It's the time of year you want to be spending money on loved ones, not bills, so I wanted to share with you some great ideas on how to shave your energy costs!
Fireplace: Sure, it's lovely to gather around a nice blaze, especially when it's good and cold outside, but according to the Department of Energy, lit fireplaces can suck up to 24,000 cubic feet of furnace heated air up your chimney each hour. That heat is replaced by cold air coming in, making your furnace work that much harder. All you have to do is turn your thermostat down a little when you use the fireplace, and crack a window in the room, while keeping the door shut to keep it from sucking up too much warm air from the rest of the house. Make sure to close your damper when its not in use!
Heating System: By spending $75 to $100 for a tune up and sealing ductwork to prevent air leakage could save you hundreds on your heating and cooling bills. Natural Gas powered heaters should be tuned up by a heating contractor every 2-3 years, while oil burning furnaces need it every year, as they burn dirtier.
Energy Star products: 20% of most electrical bills come from running our appliances. But by replacing your fridge, washer, and dishwasher with Energy Star products means you will save quite a bit on your bills, as the newer appliances use energy much more efficiently, therefore keeping more money in your pockets!
Seal Air Leaks: At a pretty low cost of materials ($30-$50) you can save 10% on your heating bill. Fill in cracks with caulk, use expanding-foam sealants to fill in larger gaps around plumbing and electrical work, especially where pipes enter your house through exterior walls. Look for those energy suckers that may escape your attention, like exterior wall sockets and switches by using fitted insulation pads in the plates. Caulking and weatherstripping around windows or even using a kit to to apply a discreet plastic wrap on windows that can be peeled off in spring will also catch a lot of heat that would normally escape.
Spruce up the attic: The Department of Energy tells us we can reduce our heating and cooling needs by 30% by just installing a couple hundred bucks worth of new insulation, especially if your home is more than 25 years old. Don't just concentrate on the attic, check to see how much insulation you have in crawl spaces, ceilings, and basement walls. A small investment can keep your home warmer and cooler without costing as much to do so.
Pellet Stoves: Let's face it, its not getting any cheaper to heat our homes with gas or oil, BUT a clean burning pellet stove can cut costs drastically. They look like wood-burning stoves but are fueled by small pellets made from super concentrated sawdust. There are freestanding models as well as fireplace inserts. Costs run about $2000 for the stove and $6 for a 40 lb bag of pellets. In a couple of years though, your benefits will be a heating bill that is HALF as much!
Cheaper Showers: Heating water counts to up to 11% of utility bills, and if your water heater is more than 10 years old, that number could be greater. Switch out for newer more energy efficient models. Or, by paying out a bit more in the beginning, buy a solar water heater. They are more expensive, but last about 20 years, and pay for themselves in about half that time.
Windows: A lot of your heating a cooling costs might be as a result of heating and cooling escaping right out your windows. Installing storm windows can help quite a bit, if you are not ready to buy a new system. Triple track windows cost about $100 each, and can reduce heat loss by 25% or more!
Come back often for more posts on how to save money around your home. And if you are ready to buy or sell, give me a call, I can walk you through the process!
www.bobbies.remax.com
Source: This Old House
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