Home Energy Savings in The Winter

Home energy savings is very important in the wintertime.  With energy costs up and heating bills a larger strain on your budget, it is important to control home energy in the winter.  Here is a list of budget-saving techniques to cut your heating costs this winter:

1. Lower the temperature of your thermostat:  By lowering your thermostat, you will save money and have your furnace run less.  A programmable thermostat is very useful to lower costs.  When you are gone for extended periods of time, you can program the thermostat to a lower temperature. For more savings, program the heat down 10 degrees when leaving for work and at bedtime.  This can total about 14 percent in savings.

2. Check the doors and windows:  Block leaks and small gaps surrounding your windows, doors and other areas.  By doing so, you can save 10 percent in heating costs.  Add door sweeps and caulk or weather stripping to drafty leaks around windows.
 
3. Keep the fireplace damper closed:  Heat rises, so keep the fireplace shoot closed to prevent escaping heat.  A fireplace sucks the heat out of a house, even if you have a fire in the fireplace.

4. Close doors for unused or seldomly used areas:  Keep doors shut to rooms or areas that are rarely used. By doing this you can heat the areas that are used to save heat and energy bills.  You will want to close the vents in those areas to keep the heat flow in rooms that are used.

5. Turn the temp down on the water heater:  Lowering the temperature of a water heater will reduces the power used.  Most of us would not even notice a difference, but it will make one.  If your water heater is older, covering it with an insulated jacket will keep costs down.  And replacing the water heater with a high efficiency one will save you even more all year around.

6. Seal your ducts:  A home with poorly connected ductwork can be inefficient.  You can lose up to 60 percent of heated air before it reaches the vents.  Look at your ductwork, look for loose connections in the attic, basement, and crawlspaces.  Connect any areas that need repair and use special metal backed tape to make sure the seal is good.  Also seal any holes in exterior walls with expanding foam to ensure that the house is completely sealed.

7.  Replace faucets and tub or shower heads:  Purchasing a low flow efficient shower head can use approximately 25-50 percent less hot water, which saves heating of water in the water heater.  This will make a difference in your energy bill, most people will not notice that.

These saving tips will help with energy bills in the winter and throughout the year.  It will keep the house warmer and be more efficient.