Utility Bills

My mom lives in an apartment.  She enjoys it very much.  But, it is horribly insulated!  A month ago, I went over and caulked around her windows and the wall heating unit.  We put baby plug covers over the electrical outlets that were on the outer wall of the apartment.  And she put in a request to have the maintenance fellow put in insulation around her patio door.

Unfortunately, they never came and we have hit a horrible cold snap here!  So, today I went over with the extra insulation tubes that I hadn't needed when I insulated the hot water pipes in our basement last year.  I cut each tube in three long strips and used these strips to fill the gap between the door and the wall.  I wish I had done it before today!  But, I am thankful it is done now and that cold air isn't continuing to pour in through her door.

So, a couple of things to think about and matter for mercy and prayer...

If you know someone who lives in an apartment on a fixed income, do you know if it is insulated?  Do the windows need caulking?  My mom told me that her friends' apartments are just like hers... I hope I'll get the chance to go caulk around some windows soon.  It's hard.  There's a lot going on, but hopefully I will...

But, there's another way that the winter is hitting many families hard this winter.  Did you know that there is a propane shortage across the country and that tanks aren't being filled completely?  The winter here on the east coast is much colder than the past few years.  The fall was wetter for farmers this past season across the country and a much greater amount of propane was used so there is a greater shortage (and exports have also increased according to the Baltimore Sun last Saturday's edition).  The article we read last week opened our eyes to something we didn't know.  It is this... Only 3% of the general population use propane for heat... BUT 49% of all mobile homes use propane for heating.  This means that many families who live in mobile homes this winter are struggling to stay warm.  I'm not sure how to help besides prayer.