How to Cut Your Home Heating Bills

Depending on where you live in the United States, you may encounter high monthly bills for heating your home. Many homes in warmer climates are built with wide windows and open floor plans, so unexpected low temperatures often result in cold, drafty rooms. Cranking up the heat will undoubtedly have a dramatic impact on heating bills, but you can trim those costs.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Buy a programmable electronic thermostat. This device automatically adjusts room temperature settings to energy-saving levels when you are sleeping or away from the house.

2. Seal your house. Install weather stripping around the windows and doors. Caulk any cracks or openings in the sidings.

3. Allow energy from the sunlight to augment your home’s heating system by opening drapes and blinds on sunny days.

4. Install ceiling fans, particularly in rooms with high ceilings. Warm air rises and can be trapped at the ceiling. A ceiling fan, when run in reverse direction during the winter, will circulate warm air back down to living areas.

5. Control the humidity level in your home. For comfort in the winter, your home’s relative humidity levels should range from 30 to 50 percent. If they fall below this, the air becomes too dry and higher temperatures are required to feel warm. If air becomes too humid, windows will drip with condensation.

6. Be smart about the temperature you set in your home. According to the EPA, you'll save up to three percent on your energy bills simply by turning down your thermostat just one degree. If you have a colder room in your home, it's cheaper to use a small, portable safe electric heater to get the chill out rather than turning up the thermostat for the entire home.

7. Be sure that your home is adequately insulated. If not, increase insulation, particularly in the attic, where you will see the greatest benefit in energy savings.

8. Check the arrangement of your furniture. Many times people put couches and chairs over vents and in front of baseboard radiators, decreasing the efficiency of the units. By restricting the airflow, you increase the strain on your furnace or boiler, and ultimately use more energy than you need.

Tips & Warnings

• Never set your thermostat higher than it needs to be for comfort.
• To boost humidity, you may purchase a humidifier which will put vapor back into the air.
• Replace the five most used light bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent bulbs and save up to $60 a year on your electric bill.
• Make sure you use these heaters at least three feet from any combustible item and do not plug them into an extension cord. Also make sure the heater you use is in good condition and has a UL listing.

[batticdoor]

on 10/6/2008 How To Reduce Your Energy Bills / Energy Conservation Begins at Home

Imagine leaving a window open all winter long -- the heat loss, cold drafts and wasted energy! If your home has a folding attic stair, a whole house fan or AC Return, a fireplace or a clothes dryer, that may be just what is occurring in your home every day.

These often overlooked sources of heat loss and air leakage can cause heat to pour out and the cold outside air to rush in -- costing you higher heating bills.

Air leaks are the largest source of heating and cooling loss in the home. Air leaks occur through the small cracks around doors, windows, pipes, etc. Most homeowners are well aware of the benefits caulk and weatherstripping provide to minimize heat loss and cold drafts.

But what can you do about the four largest “holes” in your home -- the folding attic stair, the whole house fan or AC return,