Monday, March 12, 2007

Allergies vs Energy Bills

Our utility bill, which is a combination of gas, electric, water, garbage... all of the utilities, has been getting higher and higher this winter. In part, the increases were due to more heat needed in the cold cold cold days, complicated by the renovations which have resulted in a few "open" spaces (exposed flooring, lack of drywall) that decrease our heat efficiency. The last bill? Came in at $334. Now that the weather is getting nicer, we figure we'll open the windows, turn off the heater, use a fan if we need to cool down, etc. However. I had forgotten what allergies are like in a Southern Spring. On prescription allergy medicine, I still am sitting here at my desk with itching and watering eyes, a itchy and running nose, dry skin on my arms that no amount of lotion will moisturize and I ask myself. Is it worth it to have the windows open? To have all that pollen flying around the house? I wish myself could come up with an answer to that, because this whole sneezing and then fighting with the dog over the kleenex (she pulls them from the trash) while sneezing more thing is just no fun. And that's not even accounting for the sneezing while typing so ending up with crazy ;alsi ebur;'s in the middle of my abstract.

Windows up and comfortable temperatures? Or windows down and slightly less aggravating allergies. You decide. I'm too busy sneezing.

1 comment:

Xboyd said...

Closed windows a must! Allergies actually affect your ability to concentrate....which could have dire affect on A's studies. You both also need to stay well... you've been sick or on the edge of sick all winter. Allergies reduce your immunity to all the 'bugs'. Now, there's my mommy's advice.

Consider the closed windows a "Necessity" and go without some other aspect of your lives.