Winter Tips

With prices for energy increasing and winter on its way, here are some tips to help reduce your energy bills.

  • SunshineLet the Sunshine In During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your south facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.

 

  • Wear a Sweater Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable when home. By resetting your programmable thermostat from 72 degrees to 65 degrees for eight hours a day (for instance, while no one is home or while Sweatereveryone is tucked in bed) you can cut your heating bill by up to 10 percent.

 

  • Keep Out the Cold Weatherize your home—caulk and weatherstrip any doors and windows that leak air. Install storm windows and exterior doors. Remove window air conditioning units when the weather gets cool. If you can’t do that, enclose them with a cover.

 

  • Clean Your Pipes Have your heating system cleaned and inspected by a qualified contractor.

 

  • Clean Your Filters Clean or replace filters for your hot-air furnace and heat-pump every month during the heating season or use filters made to run six to 12 months before needing replacement.
  
  • DrapesLet It Flow Keep drapes and furniture away from radiator and baseboard heaters so heat can flow freely. Use ceiling fans to circulate warm air in winter, especially in rooms with high ceilings.
  
  • Wrap It Up Check the insulation in your attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawl spaces to see if it meets the levels recommended for your area. Wrap with insulation any hot-water pipes that pass through unheated spaces. (For steam pipes, use nonfoam insulation, as foam can melt.
  
  • Be an Energy Star When buying a new furnace or boiler, look for the ENERGY STAR label.

 

  • Use a Humidifier Use an efficient humidifier to maintain comfortable humidity levels and help you conserve heat. Proper humidity helps you feel comfortable without turning up the heat.
  • Burn Wise in Your Fireplace  Burn only dry seasoned wood in your fireplace.  Have your fireplace or wood stove inspected annually.  Change to an EPA-certified wood stove or fireplace insert.  More information available from the EPA.