With the price of natural gas, heating oil and electricity going up sometimes faster than our income, there are lots of things that you can do to reduce your costs. To begin, insulate your home from the elements as a great first step. Also start with reducing consumption, installing energy-saving appliances and controls, and ventilating the unconditioned spaces. When it comes to insulating, there are two tricks to keep in mind, the first one is to install the right amount of insulation in the right places and the other is to keep it dry and effective. Convection causes one of the biggest leaks from your pocket book! More energy escapes through convection which means moving air, than through radiation which is a loss of energy through static materials. If you find leaks, make sure you block them especially when it comes to drafts around wall outlets and windows. Remember to choose the right caulking as there are various types on the market and some are more effective than others. Insulating around the windows, applying temporary weather-stripping, window coverings, and hanging a window shade are all good means of energy conservation. Remember to change the filters in your furnace often and have your heating systems inspected and maintained on a fairly regular basis. If you have radiators, checking them for efficiency is a good idea. These can leak a lot of unnecessary energy if not efficient. A radiator knocking is usually a sign of an inefficient one. Making a slight adjustment to your thermostat can generate significant savings especially if it is cold out. Investigate the different types of programmable thermostats, as these are automatic and will save you having to manually adjust all the time. Remember that air conditioners can soak up a lot of your energy dollars and an annual service call is important. Ceiling fans can help you save money on heating as well as cooling. A couple of other items in your home that absorb energy dollars are electric water heaters, refrigerators and clothes dryers. One great way to save money is to install a tankless hot water heater. |
