Ten Tips to save on your heating bills
It's going to be cold this weekend. So these Top Ten Tips to Control Your Home's Heating Bills from the Edison Electric Insititute (a D.C.-based association of electric utilities) might be useful. Try to use some of them before you electric bill comes in the mail next month and blows your socks off.
To keep it mildly entertaining, I'll tell you which ones I do and then you can all yell at me about the others that I should be doing, too.
1. Lower your thermostat setting a degree or two (save up to 3 percent per degree on heating costs). I do this! I keep my house at a cool 68. What? It works, I tell you. Who needs heat? Actually, I do. I'm a cold weather wussy. I layer up like an eskimo indoors and out!
2. Regularly clean or replace the filter in your air conditioner and furnace (save up to 15 percent on annual energy costs). I do this, too!
3. Shut the door and vents in unused rooms (save up to 3 percent on heating costs). Geez. I am 3 for 3, so far! What can I say? I used to be this paper's energy reporter!
4. Lower the water heater's temperature to 120 degrees (save up to 10 percent on water heating costs; check temp with a thermometer under a tap). OK, I didn't do the thermometer thingy, but I did lower the temp on my water heater three years ago, right after the Glenn Thompson, fuel operation supervisor for the state's weatherization program, scolded me for not doing so.
5. Keep the curtains open on sunny days and closed at night (save 2 -12 percent on heating costs). Check. 5 for 5, people!
6. Caulk and weather-strip around windows and doors (save 1-4 percent on heating costs). Allright, you got me. I can caulk. I know how to caulk. But I have not caulked.
7. Reduce energy use when home is unoccupied (save 10 -20 percent on annual energy costs). Yessss. I go so far as to lower the thermostat and unplug the TV, radio and satellite box, which still eats up energy when its plugged in, when I'm not home for a couple days.
8. Wash and dry full loads of clothes (save 2-4 percent on energy costs). If I had a washer and dryer, I would do this. It's on my list of things to purchase in this lifetime.
9. Use a microwave oven instead of a regular oven (saves up to 50 percent on cooking costs). HA. I can't remember the last time I used the oven. I'm not saying I don't cook, I just don't make a habit of it.
10. Install compact fluorescent lights in high-use fixtures (save about 66 percent on lighting costs per fixture). Check! I did this three years ago, same time Glenn scolded me for the water heater, he gave me a firm talking to about the lights, too.
Woo Hoo! I am 8 for 10, and only because I don't have a washer and dryer. I didn't peek at the list beforehand so I had no idea I was such an Energy Saving Dynamo!! A dork, yes, but an ESDork, no. You have no idea how exciting this is for me.
If you did better and want to rub it in or if you have your own tips to share, do tell. Meanwhile, where's my caulk gun?!
(Sun Photographer Kenneth K. Lam)
Comments
A few other suggestions:
1) Install weatherstripping around doors, windows, etc. Prevent that cold air from entering your home.
2) Remember to turn off any lights after you leave a room.
3) Turn off your computer(s) when not in use. They consume significant amounts of electricity even while in dormant mode.
4) Install & use a programmable thermostat. Program it for an even lower temp setting while you're away at work or snug under the covers at night.
Other ideas that admittedly cost more money but might be worth considering are installing insulation (walls, ceilings, floors), high efficiency furnaces and instantaneous (tankless) water heaters.
DD: All great ideas! Insulating the walls, ceilings and floor is something I've been wanting to do since I moved into my house! Thanks for sharing Bob!
Posted by: Bob | December 16, 2007 4:56 PM
I would love to use more fluorescent bulbs, but there are restrictions that prevent me from doing so. According to the package instructions, you cannot use fluorescent bulbs in fixtures on a timer; with a dimmer switch; or in fixtures that are recessed. This excludes half of the lights in my home. Now I hear that the new energy bill that was signed into law phases out incandescent bulbs. I wish manufacturer swould make fluorescents bulbs that can be used in any light fixture.
DD: I'm not aware of any fluorescent bulbs that work with dimmers or timers. I know this has been a big complaint from my friends who love dimmers and fluorescent bulbs, but can't find any that go together! If anyone knows otherwise, please share!
Posted by: JJK | December 20, 2007 6:30 PM
P.S. on the fluorescent light bulbs -- since they contain mercury, what is a safe way in which to dispose of them? Do they have to go with the special hazardous waste collections that are held periodically at some of the recycling centers?
DD: A local government Web site says: If you bring bulbs or tubes from your home, take your fluorescent bulbs and tubes -- including compact fluorescent bulbs -- to one of our Household Hazardous Waste collection sites. If you have just one or two bulbs to dispose of, consider saving them until you have other household hazardous waste material to bring so that your trip is more efficient. However, if this is not practical, you may dispose of these bulbs and tubes in your normal household trash. Please wrap your fluorescent bulbs and tubes in paper. Then place them into your trash. The paper will help contain the glass in case of breakage. Hope that helps!
Posted by: JJK | December 21, 2007 5:08 PM