Reduce Winter Heating Bills
The winter time is a long season which requires a great deal of energy to heat a home so that the homeowner and his family can live in it during those blustery months. Because cold weather lasts so long, it is a good idea for homeowners to look into ways to reduce their energy bills.
When addressing energy savings, homeowners should address their heating, windows and doors, water heaters and think about a fire place.
A homeowner should install a programmable thermostat. He should set the temperature to a lower setting when he is not home and when he is sleeping. He can also set it a bit lower than he normally would if he makes the commitment to wear socks and a sweater while indoors. He can also have blankets on the sofa to keep him warm when he is watching television. An extra blanket on the bed at night when he is sleeping will save him a great deal in energy costs. Even turning the thermostat down one degree saves a homeowner 3% in energy bills.
To make sure his programmable thermostat is installed properly, a homeowner should make sure it is:
o Installed properly.
o Programmed appropriately – a programmable thermostat only saves energy when it is programmed.
o Not located in an unheated space, a poorly-sealed or seldom-used room, or in direct sunlight near a heat source. The thermostat should be able to sense the average temperature in your home. If it is not in the right place, contact a heating and air conditioning professional in Essex County about having it moved.
If a homeowner has forced air, he should inspect his furnace before the cooler months. He should also change his furnace filters once a month while the furnace is being used on a regular basis. He should make sure all parts are functioning properly throughout the cold season. If it malfunctions he can call a heating company in Essex County.
Homeowners can also consider getting a humidifier to add moisture to the air. Heating systems tend to produce dry air. This makes the air feel cooler than it would with a humidifier. Moist air feels warmer.
When it comes to windows and doors, you should install film to cover storm windows. You can buy it at any hardware store. Close the registers and vents in unused rooms and seal them off. Weather strip and calk around windows. Make sure to check for drafts underneath outside doors. If there is one, use a rubber strip that can be found at the hardware store and needs to be installed to stop the draft.
Don’t set your water heater to higher than 125 degrees. Install a blanket around water heaters that are older than five years old. Drain off a gallon of water each year from your water heater. This will remove sediment that could interfere with your water heater’s ability to function properly. Finally, insulate the pipes that come off of the water heater.
Homeowners should try to run the dishwasher only when it is full. They should remember that during the colder months people tend to take warmer baths and showers and use hotter water when washing their hands. Dishwashers use a great deal of hot water, so running it only when it is full will help cut the costs of having to heat water. Also, if possible, a homeowner should have everyone in his family take a shower instead of a bath. This saves a great deal of water, especially heated water.
When it comes to a fire place, the best bet is not to use one. It allows warm air to escape up the chimney and forces the furnace to turn on to replace the warm air. If you do decide to use one, make sure to close the flu when not in use.
There are many ways a homeowner can save money when it comes to cutting energy bills in the winter. He should keep the following in mind: the heating system, the windows and doors, the water heater and the fire place. Making a few adjustments in the way he utilizes these elements will make a big difference and save him a great deal of money. He can then use on other things for himself and his family like a vacation or outings during the week.
When addressing energy savings, homeowners should address their heating, windows and doors, water heaters and think about a fire place.
A homeowner should install a programmable thermostat. He should set the temperature to a lower setting when he is not home and when he is sleeping. He can also set it a bit lower than he normally would if he makes the commitment to wear socks and a sweater while indoors. He can also have blankets on the sofa to keep him warm when he is watching television. An extra blanket on the bed at night when he is sleeping will save him a great deal in energy costs. Even turning the thermostat down one degree saves a homeowner 3% in energy bills.
To make sure his programmable thermostat is installed properly, a homeowner should make sure it is:
o Installed properly.
o Programmed appropriately – a programmable thermostat only saves energy when it is programmed.
o Not located in an unheated space, a poorly-sealed or seldom-used room, or in direct sunlight near a heat source. The thermostat should be able to sense the average temperature in your home. If it is not in the right place, contact a heating and air conditioning professional in Essex County about having it moved.
If a homeowner has forced air, he should inspect his furnace before the cooler months. He should also change his furnace filters once a month while the furnace is being used on a regular basis. He should make sure all parts are functioning properly throughout the cold season. If it malfunctions he can call a heating company in Essex County.
Homeowners can also consider getting a humidifier to add moisture to the air. Heating systems tend to produce dry air. This makes the air feel cooler than it would with a humidifier. Moist air feels warmer.
When it comes to windows and doors, you should install film to cover storm windows. You can buy it at any hardware store. Close the registers and vents in unused rooms and seal them off. Weather strip and calk around windows. Make sure to check for drafts underneath outside doors. If there is one, use a rubber strip that can be found at the hardware store and needs to be installed to stop the draft.
Don’t set your water heater to higher than 125 degrees. Install a blanket around water heaters that are older than five years old. Drain off a gallon of water each year from your water heater. This will remove sediment that could interfere with your water heater’s ability to function properly. Finally, insulate the pipes that come off of the water heater.
Homeowners should try to run the dishwasher only when it is full. They should remember that during the colder months people tend to take warmer baths and showers and use hotter water when washing their hands. Dishwashers use a great deal of hot water, so running it only when it is full will help cut the costs of having to heat water. Also, if possible, a homeowner should have everyone in his family take a shower instead of a bath. This saves a great deal of water, especially heated water.
When it comes to a fire place, the best bet is not to use one. It allows warm air to escape up the chimney and forces the furnace to turn on to replace the warm air. If you do decide to use one, make sure to close the flu when not in use.
There are many ways a homeowner can save money when it comes to cutting energy bills in the winter. He should keep the following in mind: the heating system, the windows and doors, the water heater and the fire place. Making a few adjustments in the way he utilizes these elements will make a big difference and save him a great deal of money. He can then use on other things for himself and his family like a vacation or outings during the week.