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Winter Energy-Saving Tips
Try These Easy Ways To Improve Efficiency This Season
Keep heating costs low this winter while staying warm and enjoying the season – just by making a few changes around your home.
Thermostat
• Set your thermostat at the lowest comfortable temperature possible when you’re home.
• If there is a time during the day when no one is home, set your thermostat at 65 degrees instead of the usual 72. Maintaining 65 degrees for eight hours a day may cut your heating bill by as much as 10 percent.
Insulation
• Leaky doors and windows can be a costly problem. Save money by caulking and weather-stripping those drafty areas.
• Check the insulation in various areas around your home to ensure they meet the levels suggested for your region.
Heating Equipment
• Once a month, check your furnace air filter and clean it or replace it – dirty or clogged filters can force furnaces to work harder, costing you more.
• Clean your warm-air registers, baseboard heaters and radiators. Make sure carpeting, furniture and drapes aren’t obstructing the heat.
Hot Water
• Use less by installing low-flow showerheads and fixing leaky spouts.
• Try using warm or cold water when washing clothes. Washing one large load instead of several small ones can cut costs, too.
Fireplaces
• To make sure your heat isn’t flowing out the chimney, firmly close the damper – an open damper is equivalent to keeping a full sized window open during the winter.
• Plug and seal your chimney flue if you never use your fireplace.
