If you live in a northern climate, you probably know all too well about escalating energy costs. Here is a list of some of the things you can do to minimize energy waste this season, as well as avoiding utility bill shock. These are pretty straight forward and frequently espoused, but dammit if I can help just one person out there... Sorry. Have any winter energy saving tips of your own?
Turn your hot water heater down. Most hot water heater's medium setting is fine for most uses. Check your dishwasher manual for minimum recommended temperatures
just to be sure.
Consider a hot water heater blanket.
Minor debate on the subject here.
Combat heat loss by caulking around doors and windows.
Install compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Change your furnace filter monthly. The less work your furnace has to do to push air throughout the house, the better.
Drop the temperature in your home to 68°F (20°C). Install a programmable thermostat and set it to a lower temperature at night as well as when you are out for longer periods of time.
Run foam insulation on the hot water pipe coming from your hot water heater. Foam insulation sells for pennies per foot.
If you suspect your furnace is due for maintenance, have it done as early in the season as possible. It's better to have the most efficiently running furnace for the entirety of the season to maximize energy savings.
Energy efficient appliances often qualify for government rebates and of course offer the monthly savings of a reduced energy bill.
Check your garage door for gaps and seal around it with weather stripping.
Install foam electrical outlet and light switch seals. This may seem futile, as each outlet only lets a small amount of heat escape, but when you consider the number of outlets and switches in the average home, the aggregate heat loss can be significant.
Turn off electrical devices you are not using. According to this
site, a ball park figure you can use in calculating annual costs of electrical devices is one dollar per one watt (i.e. a 60w light bulb, left running year round, would cost around
$60 dollars). Obviously not many things run year round, but for some, this rule of thumb would be easier to conceptualize than kw/h numbers. So, a single 150W PC, therefore, would run you about $150/yr.
Add insulation wherever needed - check your attic or between accessible walls.
Open the blinds or drapes as much as possible on sunny winter days - and at night, to keep that heat in the house, close them.
Use clear cling-wrap style window coverings available at most hardware stores. The plastic simply adheres to the window sill with the help of your hair dryer and the provided thin tape, forming an airtight seal.
Don't heat rooms that you don't use. Close off vents and tape them air-tight to prevent wasted heat.
Install reduced flow aerators in your shower. This will cut down on hot water usage.
Check out the DIY network's home energy audit to trace the source of heat loss in your home, without calling in the pros.
Stay warm.
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