Simple Steps To Lower Costs And Keep Warm

While cold temperatures mean higher heating bills, don’t forget some easy steps to make your home more energy and cost effective this winter.

Energy dollars can pour out of your living space through drafty doors and windows, as well as other parts of the home. Safe Electricity encourages people to make a small investment of time for big dividends in keeping your home or apartment warm and cost efficient this winter.

Costs associated with heating and cooling account for about half of utility bills.

• Lowering the thermostat is the easiest way to save energy. Adjust the temperature 5 to 8 degrees when you are away from home or sleeping, and keep it to the lowest comfortable level when at home. You can save up to 3% for each 1° the temperature is lowered on your thermostat. For example, reducing the setting from 74 to 71 can save up to 9%.
• Consider installing a programmable or smart thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature day and night. Use the programmable features to set your temperature lower when you’re away to prevent energy waste from heating an empty house. This can help you save up to 15% each year.

Use these tips to help cut costs and improve heating efficiency and safety:

• Replace your furnace filter every month to save energy and improve heat circulation. Consider having a professional check and service your furnace system to ensure peak efficiency and safety.
• Use sunlight’s natural heat to your best advantage. Open curtains and blinds on sunny days to let the sunlight warm your home, and close them on gloomy days and at night to keep the heat inside.
• Close your fireplace damper when you are not using the fireplace to prevent heat from escaping and cold from entering through your chimney.
• If you have older or leaky windows, consider temporary fixes, such as plastic film kits that create the effect of an interior storm window.
• Weather stripping is relatively easy and available at your local home improvement store. Stop drafts from coming in and heat from leaking out of your home through drafty doors and windows. You could save up to 10 percent of your heating costs by eliminating those leaks.
• Use caulk to seal gaps in the walls of your home or apartment. Wherever different building materials meet, or wiring comes out of a wall, there are gaps that may contribute to the loss of heat in your home.
• Use sealant or metal tape if there are leaks or holes in your ducts. Air leaks in ducts can account for about 20 to 30% of wasted heat.
• Turn your water heater down to the “warm” setting, or to about 120 degrees, to cut back on the energy waste and reduce the likelihood of scalds. Water heating consumes a higher percentage of heating costs than you might think, nearly a fifth.
• Invest in a water heater insulation blanket. If the top of the electric water heater is warm to the touch, you are wasting energy. This means that the heater has to work even harder to heat the water in your home; and, therefore, it uses more energy.
• Use smart strips for electronics so that power is shut off when they are in standby mode.
• Using a microwave or counter-top appliances to cook meals uses much less energy than a conventional oven.
• Replace older light bulbs with more efficient versions.
• Leave space around heating registers so warm air can easily enter the area.
• Open the drapes on sunny days.
• Clean your furnace and change the furnace filter monthly.
• Make sure your insulation is up to a foot or 18 inches deep in your attic or crawl space.

It can be more cost-efficient to use a space heater to increase the temperature of a room rather than cranking up the heat to warm the entire house. By using a space heater, you can turn your thermostat down and place less demand on your furnace.

Here are tips for operating space heaters safely:

• Check space heaters before use. Cords should not be frayed, brittle, or cracked.
• Many fires start when flammable products are placed too close to heating devices, such as space heaters. Space heaters should be kept at least 3 feet from any flammable item such as blankets, clothing, and paper.
• Place space heaters out of high-traffic areas and on a level, hard, non-flammable floor surface – NOT on carpets, furniture, or countertops.
• Plug space heaters directly into the outlet, and never use an extension cord.
• Always remember to turn off space heaters when not in use. Never leave one of these devices on unattended or after going to bed.
• Do not attempt to warm your entire home using only space heaters. Space heaters are useful in small areas, such as a study or living room. However, if you need to keep large areas warm, your home heating system will do the job more efficiently.