If you’ve survived a Central Pennsylvania winter, you already know that energy costs can rise to unimaginable levels during the cold snaps that sweep through the area. Energy costs are an expense that is unavoidable if we plan to survive the bitter cold nights of winter. Here are five tips to control your out of pocket payments.
- Eliminate drafts – If you have older windows, age is synonymous with draftiness. Cover your windows with heavy plastic or purchase insulating drapes. Most retailers carry thermal insulating curtains for a reasonable price, thus eliminating high cost solutions. Caulking around windows and leaking doors is also an effective way to lower rising costs.
- Lower the temperature in your house – If you’re out of the home for eight hours for work, dial the heat back ten to fifteen degrees. You’ll notice the change in your bills, but not so much in your home. It also gives you a reason to break out cozy blankets and sweaters. Installing a programmable thermostat can also be useful in controlling when your heat kicks on, potentially lowering your bills for the winter.
- Make your holiday lights more cost efficient – Thanks to advancements in holiday lighting, they are now more cost effective than ever. Use automatic timers for your lights so the burden of remembering to unplug everything is non-existent. Also use LED bulbs for your lights, as they use much less energy than traditional lighting.
- Maximize your furnace potential – Whether it means servicing your furnace or replacing it, both options can help to minimize your bills this winter. Having an older furnace could mean less effective energy consumption and dramatically higher heating costs.
- Stop allowing your fireplace to leach warm air – A fireplace can often be the biggest culprit in heat loss in your home. Be sure to close the flue when the fireplace is not in use and install a chimney cap to eliminate the amount of air coming in from the outdoors. Also, using the fireplace as your main source of heat may be ineffective as the fireplace sucks warm air up the chimney and out of your house.
Be sure to maximize your potential energy friendliness by using any one of these tips during the harsh winter months. Should you require servicing or replacement of your current heating system, A.C. Rimmer can help! Contact us for assistance today!
Sources:
http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/fall-and-winter-energy-saving-tips
http://www.pnm.com/save/energy_tips_winter.htm
