21 Sep 2013

Easy Ways to Save Money This Winter

Heating in the winter, and even air conditioning in the summer, don’t have to break the bank,” says Montgomery. “The easiest tip is to turn down your thermostat, especially during times when no one is at home.”

Turning down your thermostat can result in pretty significant savings. For every degree you lower your thermostat over an 8-12 hour period, you can save between 1 and 3 percent on your energy bill each year. And you can even rack up those savings when you’re home! At night, when you’re already nestled under the covers, consider lowering the thermostat a degree or two. And during the day, you can always throw on a sweater or additional layer of clothing in order to sacrifice a degree or two on the thermostat.

“I also recommend installing a programmable thermostat,” says Montgomery, whose Atlanta-based business installs and repairs complete systems and air cleaners. “When we’re in a rush heading out the door, we tend to forget things like adjusting the thermostat. A programmable one can take the thinking out of our hands, and put money back in our pockets.”

Are your windows winterized? Consider storm windows, or if that isn’t an option, some plastic film from the hardware store can keep warm air from escaping out your windows.

Do you spend the majority of time in one room of your house? With proper attention and safety precautions, a space heater can be used. This will allow you to keep the temperature in the rest of the house cooler, resulting in savings for you. Be sure space heaters are on hard and level surfaces, keep all flammable objects away from the heater and be sure children’s fingers cannot reach the heating element.

After you’ve used your oven, leave the door open a crack. There’s a lot of heat in there that can warm up the surrounding areas a bit, requiring your furnace to work a little less.

Do you have spaces in your home that aren’t used regularly, like a spare bedroom? Consider closing off the vents in those spaces, as well as the doors. This is an effective method for both heating and cooling systems.

Fill in any cracks in doors, windows, basements or attics with some caulk or silicone. Inspect the weather stripping at all doors leading to the outside and replace where damaged. This is a cheap and easy way to prevent your warm air from leaking outside. Also consider your attic entry with plastic, blankets or anything else you have on hand. Any little bit will keep warm air from going out of your house.

Be sure vents are free of obstructions so the warm air can freely flow. Open your blinds during the day to let the warm sunlight in, and close them at night to trap heat in.

Keep your fireplace damper closed – an open damper is like having a hole in your roof.

And if you really want to rack up the energy savings, consider replacing your current appliances with more energy efficient ones. While it is expensive to replace all appliances at once, consider replacing them over time as your current appliances begin to break down. And don’t forget to check with your utility company to see if they offer rebates or discounts for installing energy-efficient appliances.

By using even just a few of these tips, your family is sure to stay warm and hold on to your hard earned dollars.

© 2013 Sinai Marketing and Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing and Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.

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