Energy Saving Tips
- Schedule a Checkup and Maintain Your System. Regardless of the type of heating system you have, it needs an annual checkup by a professional. Otherwise it will continue to lose efficiency over time. And annual checkups are also an important safety precaution.
Also keep in mind that if your heat is delivered through a duct system (the most common heating system in the U.S.), you aren't off the hook once your annual checkup is complete. You need to continue to clean or change the filters regularly. If your filter is full of dust, your system will have to work harder — thus driving up costs. Generally, filters should be checked monthly, although some filters need to be checked only every three months. - Buy a Programmable Thermostat. After a cold commute, you like to open your door to a toasty home. And you hate waking up in a cold bedroom. But that doesn't mean you need to have the heat blasting day and night.
With a programmable thermostat, you can heat your home at various temperatures throughout the day, allowing the house to be cooler when no one is home or when everyone is asleep. You can crank up the heat 30 minutes before it's really needed, and never feel the difference.
Installing a programmable thermostat shouldn't set you back more than $150 — and you can quickly recoup your costs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can slash your heating and cooling bills by 10% annually just by turning your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day. - Plug Up Leaks. Doors, windows, electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures, ducts, your attic door—these are all sources of air leaks. How can you test to see where your home is leaking? A simple test suggested by the Department of Energy is to light an incense stick and hold it up near these locations. If the smoke goes horizontal, you've found a leak. Plug them up with caulk or weather stripping.
- Add Insulation. Many homes — particularly those that are more than 20 years old — lose lots of heat because of poor insulation, according to the DOE. And because heat rises, the No. 1 problem area is your attic. (Other areas that could need more insulation are your basement, crawl space, floor and walls.)
Just how much insulation is recommended for each part of your home depends on your home's design. Insulation is measured in something called an "r-value." The higher the r-value, the greater the insulation. For help with what's appropriate for your home, click here for a DOE worksheet. - Upgrade Your Appliances. If you have home-heating appliances that date back to the 1980s, its time for an upgrade! Replacing an outdated model with one that has earned the Energy Star label (Energy Star is a joint program run by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy) could cut your home-heating costs significantly. Energy Star furnaces, for example, are 15% more efficient than standard models.
