Getting Ready For Winter...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
November 23, 2008 7:35am CST
Over the years when I was growing up, we’ve lived in some places that weren’t the best places. A lot of times in the winter we’d have to put up plastic over the windows to help keep air from seeping in around the windows. There’s been a few places that we’ve even put blankets up over the plastic to insulate it even more. It’s kind of a hassle but it does help keep you warmer in the wintertime.
Luckily, our home now has great insulation so the most I do is put a little rug up under the door to help keep out the drafts. BTW, the pic included is one I found off the net.
Do you put plastic and/or blankets up over your windows? Have you ever had to? How well insulated is your current home?
[b]~~IN SEARCH OF PEACE WITHIN~~
**AGAINST THE STORMS, I WILL STAND STRONG** [/b]
3 people like this
28 responses
@minnie_98214 (10557)
• United States
23 Nov 08
I dont have a problem with that at all thankfully. But before when i lived in apartments we always had to do the plastic thing over all windows it sucked cause even the plastic didnt always do the trick.
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
23 Nov 08
I have lived in a few homes where we did have to do that also, but you do what you have to do to keep the cold out.. I remember my mother doing that when we were younger and the only houses that we could afford to live in were never warm enough.. You really haven't lived unless you have experienced something like this, it makes you stronger and makes you appreciate what you do have now.. After growing up this way, I can sleep so much more comfortably in a cold room than in a hot room.. Thanksfully, now our home is very well insulated and it toasty warm and cozy when it is cold outside.. I am thankful for that..
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
25 Nov 08
It was the same way with us...my Mom was raising four kids alone so we didn't always live in the best places and you do what you have to. It may have looked really tacky but at least we were warm and had a roof over our heads.
[b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG AND TRUST IN GOD**[/b]
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
20 Jan 09
We have to cover the windows in plastic. cover the drafts over and around the doors. and dry to fix all the nooks and crannies that gives off cold air in the winter. Our water just froze up for a few days and finally thawed. I hate when it gets cold I would be happy if it didn't get colder then 20 but we have 0 degree weather right now. and I feel that we missed a few spots since I feel cold drafts moving across the floors.
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Living in the south, we worry more about the cold loss in the summer than the heat in the winter. I have been known to put something down to block under the door - heck, they are just so cute, too bad they don't stay in place - would kindda like that thing they show on tv, but the cats would destroy it.... course, the under door isn't my bad spot, its the stripping along side the door I have trouble with.
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
25 Nov 08
I lived in Texas for numerous years and it does get hot down there...I only lived in a couple of places that had air conditioning to keep inside, the rest of the places had box fans in the windows to pull in the hot air and make it slightly less hot before it got to you. I don't miss the heat, that's for sure.
If we had plastic over the windows now, I'd be willing to bet that Morgana would either bite through it or figure out some way of getting holes in it...she likes to look out the windows too much to have her view blocked.
[b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG AND TRUST IN GOD**[/b]
1 person likes this
@whittby (3072)
• United States
27 Nov 08
The temps don't get real low around here. The problem here is the summers where the heat is unbearable.
However, I remember back east insulating windows with the shrink plastic. i even made curtains out of fleece and hung them up over the windows too. It made a bi difference - used to hate those cold drafts even in our supposedly well insulated house.
@rusty2rusty (6763)
• Defiance, Ohio
24 Nov 08
Nope, i don't do any. But it is because I live in southern Florida where it doe snot get that cold. However I do put on a space heater from time to time when temptures drop some.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
24 Nov 08
i've used blankets before-and sometimes a towel at the bottom of the window..
but we had more of the blown-in insulation put in this year,and it seems to have made a difference.there's still some drafts here and there,with windows that need to be replaced yet,but by and large better than it was.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
24 Nov 08
I live in a very old house and in one bedroom do put up plastic. BEfore I moved in though they had blown in insulation...but that was a long time ago. I probably should think about doing it again but in reality our winters aren't as bad as they used to be...not as cold and not as much snow.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
24 Nov 08
I've lived in some very drafty places, too, mostly when I was young and on my own. One place had just a little gas heater in the bedroom-the other room was a small kitchen with no stove. I would heat things up sometimes atop the gas heater. It was cold in the winter, I could see my breath even with the heater going!
My house is well insulated now and always comfortable. I keep it around 66 degrees in the winter. 
@Bebs08 (10681)
• United States
24 Nov 08
Oh!! we are the same. I would also put something at our window in to keep the cold win from entering. It is really cold specially in the area where our air conditioner is located. and yes, under the door too I have to put come cloth to prevent the cold air form coming in. I even plan to put a thick fury curtain on out windows just to keep air from coming in. I really don't like this time of year.Very expensive. LOL.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Hey twoey! Yes I have to put plastic on my window where I
live to try to keep out the drafts and the cold air from
coming in. But, quite frankly it doesn't really help! I have
a very cold apartment and nothing seems to help. I have an
unfinished basement under my apartment that the maintenance
department uses for storage and it makes the apartment even
colder. I also live in an apartment that faces the back of
the building where my bedroom,kitchen and bathroom windows
are and I get all the wind pockets. So no matter what I do
it is always freezing in my apartment and I have to wear
very warm clothes and sometimes put the oven on in the kitchen.
Thankfully that is where I have my computer/office!
@k1virus1978 (543)
• Singapore
24 Nov 08
So good your country is going to be winter soon unlike our country all the way having summer.......
@scarletwitch12 (562)
• Philippines
24 Nov 08
I guess it's a lot harder when you live in countries with snow. We in the Philippines we do not experience snow so there is little need for insulation. But we do have mean typhoons at times. When we were younger our house used to be flooded when strong typhoons come. We had to wear rubber boots so our feet won't get wet.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
23 Nov 08
that is exactly what I have to do right now, the insulation on the window and the blankets, I always have one around my legs. I am looking for a new place to live though, I can't stand this anymore.
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
23 Nov 08
Hi twoey, We had to do that sort of thing when I was growing up but the house I now own is much warmer, and we have plenty of heat, unless we lose the electrical power. That does happen sometimes during winter storms, but thankfully don't usually last for a long time. Blessings.
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
23 Nov 08
Hi twoey68,
I have nnever had that problems, and our present home has double glazing doors and windows and we are nice and warm and cosy indoors.
Tamara
@camomom (7535)
• United States
23 Nov 08
That sounds like the place I'm in now. We have plastic up and are in the process of putting up blankets today. We need something to help with the draft under our front door yet too. We rent, otherwise, I'd have the windows and doors replaced.
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Our current home is very insulated. We moved here from an old farm house. It was huge, every room had 15 foot ceilings and I do not think that there was any insulation in the place. It was always cold inside of the house. The wind would whip in off of the field behind the house and I froze all of the time. We did put up plastic and had heavy drapes up as well. It did not help very much. Glad we are away from that house. I loved the house and the room in it but it was toooooo cooooolllldddd!
@Marie5656 (336)
• United States
23 Nov 08
We used to put plastic up in an older house we lived in. Not now though. We just got a new roof on our house, and it is thicker and a better insullation, so I hope we see a difference.
A few years back I put some insulation around one of the doors of the house, as it faces the wind. It seems to help keeping the drafts out.
I have few complaints about this house. Does not get too awfully cold..but we get the sun hitting the side of the house all day during the summer, so we do get pretty hot in the summer.
