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Winter Energy Tips

Seasonal temperatures can present some difficult challenges for keeping your home comfortable. These tips are designed to help you endure whatever extremes the seasons bring.

Winter

• Have your heating or cooling equipment checked each season by a qualified technician to make sure it is operating properly. Heating and cooling account for about half of the energy costs for the average home.
• Check to make sure your home is adequately insulated. Add insulated or storm windows and doors to reduce unwanted heat loss. Like other insulation, storm doors and windows quickly pay for themselves by reducing energy losses.
• Keep your thermostat at the lowest comfortable setting. If you are going to be away for several days, turn the thermostat to a lower setting, but not to "off."
• Change air filters every month. Dirty filters can increase operating costs.
• Check your heating system's ductwork to ensure that it is well insulated.
• Insulate your water heater with at least R-6 insulation. Your water heater is the second-largest energy user in your home. You can save enough money in energy bills to pay back the cost of materials within months and then keep on saving.
• Weather-strip around doors and windows. Seal cracks or crevices where two different building materials meet. It's also a good idea to weather-strip between heated and unheated areas such as garages, basements, and attic openings.
• Make sure heating registers and vents are not blocked by draperies, furniture or rugs. These vents should also be cleaned regularly with a vacuum or a broom.
• If you have a window air conditioning unit, remove it for the winter months to prevent heat from escaping through and around the unit. If it cannot be moved, buy an inexpensive cover to prevent drafts.
• Take advantage of natural solar heat. On sunny days, leave the draperies open to allow the sun's rays to warm your house.
• Ceiling fans help keep you comfortable not only in the summer but in the winter as well. Reversing the direction of the blades pushes warm air down into the room. Fans should turn clockwise in the summer and counter-clockwise in the winter.
• Always make sure the fireplace damper seals tightly and remains closed except when a fire is burning or smoldering in the fireplace.