Wherever you live, the climate and weather conditions have a serious effect on the size of your electric bill as well as other utilities. Heating in cold climates and cooling in hot climates will make up a great percentage of those bills. Over the years as fuel prices have increased dramatically, especially for propane gas, fuel oil and natural gas, homeowners have looked for ways to stay comfortable and still keep costs under control as much as possible. Sometimes there are dramatic price shifts based on supply. A shortage of propane in the north a few years ago led to prices that were double and even triple the price of previous years. Some people have installed wood burning furnaces either as a primary way to heat their homes or as a supplementary way to provide heat. This is a labor-intensive practice. The economy of wood burning depend on the availability of the wood. People with wooded acreage have a ready source but felling the trees and creating usable logs is no easy task. Kerosene burners also are sometimes used to supplement heating systems. Kerosene is highly flammable and has a strong odor. It needs to be handled with care. The heat produced by this kind of heater can be intense, so everyone needs to be careful not to bump into the heater. Fortunately, many efficient electric space heaters have come on the market. These are a good solution for helping to postpone turning on the heating system for the winter, for heating cold spots which may occur in the house or for heating a room that is occupied to a comfortable temperature while keeping the rest of the house cool. Price increases can lead to creating efficient and economical solutions.