Saving Tips for Winter Energy

Heating

• Install a programmable thermostat and set it to lower the temperature at night and whenever the house is unoccupied. Lowering your thermostat by 10 degrees at night can reduce your heating bill by 10 to 20 percent. If thermostats are almost installed, make sure they’re working properly.

• Lower the thermostat and wear socks and warm clothing. Lowering the thermostat by just one degree Fahrenheit can reduce energy use by 3 percent.

• If you have a forced air furnace, inspect filters monthly during the winter season. Clean or replace the filters if there’s significant dust build up.

• Get a humidifier to add moisture to the air. The air inside your home may be very dry. Air that is moistered feels warmer so a humidifier will help you feel comfortable even though your thermostat is set at a lower temperature.

• Install foam insulation gaskets behind electric outlets and switch plate covers.

Windows and doors

• Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.

• Install do-it-yourself plastic-film storm windows.

• Seal off unused rooms that are less than 100 square feet if there’s no thermostat. Close floor and wall registers and return air vents. Keep doors closed to the rooms.

• Open south-facing window coverings during the day. Close them at night to keep the heat in.

• Weatherstrip and caulk windows. Check window frames for cracks and fill them with caulk that contains silicon. Putty-like rope caulk can help seal large cracks. Doing this can save you up to 5 percent on your energy bill.

• Check all exterior doors for air leaks and weatherstrip and caulk as needed. A one-eighth-inch gap around a door is equivalent to a 6-inch-square hole in the side of a house and causes a lot of energy loss. You can check doors two ways:
1) Have someone stand on the other side of the door and shine a flashlight around the perimeters of the door. If you see light through the cracks, the door needs sealing.
2) Hold a piece of paper between the door and the frame and shut the door. If you can pull the paper out without tearing it, weatherstrip around the door.

Water heater

• Make sure the water heater is set no higher than 125 degrees.

• Drain off a bucket of hot water from your water heater annually to remove sediment that will interfere with the heater’s long-term use.

• Install a water heater blanket if the water heater is older than 5 years.

• Insulate the pipes around the water heater with easy-to-install pipe insulation. This is especially helpful if the water heater is in an unheated space.