Staying comfortable doesn’t need to cost a bundle. Here’s some ideas from the U.S. Department of Energy for saving heat and saving money.
When the white stuff starts falling, and the old thermometer is going down, you know that the heating bills are about to start rising. But keeping your home warm and cozy on a cold winter night doesn’t have to clean you out.
The U.S. Department of Energy offers these basic tips and relatively low-budget home energy improvements that can help guarantee that the cold stay’s outside and your heating system doesn’t have to work harder than it needs to.
Our goal: Conserve energy and keep more of your hard-earned dollarsin the bank.
Share these ideas with your family and use them for your own home. After all, who doesn’t need to save a buck these days?
1. Seal all air leakages by caulking, sealing, or weather stripping. Save 10 percent ($150 per year) or more on electric bills. Focus on windows, doors, outlets and switch plates on outer walls.
2. Maintain your heating system. Heating represents one half of the average family’s energy bill (approximately $950 per year). Make sure your furnace or heat pump gets professional maintenance each year. The small cost (about $75-100 for a service call) will pay you back in improved performance all year long.
3. Install a programmable thermostat. Program your thermostat from 70F to 60F during the day, while no one is home, and while everyone is tucked away in bed, will cut the heating bill up to 10 percent ($90 per year), paying for a basic unit in less than a year.
4. Seal and insulate your heating ducts. A heating system can lose up to 60 percent of its warm air before it reachesthe register (wasting $550 in warm air per year) if ducts are not properly insulated in unheated areas such as attics and crawlspaces.
5. Adequate insulation in the attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawlspaces can save up to 30 % on home energy bills ($630 per year). the attic. (Heat rises.) Your home should have between R-30 and R-49 insulation in the attic. You can learn more at: www.eere.energy.gov/consumer.
6. Close the fireplace damper when not in use. When in use, you can reduce heat loss, up the chimney, by opening the cold air feed damper in the bottom of the firebox (if tou got one) or open the closest window about an inch. Set your thermostat down to between 50-60F.
7. Take advantage of passive heat sources, like the sun! Let the sun shine in. Open the drapes on south facing side of the house, during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat the home, and close them at night to reduce the chill from the cold windows.
8. Hot water keating accounts for 15 percent of household energy use. You can cut your water heating cost by lowering the water heaters thermostat setting. Each 10F reduction can save between 3 and 5 percent in utility costs. Insulate your hot water heater and water pipes. Consider installing a timer that turns the water heater off whenit is not in use.
9. Install storm windows, if you have single-pane windows or consider replacing them with Energy Star qualified thermopane windows. Storm windows can trim back heat loss by 25 to 50 percent, and storm windows with a low-e coating that reflect heat back into the room during the winter months can save even more energy. Look for the Energy Star label to maximize your savings. Energy Star qualified windows reduce heating and cooling bills by an average of $345, but could be higher in colder or hotter than average areas, compared to uncoated, single-pane windows. If you can’t afford new windows rightt now, tape plastic to the inside of the window frames. You can get a kit at most hardware stores.
10. Last, when replacing appliances, light bulbs, electronics, or heating and cooling systems, you can bring down your electric bills by up to 30 percent ($600 per year) with Energy Star tagged products. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in place of incandescent bulbs.
These improvements around your home can save you a bunch of money in the short term and serve as a selling point to potential buyers, if you decide to sell your home later.
I know this look like a extensive list and your in all likelihood not sure where to start, right? Just start with the first one and work your way through the list. After youv’e finshed the list, if you really want to save a ton of money, visit us at enrgy money savings tips.
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