Why can't liberals see that living in cold, drafty, poorly insulated houses is good for poor people?

Question

If you can't afford routine furnace maintenance (which we all know is very cheap) and a carbon monoxide detector, would you really want everything that comes from your furnace to stay in your house? Sometimes, drafts are a life saver.

Your thoughts?

C'mon, neocons - here's another chance to trash LIHEAP!

Answer 1

Well that certainly is a new and "different " way to look at this situation. I think most liberals are just too attached to the notion that people are people and they should be treated as humans and be able to live in decent circumstances regardless of their financial situation. I have to agree with those liberals on this one though I'm sure your view will be very popular with the conservative crowd

Answer 2

I am having trouble envisioning this type of construction(especially about the part about going outside to go back inside to adjust the thermostat. //is access to the second level open from the first floor via open stairwell? Is there any chutes or should I say heating ductwork that go from the first to the second floor that is open? Not so important about the basement(because heat rises) Plastic sheeting such as what they use for insulation vapor barrier works wonders here along with a stapler. Yes it looks weird now, but worry about looks later. Chances are if there was insulation, it was sawdust(which would have settled to the bottom by now) in between the walls. Leave that for now. Mainly because that is a major job and major costl Do your windows fit snugly or can you see the outdoors through the cracks? That is cold air coming in. There is a whole swack of insulative tapes and foam tapes that may address that problem and give you a tighter seal. Next regarding heat loss. The windows themselves are single pane glass. Touch it with the back of your hand. Frickin cold. That radiates inward cooling off your level. What can you do? Window plastic film. Not directly on the glass. That provides no insulation but if there is 1/8" or more of an airspace between the film and the glass, that air pocket will be the insulation. So with this window film kit comes a roll of double sided sticky tape. Plan it out as how you are to do it so that you have a space. Some people just stick it on the frame and do not open windowns all winter. I have done mine so I can open the windows and close them and the film is not affected. But, you will need a good pair of scissors and a razor knife, and a 1500Watt pistol hairdryer. Do the windows as according to the instructions on the box.. It is a great help to retaining the heat. Make sure your return vents (usually on the centre walls) are open so that the cold air gets sucked down. With the upstairs people have them close their return vents (as this will reduce the amount of heat they will get from the heater>compare it to putting your mouth over the opening of a soda bottle/you being the furnace/ and blowing. Cold air return closed no hot air in. Same in the stairwell, cut the open cold air vent to half open. That may mean putting something in front of the vent. Matters not. I use plastic grocery bags to plug the vents. That will reduce the stairwell temp... or you could turn the heater vent to half open instead of fully open(as the upstairs gets the benefit of this additional heat. There is no plumbing to worry about. You got to do the work. This is the cheapest route I know that is acceptablely liveable. to both levels. In this way you can increase the thermostat and not burn out the upstairs. Now as you have access to the downstairs basement, then look at the furnace ducting and see if there is any vents closed to the downstairs that could benefit you by wafting up to the main floor.

Answer 3

What makes you think poor people have furnaces?

Answer 4

Hey, I live in a cold, drafty house...didn't know I was poor though. Thanks, for enlightening me. I'm off to the welfare office.

Answer 5

That's so nice that you care. (sarcasm)

Answer 6

Jerk