12 simple tips to reduce heating costs

Here's a few ideas to help you control your heating costs this winter:

1. Reduce your thermostat setting to 68 degrees

Winter heating costs are closely related to interior temperature. Reducing your thermostat setting can save substantially on heating costs.

2. Set back thermostat at night and when house is unoccupied

Setting the thermostat back 10 degrees at night or when the house will be unoccupied can save up to 15 percent on heating costs. While it is true the furnace will have to run more to reheat the house, the energy saved while the home is cooler more than offsets the extra run time to reheat the home.

3. Install a programmable thermostat

Programmable thermostats provide the ability to lower the home temperature at night and during the day and still have the home warm when you get up or arrive home from work.

4. Lower the thermostat set point on your water heater

Water temperatures above 125 degrees are not needed for most tasks.

5. Change furnace filter

Dirty, clogged furnace filters lower the heater's efficiency be preventing proper airflow through the furnace. Low-cost filters are available from your local hardware store. How often you will need to change filters will vary, but you should check the filter monthly.

6. Have the furnace cleaned and tuned

Having the furnace cleaned and tuned helps assure a safe and efficient furance. Tuning may involve resetting the fuel-air mixture for proper combustion as well as cleaning of the blowers and burners.

7. During the day, let sunshine in south windows

Keep drapes on the south side of your home open during the day and closed at night. Sun angles are low in the winter, allowing substantial solar heating through all south windows. east, west and north windows do not contribute to the winter heating effort.

8. Check and replace weather stripping on doors and windows

Air leaks around faulty weather stripping on doors and windows contribute to making interior spaces of your home uncomfortable and increase heating costs. Check for drafts and repair or replace worn stripping.

9. Close storm windows and doors

Storm windows installed over primary windows are almost as good as double pane windows for reducing heat loss, but only if they are kept closed. Make a check of all your storm windows to assure you have closed them when cold weather arrives.

10. Install a water heater blanket

Older water heaters may not have adequate insulation. Install an insulating water heater jacket. Be careful to follow the manufacturer's recommendations and don't cover the thermostat.

11. Reduce hot water huse

Reducing hot water use effectively reduces the cost of heating water.

12. Operate kitchen and bath vents minimally

Bath and kitchen vents exhaused heated air and moisture to the outside. If your home is dry during the winter, you may not need to operate these vents al all. However, if you have condensation on windows, operate the vents to remove cooking and bathing moisture, but be sure to turn them off.

Broken links? Contact webmaster.