When I moved to France from U.K. a lot of things took time to understand. The language, habits of locals, opening hours of shops etc, etc. Once you integrate into society you live in, you can quickly benefit from experience of people who know all sorts of things. The following is just one of many new things I am discovering daily.

In France, particularly in rural areas, amount of land everybody has can be quite substantial. Most people still keep livestock, even if it’s just a few chickens. Wood is still a very widely used resource and commonly used in preference to metal or to keep property in line with surroundings.

As French are also very keen on recycling, or in fact you could say “they will re-use absolutely anything if they can” and they do. They have been using this free resource for years.

WASTE ENGINE OIL. Yes, believe it or not dirty oil that you get from any oil change, car, motorbike, truck etc makes a truly effective wood preserver. I have painted stacks of wooden planks for fencing with a paintbrush and waste engine oil.

Admittedly it only comes in black and is really only practical for using on fences and outside wood, but when it soaks in to timber it gives a rustic look and makes it weather proof for years.

The best part is it’s free. If you can only use your own oil when you do an oil change that should be at least 3-4 litres If not more. Most garages in U.K. have to pay for waste oil they produce to be disposed of so most garages won’t have a problem giving it away to you.

I highly recommend wearing overalls, rubber gloves and put whatever it is you are treating on a plastic sheet. It’s messy!

Resource Box: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Online resources for Home Business and internet opportunities. Website building software, internet marketing, work at home Ideas, website products and unique links. For my free newsletter mailto:europiantrader@sendhot.info To start making serious money online visit http://www.europiantrader.com Automated Profit Pulling Website Free http://www.europiantrader.com/pip.htm Home Business Mastery http://secrets.europiantrader.com -----------------------------------------------------------------

A recent study showed that for many consumers, their heating bills may be more than $500 higher per winter just due to air leakage and wasted energy caused by fireplaces!

Why Does a Home With a Fireplace Have Higher Heating Bills? Hot air rises! Your heated air leaks out any exit it can find, and when your warm heated air is drawn out of your home, cold outside air is drawn in to make up for it. The fireplace is like a giant straw - sucking heated air from your house. This is like leaving a window open all year round! An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a fireplace draftstopper. A fireplace draftstopper is an inflatable pillow that seals damper, eliminating any air leaks. The pillow removed whenever fireplace is used, then reinserted after.

Clothes Dryer Exhaust Ducts:

Have you ever noticed that room containing your clothes dryer is coldest room in your house? Ever wonder why? Your clothes dryer is connected to an exhaust duct that is open to outdoors. In winter, cold air leaks in through duct, through your dryer and into your house, while your heated air just pours right out!

Dryer vents use a sheet metal flapper to try to reduce this air leakage. This is very primitive technology that does not provide a positive seal to stop air leakage. Compounding problem is that over time, lint clogs flapper valve causing it to stay open. This is like leaving a window open all year round!

An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a dryer vent seal! A dryer vent seal will reduce unwanted air infiltration, and keep out pests, bees and rodents as well. The vent will remain closed unless dryer is in use. When dryer is in use, a floating shuttle rises to allow warm air, lint, and moisture to escape. If your home has a folding attic stair, a fireplace, and/or a clothes dryer, you can easily, quickly and inexpensively seal and insulate these holes. At Battic Door, we have developed low-cost, green solutions to these and other energy-conservation related issues. For more information please visit our website www.batticdoor.com or send a S.A.S.E. to P.O. Box 15, Mansfield, MA 02048.

We manufacture and distribute low-cost, high-value, air-leakage control energy conservation products for the three largest intentional openings in the house - the fireplace, the pull-down attic stair, and teh clothes dryer exhaust duct.