keep homes warm. It's projected to cost more than $2,300 to heat a typical home with heating oil this winter, the energy department said. "We work significant hours but it seems that it's not enough," said Tyler, who wept with relief when she learned they qualified for even a modest amount of heating assistance.
Some are seeking help who've never done so in the past. In Auburn, Maine, 72-year-old Mario Zullo said he worked all his life and never asked for help until last year when he received heating assistance last year. The program helped upgrade his heating.Mark Wolfe, executive director of NEADA, said he fears the federally funded program won't be enough because of the high cost of energy and continued instability in energy markets.
25 ways to stay warm this winter Warming your body 1. Warm up with store-bought hand warmers, microwavable heating pads, hot water bottles or heated blankets. Following the manufacturer's instructions and concentrating on your torso are key, said JohnEric Smith, an associate professor in the department of kinesiology at Mississippi State University."If you warm the core you can warm the hands and feet. It is harder to warm the core by warming the hands and feet.
4. Cuddle. Snuggles really can keep you warm."Each of us produces heat through our metabolic processes. We lose our heat to the environment as we maintain body temperature," Smith said via email."Increasing skin contact decreases opportunities for the heat to be lost to the environment around us. If two people are under a blanket both of their heat losses combined can increase the temperature under the blanket more quickly than either could do independently.
"It only has to go poorly once to be life changing," Smith said. If you don't have children or pets, when you're done cooking and you turn off the oven, what doesn't hurt is leaving the oven door open to let residual heat escape. 10. Embrace less breathable clothing and linens. While breathable linens are often recommended during the summer, linens with other materials and higher thread counts may be better for winter — higher thread counts have more weaving per square inch.
14. Reverse your ceiling fan. If possible, send your ceiling fan in a clockwise direction so that it sends the warm air down. 18. After showering, don't run the bathroom fan or close the door. Unless your bathroom is prone to growing humidity-induced mold, the warm steam from the shower can make the nearby air less dry and cool for a short period of time.
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