Tuesday, December 28, 2010
8:12 PM
Save On Heating Bills By Keeping The Cold Out
Brrrr. It's cold outside. The heat is on and our electric bills are going up. And in this economy, who can afford higher electric bills? Let's explore some energy-saving techniques to keep warm without increasing your heating costs.
First, look at installing a programmable thermostat, which allows you to preset temperatures for different times of the day so you're not heating your home while you're at work, yet you can have it toasty warm when you come home. This thermostat works equally well with heat and with air-conditioning for the summer.
Some of the programmable thermostats have a five-day setting for weekdays and a separate two-day setting for weekends. If you're not afraid of doing it yourself, you can install the new thermostat quite easily. Following the manufacturer's instructions, remove the old thermostat and unscrew the wire leads attached to the terminals on the back. Reattach those wires to the new thermostat's terminals and re-screw to the wall. I think even I could do that.
Do you use your fireplace in winter? Be sure to close the flue when the fire is out. An open flue lets out as much heat as an open window.
Because heat rises, some experts suggest reversing the blades on the ceiling fans and turning those ceiling fans on low to keep the air circulating and to push the warm air back down into the room. This is more effective in rooms with high ceilings.
.Wash your windows and open your drapes wide. Sounds silly, but you want as much free solar heat to enter as possible. (Close the drapes when the sun goes down to retain heat.) If you are handy, you can install plastic film on the inside of the windows to create an insulating layer. Apply the film to the window sill, using a blow-dryer or double face tape to seal it in place. The film becomes invisible and helps contain heat in the winter and keep out heat in the summer.
If your exterior door is closed and you still can feel cold air on your feet, you need a new door sweep. This is a long, thin vinyl strip with a broom-like brush. You can cut the sweep to fit your door and install it with just a few wood screws. Hop this simple tips will help to reduce your heating bills
Scripps Howard News Service
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 Please Comment Here:
Post a Comment