With winter well on its way, you may have already turned your heater on. With this increase in energy and electricity use, you should be looking for other areas you can limit your use.
Save some electricity in your home with these helpful tips:
- Get a heating system tune-up. You only have to do this once a year, and when comparing the small price to have a heating contractor come to your home to the cost of a furnace repair, it is well worth it. Make sure to do this before every heating season, as your system can take wear and tear throughout the year.
- Forget the fireplace. Believe it or not, your fireplace is one of the least efficient way to heat your home. It actually sucks the air heated by your furnace up and out through the chimney. Use your fireplace as little as possible, and when you do use it, turn down your thermostat so you aren’t wasting your heating system’s energy.
- Consider Energy Star appliances. Sure, refrigerators, washers, dryers and dishwashers cost more upfront, but you will be pleasantly surprised at the savings in your energy costs (up to $80 per year for a fridge, $110 per year for a clothes washer, $30 per year for the dishwasher). Same with an energy-efficient water heater.
- Add insulation to your attic. In between three and five years, you could save 30 percent on your energy bills. Need we say more?
- Install storm windows. Again, it may be a tough purchase right away (around $1200 for 12), but in two to five years you can reduce your heat loss by at least 25 percent.
Schedule your heating system inspection with Heatmasters today.
Courtesy of This Old House
