Tune-Up your
Furnace:
Call your dealer and schedule a routine maintenance
and inspection of your furnace each autumn to make
sure it is in good working order. Make sure that
they change your filter so that the boiler will work
less hard, use less energy and last longer.
If your boiler system is old, you might consider
updating it. New furnaces are far more efficient
than ever before which means that more of the fuel
used by the furnace gets upstairs as heat.
Use a setback thermostat:
A setback thermostat allows you to automatically
turn down the heat when you're away at work or when
you're sleeping at night, and then boost the
temperature to a comfortable level when you need it.
Properly using your setback thermostat could cut
your heating costs from 20 to 75 percent. If you do
not have a setback thermostat, consider installing
one.
Reverse Ceiling Fans:
If you have ceiling fans, reverse the switch on them
so they blow upward, toward the ceiling. Ceiling
fans are a great idea in the summer, when air
blowing downward can improve circulation and make a
room feel cooler. By reversing the fan's direction,
the blades move air upward in winter. This is
especially valuable in high ceiling rooms, where
heat that naturally rises is forced back down into
the room.
Weather-strip:
Check around doors and windows for leaks and drafts.
Add weather-stripping, and caulk any holes you see
that allow heat to escape. Make sure doors seal
properly. Weather-stripping and caulking is probably
the least expensive, simplest, most effective way to
cut down on energy waste in the winter. Improperly
sealed homes can waste 10 to 15 percent of the
homeowner's heating dollars.
Clean and Inspect Your Fireplace:
Don't forget to close the damper on your fireplace.
Of course the damper needs to be open if a fire is
burning; but if the damper is open when you're not
using the fireplace, your chimney functions as a
large open window that draws warm air out of the
room and creates a draft. Close that damper - it's
an effective energy-saving tip that costs you
nothing!
Check Your Ducts:
Examine your house's heating ducts for leaks. Your
ducts are like hoses that bring hot air (instead of
water) into your house. Mostly out of sight, ducts
can leak for years without you knowing it. They can
become torn or crushed and flattened. Old duct tape
- the worse thing to use to seal ductwork, by the
way - will dry up and fall away over time, allowing
junctions and splices to open, spilling heated air
into your attic or under the house. You may want to
consider having your ducts inspected and cleaned by
a pro.
Insulate your Attic:
In an older home, this can be the most
cost-efficient way to cut home heating costs. Before
energy efficiency standards, homes were often built
with little or no insulation. As a result, large
amounts of heat can be lost through walls, floors
and - since heat rises - especially ceilings. |
