(Posted Jan 2023)
With Energy Costs up significantly this year over the previous years due to inflation and other factors, we may need to find ways to reduce Energy Consumption to keep our overall Energy Expenditure from our personal budget close to last year’s levels. In this connection, we have provided some tips to help with this overall objective:
- Adjust Your Temperature: A programmable thermostat can make it easy to keep your house at the recommended setting of 68 Degrees F as your Heating Costs account for about 50% of your Energy Bill
- Treat your fireplace like a window: Keep the fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Keeping the damper open is like keeping an open window – it allows warm air to escape from the house through the chimney
- Replace your filters: Changing your filters regularly will increase the efficiency and life of your furnace while helping to clean up your energy bills
- Let the Sunshine in: Take advantage of the sun’s natural warmth by opening shades and curtains on the South Side of your house. Just remember to close them at night to prevent heat loss
- Keep your older Hot Water Tank Toasty: If you have an older tank, especially if it is located in an unheated area, wrapping it up with an insulation blanket is a cheap and easy way to reduce water heating costs
- Save a bundle by bundling up: With warmer clothing, you won’t need to crank up the heat Bundle up with Sweaters or jumpers, socks and fuzzy throw blanket
- The Garage Door: During colder months, keep the Garage Door closed as much as possible. This will help buffer any colder outdoor air from trickling into you home
- Reverse your Ceiling Fans: In addition to turning up the heat, ensure that Ceiling Fans are turning Clockwise to push warm air down
- Windows and Doors: Stop throwing money out of the window! Seal leaks to prevent drafts by caulking windows and weather-stripping doors to prevent heat from escaping and cold from entering the home resulting in lower energy bills
- Exhaust Fans: Exhaust Fans in your kitchen and bathroom pull out hot air that rises to the ceiling. In the winter, try to use Exhaust Fans judiciously so they are not sending out extra heat out of your home
Using some and/or all of the above techniques will enable you. to reduce your energy requirements, and keep your overall Energy Expenses from Breaking the Family Budget Bank