There are 2 types of people in this world; People who enjoy
winter because of the snow and cold temperatures and then there are people who are sane.
Don’t get me wrong, winter is beautiful with its snow
covered ground and the way the cardinal looks against the soft tones of the
spruce tree. But goodness it is COLD out there, my nose is chapped from me
having to blow it all the time, my car’s leather seats almost HURT when sat
upon and I am now accepting applications to pump my gas for me.
I keep my thermostat at a whopping 66 degrees in my home.
This may mean I do not have the luxury of walking around the house in a pair of
shorts and tank top during winter but does mean I can save a little in heating
costs.
When the match of the furnace against the winter’s cold was
upon me, I found myself looking at a costly energy bill. I realized that
keeping my home at a lower temperature wasn’t enough to save me money.
The same week I was baffled by my heating expenses and ways
to save more money, I was handed my new blog assignment. It was this light blue
booklet titled The Franklin Prosperity Report I’ve seen throughout the years in
the mail and have always tossed it to the side. Little did I know, in this
little book held the key to saving money (should have known by the title). And
in this edition held tips on saving money on energy bills. Coincidence?
One big money saver mentioned was a programmable
thermostat. Reducing the setting 5 to 10
degrees during the times you’re not at home and when you are sleeping can cut
costs dramatically. One professional said “Why heat space when you’re not
there”. A point well made if you ask me. You can then set the thermostat to the
temperature you are comfortable at for when you are home and awake. You can
reduce your heating bills by 10% by simply dropping the home’s temperature from
72 to 65 degrees for at least 8 hours a day.
Another tip was to not heat vacant rooms. Closing the vents
to unused rooms will help direct heat to larger rooms or areas that are harder
to keep heated. Also putting deflectors on vents to direct the air flow across
the floor instead of towards the ceilings is a very smart move.
Turning on ceiling fans to rotate counter clockwise can help
circulate and keep heat from rising.
Last but not least, a writer suggests dressing for the
season. He writes “It amazes me that a lot of people will keep their homes as
warm as they can during cold weather so they can wear shorts and flip-flops
inside. Changing to jeans and a sweater when it’s cold outside makes a lot more
sense.”
I’ve made a few adjustments to my home since reading these
tips. The fans are turned on low and counter clockwise, vents have been
redirected to provide more heat in rooms that are more occupied and I have even
increased the temperature. The home is more comfortable now even though the
furnace does not run as much. Though I would like to set a schedule like they
have suggested, my roommate does not have a set work schedule and would not
enjoy the 10 degree drop the 10 hours I am away. However, I can lower the
temperature 10 degrees at night while sleeping and 5 degrees during the day
when most likely we are not home.
DID YOU KNOW? Setting your thermostat to a higher degree does not mean
your house will get warmer faster. In reality it’ll take the same amount of
time to reach 70 whether you set it to 70 or 90 degrees. All it really does is
increase heating costs.
If that wasn’t enough ways to save energy, Green’s has a few
more suggestions:
Check your windows. Heat could be escaping through poorly
sealed/installed windows. Installing new could get pricey so to save some money
until you can afford to replace them would to install plastic over them. Kits
can be purchased from local hardware stores or home improvement stores. This
will keep the heat in and the cold out!
Check your attic. A poorly insulated attic means heat is
going through the roof (along with your energy bills). Adding insulation or an
energy efficient blanket can help reduce energy bills.
Check your furnace. A dirty furnace could mean a harder
working furnace. Change the filter based on the filter’s ratings. A low
efficient furnace means more money to run. Having a clean furnace and clear air
flow means your furnace will work less to provide you with more heat.
Replacing yourfurnace with a high efficient one will help you reduce energy bills and
increase comfort in your home. Talk to one of our sales representatives today
at 515-323-0680 or contact them by email at info@greensahc.com .
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