Ways to save on home heating in winter
Sealing up drafty windows, doors, and attics can cut your monthly bill by up to 30 per cent.
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Wise Ways to Save on Winter Home Heating...
–20 Nov, 2012
(Photo: Freshome)
Winter is dark, cold, and expensive... where heating a home is concerned.
The cost of heating oil climbs each winter and electricity
is not cheap.
Each year, people in every snow zone begin to contemplate the best ways to save money and still keep the house at a comfortable temperature.
Each year, people in every snow zone begin to contemplate the best ways to save money and still keep the house at a comfortable temperature.
Thankfully,
there are a number of ways to curb heating costs and most are easy to
implement.
Our 10 tips will help you to enjoy the season and worry a
little less about the expense of heating your home.
Energy Audits
It’s hard to know what changes can be made to help lower your bills, but help is a just a phonecall away.
Energy Audits
It’s hard to know what changes can be made to help lower your bills, but help is a just a phonecall away.
The local electric company is happy
to assess your needs, family lifestyle, and patterns of energy usage.
They will go through your home to check for areas to be improved.
They
will survey your appliances, inspect the home’s structure, and measure
your insulation.
Once done, they can make suggestions and help implement
needed changes for more efficient energy consumption.
Often, the
suggestions will come with rebate incentives to help reduce your
bill.
[Think you might need a general contractor to help winterize your home? Click to find the right one now.]
Air Leaks
Whether you are in a new house or an older one, drafty windows, doors, and attics allow air to sneak out, and heat, along with it.
[Think you might need a general contractor to help winterize your home? Click to find the right one now.]
(Photo: Freshome)
Air Leaks
Whether you are in a new house or an older one, drafty windows, doors, and attics allow air to sneak out, and heat, along with it.
It's
important to seal up any air leaks and keep heat inside.
Start by
checking the weather stripping around your windows and doors; replace any that appears worn.
Check for leaks where hot air can seep out,
into an unfinished attic space.
Cuts made into the drywall to install
lighting fixtures and ceiling fans create easy escape routes for warm air.
Seal such small openings using a silicon or latex caulk.
By sealing air
leaks, you can realize about 30 percent in energy savings.
Thermostat
It is very tempting to set your thermostat for a comfortable 75 degrees during the winter months, but it is a sure way to boost your energy expenses.
The lower the setting, the more savings you will realize.
(Photo: Freshome)
Thermostat
It is very tempting to set your thermostat for a comfortable 75 degrees during the winter months, but it is a sure way to boost your energy expenses.
The lower the setting, the more savings you will realize.
The commonly agreed upon lowest comfortable setting is
sixty-eight degrees.
If you keep it at 68 during the day, your savings
can be 6.2%; for every degree above that, costs will go up.
For
example, a room that is 75, costs 15 percent more.
[Need to fix your heating system? Click to find the right home contractor.]
While 68 may seem chilly, you can always wear a sweater and comfortable socks to stay warm.
[Need to fix your heating system? Click to find the right home contractor.]
While 68 may seem chilly, you can always wear a sweater and comfortable socks to stay warm.
Setting the thermostat to 65 overnight, will also save on
your energy bill.
If you leave for a few days, turn the temperature
down to 55, which is the lowest setting without pipes freezing.
Proper Insulation
Insulation is perhaps the most important feature to keeping a home warm in winter, cool in summer.
(Photo: Freshome)
Proper Insulation
Insulation is perhaps the most important feature to keeping a home warm in winter, cool in summer.
To save money, ensure you have the
proper level of insulation in both the attic and between the inside
walls.
Insulation has an R-value, measured by the amount of heat allowed
to pass through it.
The higher the R-value, the less likely heat will
escape, resulting in lower energy bills.
Heat rises and easily escapes
through an attic, if not properly insulated.
Heat losses can add close to
30 percent to your energy bill.
[Think you might need a general contractor to help winterize your home? Click to find the right one.]
Fireplace
Fireplaces are excellent sources of heat and can warm a room in a matter of minutes.
[Think you might need a general contractor to help winterize your home? Click to find the right one.]
(Photo: Freshome)
Fireplace
Fireplaces are excellent sources of heat and can warm a room in a matter of minutes.
Snuggling with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book in front of a
fire is a relaxing way to spend a cold winter evening too.
Fireplaces do have their drawbacks, though.
Fireplaces do have their drawbacks, though.
Similar to air leaks in drywall and
unfinished attic spaces, a fireplace damper left open when not in use is
a welcomed invitation for heated air to escape and cold air to funnel
into your home.
After every use close the damper and more importantly,
open it before you decide to enjoy a cozy fire or your home will fill
with smoke.
Air Vents or Radiators
Air vents and radiators can be eyesores in a room; designed to be functional, not pretty.
(Photo: Freshome)
Air Vents or Radiators
Air vents and radiators can be eyesores in a room; designed to be functional, not pretty.
In an effort to be pretty, furniture or window
treatments often hide the air vents.
Pretty screens can cover the
radiators to hide the unsightly monsters also, but these methods only
serve to obstruct airflow, making the furnace work much harder.
It's best to accept, they are rather ugly, and keep the airflow moving freely throughout the space.
It's best to accept, they are rather ugly, and keep the airflow moving freely throughout the space.
One trick to help hide these,
while not hindering airflow, is to paint them the same color as the wall
or the flooring so they fade into the background.
Ceiling Fans
High ceilings are wonderful features in a room, but can increase your heating bills, as warm air rises, trapping it close to the ceiling.
(Photo: Freshome)
Ceiling Fans
High ceilings are wonderful features in a room, but can increase your heating bills, as warm air rises, trapping it close to the ceiling.
If
you have a ceiling fan,
change the direction of the blades.
Instead of it circulating to cool
the hot air, set it to push the air downward, by reversing
the flow direction of the fan.
Circulating the air back through the room will
heat the room more evenly, and ease the effort your heater needs to keep
the room at a comfortable temperature.
Window Treatments
Window treatments are beautiful features in a cozy living room, or romantic bedroom, but they can serve a great purpose besides adding color to a space.
(Photo: Freshome)
Window Treatments
Window treatments are beautiful features in a cozy living room, or romantic bedroom, but they can serve a great purpose besides adding color to a space.
Full
drapes, of a wool cotton blend, when opened will let a natural source
of heat, the sun, into the room and warm it up.
In the evening, as the
sun goes down and temperatures dip, closed curtains help to insulate a
room from the cold air seeping through the windows.
Line the window
treatments and you will provide more insulation, and another layer to
keep out the chill in the evening.
Space Heaters
It may seem like a great idea to turn on a space heater for a little extra warmth in a small space, but they pose several threats.
(Photo: Freshome)
Space Heaters
It may seem like a great idea to turn on a space heater for a little extra warmth in a small space, but they pose several threats.
First, they are
expensive to run regardless of the type.
Electrical ones just run up
your bill; kerosene can be costly.
Second, they are dangerous.
All it
would take is for someone to knock it over, which could start a fire or
cause personal injury.
The perceived savings are not worth the risk of
burning down the house.
Area Rugs
Area rugs often add color and style while unifying a space.
(Photo: Freshome)
Area Rugs
Area rugs often add color and style while unifying a space.
During cold
winter months, they serve an important function, too.
Rugs add another
layer of insulation to the floor, trapping the cool air underneath,
keeping it from seeping up and cooling the room.
...WARM air rises, twit!
The warmth of the rug
will keep your feet toasty.
...another reason to get in-floor heating
$125 (US) per month all year long for gas and electric.
ReplyDeleteGood insulation is soooo important. Also, geothermal heating for those that can foot the initial bill....
ReplyDeleteyou got it, elise...
Delete