31 Ways To Cut Your Heating and Energy Bills

With the rising costs of energy some households are beginning to feel the crunch of high heating bills. Here are some tips for reducing your energy and heating expenses. This tips were gathered from utility companies, energy experts, builders, department of energy and homeowners like you.

  1. Find and Seal All External Air Leaks: Openings and air leaks can let heat escape costing you money.

    Here are some simple ways to find air leaks around your home:
    • Check for obvious leaks around dryer vents, water faucets, mail chutes, air conditioner line sets, electical entrances.
    • Check for leaks where two materials meet - walls, foundations, wood, bricks, chimineys, siding, etc...
    • Shine a high-powered flashlight around the exterior, and look for light leaking into the house.
    • Use an incense stick to test for drafts. Just move it around your windows Any leaks found should be sealed.
    Here are some tips to seal air leaks:
    • Lock your windows - this is the best way to ensure a tight seal around the window.
    • If the putty or glazing on your windows is dry and cracked replace it.
    • Check the seal around your windows and use weather stripping to fill any voids.
    • Make sure storm windows are installed and closed properly.
    • On single pane windows use the plastic film kits to create the effect of an interior storm window.
    • Use weatherstripping and caulk to seal cracks around windows and doors.
    • Seal gaps under doors by rolling up a small rug or blanket and placing it across the bottom of the door.
  2. Use the Heat From Sunlight: Keep trees and scrubs trimmed and open the drapes to allow sunlight into your home.
  3. Get an Energy Assessment from Your Utility Company: Many perform them for free or at low costs and perform tests that can pinpoint problem areas in your home.
  4. Keep Vents and Radiators Free From Obstructions: Make sure that furnature and draperies do not block any vents or radiators. Also keep dust from building up on your vents and radiators and interfering with the flow of heat.
  5. Use a Ceiling Fan: Ceilings fans are great in both winter and summer months. In the summer they create air movement that makes it feel cooler, and in the winter they help circulate warm are around the room and house.
  6. Close off Unused Rooms: Close vents and registers in unused rooms. With a zone system, just turn the thermostat down in the unused area in your home. Note: Be careful if water pipes run through this area of the home to make sure that the temperature does not drop to low.
  7. Keep Furnace Filters Clean: Check your furnace filter and replace it or clean it when it gets dirty. A dirty furnace filter will reduce the efficiency of your furnace and reduce the life of your furnace blower.
  8. Keep Fireplace Damper Closed: Unless you are burning wood, close the damper or you could lose up to 8 percent of your furnaces heated air up the chimney.
  9. Install Glass Fireplace Doors: Using glass doors lets the fire burn out more efficiently and safely.
  10. Install a Programmable Thermostat: They are more expensive but can save you plenty of money by automatically lowing the temperature when you are not home.
  11. Have Your Heating System Serviced Annually: This will keep your system running efficently and safely.
  12. Insulate and Seal the Attic: Make sure that you have enough insulation in your attic for your area of the country (this will range from R-30 to R-49). Also installing a seal around the attic door can turn into big savings.
  13. Wear More Clothing: Instead of turning up the thermostat so you can wear short sleaves, put on a sweater and use more blankets and set the thermostat to 68 degrees during the day and 60 degrees at night. This can save you hundreds of dollars a year.
  14. Winterize Window Air Conditioners: Remove them or unplug them, close the vents and put a special cover on them to complete the seal.
  15. Negotiate Fuel Oil and Propane Prices: Prices are usually cheaper in the late summer or early fall. Thats when you should negotiate fuel contracts for the entire season.
  16. Use a Humidifier: Sixty-eight degrees with moisture can feel warmer than a dry home at 72 degrees.
  17. Insulate Your Water Heater: Install a specially utility blanket designed to keep the heat in. Also insulate the stretch of pipe coming out of the top of your water heater to the wall. While you are there insulate around the hot water pipe and heat ducts that run through the basement and other unheated crawl spaces.
  18. Turn Down Your Water Heater: If your water is so hot that you have to mix it with cold water to use it, then you are wasting money. Turn down your water heater to a comfortable 120 degrees or less.
  19. Use Low Flow Showerheads and Faucets: You can save a savings of 10-16 percent of water heating costs.
  20. Install Faucet Aerators: The help conserve water which helps your budget and the planet.
  21. Use the Oven Window: Each time you open the oven you lose 20 to 50 percent of the heat and you slow down the cooking process.
  22. Use the Microwave: Its more energy efficient than a traditional oven.
  23. Check Your Refigerator Seal: Close a dollar in the refrigerator door. If it pulls out easily with little resistance, then the seals should be replaced.
  24. Pack Your Refigerator Efficiently: In the cold section, spread the items apart to allow cool air to circulate. The freezer is a different story - you want to keep the freezer packed full of food.
  25. Air Dry Your Dishes: Set the dishwasher on air-dry cool and let them dry on their own.
  26. Only Wash Full Loads: Whether your using the dishwasher or the washing maching, washing only a partial load is a waste of your money.
  27. Use new Energy Efficient Light Bulbs: The new models provide good light coverage, different settings and some use just one-third the energy of a standard bulb.
  28. Use Motion Sensors for Lights: They will switch on when you enter and turn themselves off after you leave the room.
  29. Buy Energy Star Appliances: Whether its a major kitchen purchase or just a smaller stereo for the family room, the energy star seal tells you its made to conserve, not waste, your power.
  30. Let Your Computer Sleep: Set your computer to go to sleep after youve been away for 10 to 15 minutes. Also turn your computer completely off at night to save even more.
  31. Think solar: Solar energy is becoming more practical with everything from address signs to sidewalk light powered by the sun.