![]() ![]() In addition to the original album's 10 tracks, the reissue includes single versions of "Hello Hurray," "Billion Dollar Babies," "Elected" and "Mary Ann," plus the outtakes "Cool Black Model T" and "Son of Billion Dollar Babies (Generation Landslide)" and "Slick Black Limousine," originally issued as a flexi-disc in an issue of New Musical Express.Ī concert from Texas in April 1973, not long after the album's release, features several Billion Dollar Babies songs and other Alice Cooper classics like "I'm Eighteen," "School's Out" and "Under My Wheels." What's on Alice Cooper's 'Billion Dollar Babies' Box Set? The single version of "Elected" from the set is available for streaming now. England.The upcoming reissue features a newly remastered version of the album the vinyl edition includes the original textured gatefold sleeve and a $1 billion bill. Recorded at The Manor Studio, Shipton on Cherwell, Oxfordshire. This version It was recorded on June 26, 1983. No CD version of this album was ever released in the United States (although some imports can be found in some stores in that country).Īn unmixed bootleg called "Born Again Unmixed Demos & The Fallen" was distributed by a Japanese company in 2004, including an unreleased song called "The Fallen" that Black Sabbath would later officially release on the 2011 deluxe edition. While, lyrically, Ian Gillan dedicated it to his girlfriend (and later his wife), Bron Gillan. "Keep It Warm", according to Tony Iommi, musically is based on some riffs that were left over from the time of the album "Mob Rules" (1981). It is believed that "Digital Bitch" is dedicated to Sharon Osbourne, but this has not been confirmed by the band. The priest of said church went to knock on the door of the mansion where the band was recording and asked them not to play on Tuesdays and Thursdays, because the church choir was rehearsing on those days. The place where they recorded the album, there was a church nearby. "Disturbing the Priest" is about an anecdote lived by the band. This song was re-recorded by Ian Gillan solo on the album "Gillan's Inn" (2006). And in one lap, the tire was punctured, and at the moment of turning and taking the curve, the car overturned. While drunk, he drove Bill Ward's car around a go-kart track in the mansion where they were recording "Born Again" (the manager at the time, Don Arden, had bought each car from the band members). "Trashed" is about a moment that Ian Gillan lived through. ![]() ![]() ![]() Black Sabbath used a huge Stonehenge set that often didn't fit the venues they played in, whereas Spinal Tap's Stonehenge prop was too small, and "in danger of being crushed by a dwarf." In actuality the concept for this scene was developed in 1982, well before the Sabbath tour in question. It is a common misconception that the "Stonehenge" scene in This Is Spinal Tap was inspired by Black Sabbath's stage set for this album's tour. However, the US release date is still unknown. However, it was actually released on September 12, as albums at that time were never released on a Friday. The album's UK release date was long believed to be August 7. This same cover was used by Depeche Mode two years earlier (1981) for the single "New Life". The cover is based on a photo from a magazine called Mind Alive from 1968. As it turned out, Tony Iommi loved it (although Ian Gillan thought it was appalling). All tracks by Gillan, Iommi, Butler, Ward.īill Ward left after the recording of this album to be replaced by Electric Light Orchestra's Bev Bevan.Īccording to legend, the infamous cover art for this album was done by an artist who was working for both Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne, and the story goes that he made an intentionally poor job of it in the hope that Sabbath would reject it so that he could sever ties with them. ![]()
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![]() ![]() I don’t have that much time to spare, so a timer helps remind me when to quit. I have learned, however, to set a timer because an hour can zip by and you won’t notice it. Have fun with this addictive game, even if you aren’t the right demographic. For example, I’m in level 9 now, and find that if I start at 7, by the time I get to 9, I have some points saved up. ![]() The easy way to get there is to start at a lower level and work up. At 50,000 points, you get another frog life. In the example above, as the yellow chain closes and explodes, it actually helps to add a yellow ball, if one is up. This gives you more points and slows the game sufficiently for a shot at a coin or another combination. When the third red hits, you have two yellow strands connecting. Shoot red balls into a yellow string, instead of taking them all out by adding another yellow. To do this, watch for a long string of one color, and interrupt it with 3 balls of a different color. One of the best ways to get the forward moving chain to slow down is to make multiple hits. (I warned you that I was the wrong demographic.) Moving back from the screen helped a lot.īuild chains within chains. I sat too close and my eyes began to unfocus and I had trouble identifying the colors because everything moves so fast. Sit farther away from your computer screen. You are not in control of the color sequence, and much of the game is chance. Quit switching colors so often and learn how to turn the frog quickly. Firing any color anywhere is a trip to the death trap. While it’s harder to hit coins, it helps you in the long run.ĭon’t fire at random. The more coins you hit, the fewer the total number of balls sent into the game. ![]() ![]() The only way to do that is to hit coins and shoot through gaps. To get out without losing a frog, you have to get through the line of balls fast. If it’s far enough away from the skull’s head death-trap, you’ll have lots of chances to create another strand.įor Level 7. Do the same for a gap, however, and you might wind up shooting a red into a strand of yellows. When you are firing at a coin, the double-fire technique is a must. It’s the only way to hit the coin, and the color doesn’t matter if it’s a hit. When you fire the color that will create a gap, fire twice in rapid succession. After level 5, it’s impossible to get ahead without hitting a coin. You remember a long strand of blue, spin around to spit an upcoming blue. You’ll get another one very shortly, and can pile them up in the same place. If you aren’t in a spot you can do that, remember where you spit the useless color. At this level, if you still have room and you come to a color you can’t use, turn to a free space and spit it out. The balls begin to move faster, and different colors are added. At this level, you can’t depend on luck, although luck has a lot to do with the game. This isn’t a tutorial, so I’ll skip the description of the balls, death-trap and how many frog lives you have. You get more points by shooting the balls through the gaps you create by combining colors, or by hitting special balls that make the game slow down. There are different mazes to get through. There is a dot on the frog’s back so you can tell what the next color ball is. The object of the game is to score points by creating groups of 3 or more of the same colored ball. A frog, located at the center, spits colored spheres from his mouth. A line of colored balls snakes through a maze. It’s an addictive game with colorful, jungle/Mayan/Aztec-style graphics and drumbeat music that is quite infectious. So I thought I’d do the Zuma addicts a favor and give some hints. I discovered that a lot of the “help” and “strategy” sites are just videos of kids playing, with no explanation. Because I am the wrong demographic for the games, it took me a while to figure out it’s about points. After being stuck at Level 5, then 7, I began to look for strategies that others had developed. Recently, while visiting a friend, I began to play Zuma on their computer, and when I got home, ordered it myself. Mario Brothers came out when I was an adult, I’ve never played a video game except Tetrus, and play that only because it came on my first Mac. ![]() ![]() ![]() Most people recover in 2–4 weeks, but some experience symptoms for longer. It can cause lymph nodes in the neck and armpits to swell. Infectious mononucleosis, also known as mono or glandular fever, is the result of a viral infection. Getting a flu vaccine each year is the best way to avoid getting the flu. People in these groups may need antiviral medication to prevent severe symptoms. people with underlying health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease).People who are most at risk of complications include: Most people recover from the flu without treatment, but it can sometimes cause complications. When a person has the flu, they should stay at home and rest, avoiding contact with others. Vomiting and diarrhea can also occur, but these symptoms are more common in children. They also often develop suddenly rather than gradually. The symptoms of the flu are similar to those of other respiratory viruses, but they tend to be more severe. The flu is a respiratory infection that can also cause the lymph nodes to swell. However, other viral conditions can cause swollen lymph nodes with no other visible symptoms. ![]() Infections with these viruses usually produce other visible symptoms, such as a rash. varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles.Have any of you ladies experienced something similar, only to have it disappear later? Is this normal? Should I keep my appointment or wait it out for another week? Any advice would be appreciated.Many viruses can cause swollen lymph nodes. I have insurance, but have no clue what kind of out of pocket expenses will incur. The swelling has gone down, but never before have I experienced a swollen lymph node in the groin, that I can remember. I made an appointment at the lady doc for this upcoming Monday, but I'm trying to verify whether this is an actual emergency or if I should give it more time before I immediately approach someone in the medical field. Before then, I had a clean screening at my last OBGYN appointment. I've only had 2 partners in the past 6 months and have practiced safe sex. Pair it with my first ever hemorrhoid and I'm incredibly on edge. Of course, I googled possible reasons for this and they're all horrifying and. It increased to the size of a small grape, so not painful or tender unless prodded. The same kind of tender you get when you press on a swollen node in your neck. Last Wednesday (the 9th) I started noticing my left inguinal/groin lymph node was slightly swollen. I have nobody to ask in my life about this. Īll Related Subreddits & Resources Assault & DV Resources #twoxchromosomes on Snoonet Join our Mod Team! Relevance: Please submit content that is relevant to our experiences as women, for women, or about women. Rights of all genders are supported here. Grace: No tactless posts generalizing gender. Likewise, posts found to direct odious influxes here may be removed. Please follow reddiquette.Įquanimity: No drama-inducing crossposting of content found in other subreddits, or vice versa. Respect: No hatred, bigotry, assholery, misogyny, misandry, transphobia, homophobia, racism or otherwise disrespectful commentary. Thoughtful, Meaningful Content Posts are moderated for content according to the following guidelines (hit report on violations): Welcome to TwoXChromosomes, a subreddit for both serious and silly content, and intended for women's perspectives. ![]() ![]() ![]() Maken-Ki! Battling Venus is a great fighting harem anime that also has fighting tournaments, making it more interesting for fans. Where to Stream: Crunchyroll, Funimation and Netflix.If you are just looking for a plain anime series with comedic, romance, and fanservice elements, this one might probably be one of the best picks, based on the IMDB and MAL ratings. An interesting fact about this series is that the plot in the series is very tame, considering what happens in the Visual Novel. The Haganai anime series has some of the most lucky moments out of most of the anime series in this list. You should try this wonderful anime because its female characters are so cute that you will definitely love them. There are many ecchi and fanservice moments with our protagonist and their four beautiful female characters during their mission to defeat aliens. Our protagonist joins the H圎ros team along with his four cute classmates to fight against aliens. Super H圎ros is one of the best superhero harem anime on Crunchyroll, filled with so many comedy moments. Genre: Adventure, Romantic and Supernatural.This series has lots of fanservice even though its plot is too er*tic, so there is no doubt why you should watch it. Qwaser is a being with the ability to control iron who derives his strength from bre*st milk. It depicts an alchemy academy where a young guy named Alexander is a “Qwaser.” The Qwaser of Stigmata is also a great magical girl harem anime series that contains intense ecchi scenes. This is an er*tically charged harem and one of the best ecchi anime that everyone should watch. However, Keita doesn’t want to feel any feelings for them.Īfter his sisters began enrolling at his school, he gradually started to feel a desire for them. Our protagonist, Keita, has two older step-sisters who intensely love him. Kiss x Sis is the best brother-sister relationship anime ever created for the anime medium. There are also many good er*tic moments of these female characters with the main character, which is the main reason we have included Yosuga no Sora in this list. Other than that, plenty of other good female characters are in the series. The last arc of this series shows the brother-sister relationship for which this harem became infamously famous. Yosuga no Sora was one of the most contentious anime, mostly due to the ending of the series. Arifureta: From Commonplace to the World’s Strongest.Oresuki: Are you the only one that loves me?Īnime with amazing visuals and beautiful world-building:. ![]()
![]() ![]() Anyway, that this where the birthday fabric scraps came from. Making clothing means a large amount of extra fabric that isn’t useful to her but is very fun for me. She thoughtfully saves many adorable scraps for me to quilt with. My sister, Cathy, has a shop on Etsy called 6 Monkeys & Co where she sells handmade childrens’ clothing. I thought it might be fun for them to have a birthday placemat they can share, each one using it on their birthday. My grand daughters both have birthdays in March – Big sister will be 7 and Little sister will be 4. While I am here, I want to share this quick little placemat I made this week. Creativity abounds in this group so I am excited to see the finishes! I believe Gail (the originator and organizer of the event) said there were about 50 quilters participating. Everyone will be back on March 18th to share their finished quilts. Hopefully I will baste it and begin quilting it this weekend. When I look at this, I feel like it is complete. To balance things out one last time, I added another strip of the blue along the bottom. Instead, I took the fabric I had left from the five inch square you can see at the top, cut a narrow (1.5″) strip of it and stitched it to the side. I really didn’t want to add more pieced blocks to this very busy little quilt. In her post, she provided so many fun ways a person might do this. For her prompt she asked we incorporate letters or numbers into the round. The final week was set up by Kathleen McMusing. I knew this event would go quickly! Here we are finishing up the sixth round for the Stay At Home Round Robin and then it is time to quilt it. SAHRR – Final Round & a Little Extra Project This entry was posted in Patchwork, Scrappy Quilting and tagged charm square quilts, heart shape quilt, little girl quilt, twin bed quilt on Maby Bernie. Check them out at the top of the page, under link ups. We don’t have any plans so maybe a little sewing, a little exercise and some yard work. These will keep the grand kids cozy for the next sleepover!! Enjoy the weekend everyone. It shouldn’t be an issue.īoth of the heart quilts look sweet side by side in this guest room. I prewashed it to prevent any color bleeding into the white portion from the front of the quilt. I have a number of yards of this leftover from the shop so it felt great to use a large portion to back the quilt and to bind it as well. ![]() Not surprisingly, this added some heft to the quilt. When I basted it, I had the batting (80/20) and then also added a layer to thin pink flannel between the batting and the dark pink backing. The girls often wear nightgowns or little shorts and t-shirts to bed so I gave this quilt an extra layer. It looks puffy because it is! I wanted this to be super warm. Shouldn’t take any time at all to pop the walking foot on the machine and add a bit more stitching. I am somewhat concerned I need more quilting over the white background and will add another set of double lines between the existing sets. ![]() It is cozy, warm and very, very pink! Just what little girls need when spending the night at their grandparent’s house! Simple cross hatch across the heart and then minimal straight line quilting over the white portion did the trick. I settled for somewhat boring shots of it on the bed. I kept thinking I would go take some sort of artsy, creative photos of it but really, a twin size quilt is a bit cumbersome to take outside and hang over a fence or tree branch. Actually I finished it several weeks ago. I have three different versions below, so you can choose the colors you like best.Not sure why I have not posted this already but I finished up the pink heart quilt for the twin bed. These can be posted on the wall, and I also recommend making a book with them to place in the reading center. I have made these printable rules posters for use in your classroom. I always tell my students the most important rule is “Be nice to others” and I always put that poster first. They have worked well because they cover everything, and are simple enough for young children to remember. I have used these 4 simple classroom rules for Pre-K for over 10 years. Using words like “obey” or “responsible” are going to be hard to explain to a preschooler. You will have plenty of other opportunities to teach new vocabulary, but with the wording of the rules, you want all kids to be able to understand. When choosing the vocabulary to use in your rules, use easy words. ![]() I recommend having no more than 3-4 rules. Classroom Rules for Pre-K and Preschool children should be short, and easy to understand by a young child. Here are some printable rules posters you can use in your classroom. ![]() ![]() Activity series of some of the more common metals, listed in. 2: Elements categorized into metals, non-metals and metalloids. The oxidation number of an element in this group can range from +5 to -2, depending on the group in which it is located. ![]() It is used to determine the products of single displacement reactions, whereby metal A will replace another metal B in a solution if A is higher in the series. The physical properties of metalloids tend to be metallic, but their chemical properties tend to be non-metallic. So, the more the number of inner electrons, the more will be a shielding effect and more easily the outermost electron can escape from the atom. The reactivity series is a series of metals, in order of reactivity from highest to lowest. The shielding effect is the effect produced by inner orbital electrons that come and hinder the path of nuclear charge and thus shields the outermost electrons. Hence, the reactivity of alkali metals increases on moving down the group. Thus these valence electrons are now easily available to take part in a reaction and the reactivity of the element is said to be increased. The activity series is a list of elements in decreasing order of their reactivity. The outermost electrons become farther away from the nucleus.Īs a result, the shielding effect increases, and the valence electrons are more loosely bound to the nucleus. Four major factors affect reactivity of metals: nuclear charge, atomic radius, shielding effect and sublevel arrangement (of electrons). As we move down the group, the atomic number and number of shells also increase. The elements within the same group of the periodic table tend to exhibit similar physical and chemical properties. The alkali metals have the largest atomic radii and the lowest first ionization energy in their respective periods.Īlthough all alkali metals have one valence electron in their valence shell, there are slight differences in the reactivity order of elements on going down the group. The properties of the alkali metals are similar to each other as expected for elements in the same family. All alkali metals have their outermost electron in the s-orbital and thus they correspond to the s-block. These elements constitute the first group of the periodic table. The alkali metals are lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), and francium (Fr). The largest atomic radius of elements in their period. ![]() Alkali metals tend to lose this electron when they participate in reactions. Highly reactive, with reactivity increasing moving down the group. All alkali metals have only one electron in their valence shell. A great Starter for ten activity to engage your students with trends in the periodic table by focusing on group 2, group 3 and group 7. a microscale practical into the extraction of copper, where students can engage with the experiment and build on their practical chemistry skills. ![]() As chlorine can easily accept an electron as compared to phosphorus and sulphur, the chemical reactivity increases from phosphorus to chlorine.Hint: In chemistry, reactivity is a measure of how readily a substance undergoes a chemical reaction. The extraction of copper: a microscale version. Chlorine (Cl) has 7 valence electrons and needs only one more electron to complete its octet. But, at the far right are the noble gasses, and they are almost completely. Each element going from left to right tends to be more reactive. Reactivity: The reactivity of the elements increases going from left to right on the periodic table. Sulphur (S) has 6 valence electrons and needs 2 more electrons to complete its octet. The periodic table can be used to determine the following properties of materials: Atomic number (Z). The most vigorously reactive metals of the periodic table are alkali metals. Phosphorus (P) has 5 valence electrons and needs 3 electrons to complete its octet. In chemistry, reactivity is the impulse for which a chemical substance undergoes a chemical reaction, either by itself or with other materials, with an overall release of energy. Moving further right in the period towards non-metals, the chemical reactivity again gradually increases. This is because the number of valence electrons increases, making it difficult to lose electrons. The chemical reactivity gradually decreases as we go to aluminium (Al) and silicon (Si). On moving from left to right in a period of the periodic table, the chemical reactivity of the elements first decreases and then increases.įor example, in the third period elements comprising of Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S and Cl, sodium (Na) is very reactive as it has one valence electron, and can therefore, lose its electron easily. ![]() ![]()
![]() ![]() ![]() So too, an interest in Magic: The Gathering has persisted since William’s youth, and he can frequently be found watching Magic streams on Twitch and reading over the latest set spoilers. ![]() Now, William enjoys playing Super Mario Maker 2 on the Switch with his daughter and finding time to sneak in the newest From Software game when possible. This interest reached a height with MMORPGs like Asheron’s Call 2, Star Wars Galaxies, and World of Warcraft, on which William spent considerable time up until college. William’s first console was the NES, but when he was eight, it was The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening on Game Boy that fully cemented his interest in the format. All the while, William’s passion for games remained. Upon graduating from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, William entered the realm of fine arts administration, assisting curators, artists, and fine art professionals with the realization of contemporary art exhibitions. Still, it’s used intelligently, letting you build your special meter-which can be spent in increments or saved for a huge blowout-and also doubling as a method of traversal.William Parks is an editor at Game Rant with a background in visual arts. A parry move that lets you slap back any pink projectiles by hitting jump again in mid-air can occasionally seem a little fussy in its timing. Equipped with a reliable jump and dash, Cuphead is nimble and responsive, his handling so expertly calibrated than an analogue stick-hardly ideal, you’d think, in a game designed for digital precision-never feels like a handicap. That feeling might not be worth persevering for if the controls weren’t immaculate. The clock will say it took you two or three minutes, but such is the relentless, exhausting intensity of these fights that each attempt feels five times as long. And then suddenly you’ll deliver the killing blow and the wave of relief and satisfaction is overwhelming. That’s the first sign that Cuphead’s got its hooks into you. With just three hit points, you’ve precious little margin for error as such, once you’ve begun to acclimatise to a particular attack pattern, you’ll find yourself restarting if you take damage during that phase. Within seconds of a battle kicking off, you often find yourself fending off threats on multiple fronts, simultaneously tracking Cuphead’s position but also keeping an eye on something hovering ominously above, another threat incoming on ground level, and another projectile or five floating somewhere in between. You’ll shout and swear plenty, but you’ll know it’s really yourself you’re annoyed with. We do have two Laptops and two Steam Accounts though. Its difficulty hasn’t been understated, then, but crucially, it’s hardly ever the game’s fault if you get hit. Is it possible to Play Cuphead Multiplayer with two PCs Because we dont have any Controllers. But when you eventually do, the surge of euphoria is undeniable. Not so much a boss rush as a boss crawl, Studio MDHR’s outstanding debut pits you against some of the toughest enemies you’ll face in a videogame, and the process of beating them can be slow and sometimes painful. The post-battle results screen might say C-, but the feeling when you finally beat a stage in Cuphead is A+. ![]() ![]() GRAPHIC ASSETS END-USER LICENSE AGREEMENT Need an extended license or additional usage limits? Contact us here. View the full User License Agreement here. The above is a summary of the key inclusions in our license. ✘ Reverse-engineering and/or use of a True Grit product to create a similar product offered for free or for sale. ✘ Distribution via any physical or internet-connected storage device, cloud service or file-sharing website either for free or payment. ✘ Installation into apps other than the app the Graphic Assets are designed for. ✘ Sub-licensing, resale, sharing, transfer or redistribution either for free or payment. NEED AN EXTENDED LICENSE? Contact us here. ![]() (!) Any use over the limits described in the Allowed Uses section above. (!) Embedding in create-on-demand or design-it-yourself software or services (individuals selling finished artwork or products for sale on print-on-demand sites OK). (!) Global or international print advertising campaigns. (!) Use by organizations or subsidiaries thereof with annual revenue of more than $250 million USD. ✔ Desktop, web, mobile, and video game applications (single app). ✔ Print and outdoor advertising (local & national campaigns). ✔ Use in broadcast, film and streaming content (up to 500,000 lifetime views). ✔ Video advertising (up to 500,000 lifetime views). ✔ Physical end products offered for sale such as homewares, apparel, product packaging, art-prints, greeting-cards, posters, etc (up to 250,000 units). ✔ Creation of digital stock illustration & photography for sale including NFT's. ✔ Branding, logos, stationery, posters and signage. ✔ Social media content for personal, company and client use. ✔ Music packaging in physical and digital formats. ![]() ✔ Print and digital publishing projects including comics, book covers, magazines, editorial illustrations and picture books. a desktop at the studio and a laptop or iPad for home or travel). This is displayed on your receipt as the product quantity.Įach user can install or use the Graphic Assets on up to two devices for use by the same user (e.g. The number of users allowed is equal to the number of users chosen at the time of purchase on the product page. HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN USE A PURCHASED PRODUCT? Individuals, freelancers, creative agencies, and organizations with less than 250 million USD in annual revenue. ![]() ![]() ![]() Every time the furnace kicks on, it is consuming more gas, which could be why you’re seeing such high bills. The higher you have your thermostat set, the harder your furnace is going to have to work to heat the home and maintain the set temperature. If you’re searching for how to lower your gas bill, consider lowering your thermostat. Setting your thermostat too high can lead to more expensive bills. Solution: Keep up with regular system maintenance to ensure your appliances are operating efficiently. It is also advisable to contact an HVAC company to perform a yearly tune-up for your system before the weather gets cold. Keep your gas dryer vent clean to help it operate more efficiently, and aim to replace your furnace filters regularly (every 2 months for fiberglass filters or every 6 months for pleated filters). Veggeberg explains, “Changing an air filter or wiping down dust and debris from your unit can improve your system efficiency by as much as 20 percent.” ![]() Neglecting basic furnace maintenance tasks can lead to poor efficiency and increased gas consumption.Įven if your furnace and other natural gas appliances don’t need to be replaced, improper maintenance may be contributing to the natural gas price increase you’re seeing. Solution: While you cannot change the fact that you need heat during the winter, you can try to use less natural gas by setting your thermostat a few degrees lower than you typically do. Still, it can be a bit of a shock when you open a bill after your furnace kicked on during the first cold snap of the season. In this case, it’s also normal for your natural gas usage to decrease substantially during the spring and summer months when your gas furnace isn’t needed. If you have a gas furnace, seeing a gas bill increase during the cold, winter months is normal and generally not cause to rush to read your meter and ensure it isn’t malfunctioning. RELATED: Does Unplugging Appliances Save Electricity? Yes-and See the 8 Biggest Energy Hogs Spikes in usage will be reflected in higher monthly bills. Solution: Turn your thermostat down a few degrees, use alternative heating sources (such as a fireplace), or look for a long-term fixed-rate plan to eliminate surprise increases. If you signed up for a variable-rate plan with your fuel provider, then you’re going to be feeling the effects of all these occurrences. Unfortunately, natural gas prices can fluctuate and have been trending upwards for several reasons, including increased demand, international turmoil, weather disruptions, and more. Often, an increase in gas bill payment amounts boils down to the cost of natural gas. Higher natural gas rates can lead to higher bills. Solution: Hire a professional to perform a home energy audit to identify leaks or gaps in your insulation, and follow their recommendations to better insulate your home. Fixing insulation is also typically a much lower investment than fixing windows,” Veggeberg explains. Windows only account for an average of 15 percent of a home’s surface area. “Most homeowners feel drafty windows and think they are the biggest cause of high energy bills or an uncomfortable home, but it’s more often low insulation levels. This problem can also lead to higher electric bills, so it is something just about everyone will want to address to decrease their utility costs. The increased runtime will require more fuel, leaving you with a higher natural gas bill. If your home doesn’t have enough insulation, then warm air can escape during the winter, making your furnace work harder to achieve your desired temperature. RELATED: 7 Ways to Get Help from Federal, State, and Local Government for Improved Energy Efficiency Inadequate insulation can cause a furnace to work harder than necessary. Solution: Upgrade to a new furnace and/or water heater. Another option is to consult with your HVAC company about the prospect of converting to an electric furnace. If you’re going to purchase a new furnace, water heater, or other appliances, look for ones with an Energy Star seal that will offer greater efficiency and a lower gas cost per month. “Upgrading this may be an investment, but homeowners can see savings (and greater comfort in their homes) almost immediately,” Veggeberg tells Bob Vila. ![]() The same can be true for an outdated natural gas water heater. Heating systems lose efficiency as they age, meaning an old furnace will need to work harder (and use more natural gas) to maintain the desired temperature than was necessary even a few years earlier. Max Veggeberg, CEO of Tetra, a heating and cooling company, explains that “an aging boiler, furnace, or water heater that can no longer keep up with the comfort demands of the home” is one of the most common causes for a high gas bill. ![]() |
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