what do you use to heat your home in winter?

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@kiwikidz (753)
New Zealand
April 11, 2007 8:57am CST
With winter approaching here in New Zealand I am wondering how different people in different countries keep their homes warm. Most people in small towns around here use coal for fires. I use an electric heater and find it very difficult to heat my flat when it is really bitterly cold, I think it is because I grew up in a coalmining community and beautiful open fires.
5 responses
• United States
25 Apr 07
I live in the United States of America. But, I live in an area, which is a desert. We never have a cold winter, it is more like spring. Rarely do we need heat. If and when we do, we have forced electric air. It is central, and it is also used for the air conditioner as well. Does a great job. Set the tempature, and that is what the whole house will be. I have been giving you + ratings, as the posts are great. Thank you.
1 person likes this
• United States
13 Jun 07
Thank you for the best response sugar. Hope you are enjoying the spring time now.
1 person likes this
@kiwikidz (753)
• New Zealand
9 Jun 07
Thanks for the response and thankyou for the + ratings I need as many as possible. We are in the beginning of winter here and it has been very cold and my more heater has been on a few too many times for my liking, but spring will be only around the corner so I keep positive and try to stay warm.
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@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
6 May 07
I live in the UK and our winters can be really cold and icy, so we have electric fan heaters plus a gas fire, I much rather use the gas fire because it is cheaper than electricity. However I always find it's just as easy to put extra clothes on or bring a blanket down when I am watching tv downstairs. I would love an open fire, but they are very uncommon in this country unless you have a massive old house which I don't just a two bed semi lol
@kiwikidz (753)
• New Zealand
9 Jun 07
Thanks for the response, I too would love an open fire, I was brought up in a coal mining district and 2 open fires in the house. When it gets too cold I go out and visit mum and dads open fires. Yes I also bring out the blankets when too cold.
1 person likes this
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
12 Apr 07
In the winter hear we have central heat and in the summer we have air conditioning.Some times when its not to cold out I do useelectric heater.
1 person likes this
@kiwikidz (753)
• New Zealand
16 Apr 07
Thankyou for the response to this discussion. I would love to have central heating, but I don't own my flat so I will just have to go on using my heater.
1 person likes this
@creematee (2810)
• United States
11 Apr 07
We live in the US, in the great state of Iowa. :) Last fall DH and I purchased a corn burning stove to help heat the house. It's so nice and warm in here. Corn prices have soared since ethanol gas has become more popular, though but we've decided we would rather pay a deserving farmer for the corn, than a greedy oil company for the gas.
1 person likes this
@kiwikidz (753)
• New Zealand
12 Apr 07
It sounds really cosy, who would have thought that you could use corn to heat your house, but I would hope the farmers get a good payout for the corn.
1 person likes this
@Inky261 (2520)
• Germany
13 Jun 07
We do have cold winters here and I have oil central heat. The heating is new and consumption therefore reasonable. Nonetheless I have a wood and coal burning stove in the kitchen that can heat half of my house. I cut many branches of trees in fall, sometimes a whole tree. These trees grow fast. The wood burning stove helps a lot to reduce the cost of heating and I can simmer a stew on it, too or heat water for tea.