While some of the situation is out of our hands – the price of crude oil, for instance – there are many things we can do to keep a rein on our winter heating bills.
Your heating system is the one element that should get the closest look before the cold, costly winter sets in. Now is a great time to have a service tech give your system a thorough evaluation to make sure it’s running properly.
Additionally, the federal government’s ENERGY STAR program makes several recommendations about how you can heat your home smartly this winter, including:
§ Replace the air filter in your furnace regularly. Dirty filters reduce air flow, which makes getting the warm air to the registers a lot tougher.
§ Install a programmable thermostat. Why heat the home while you’re away? Setting back the temperature in your household when you’re asleep or at work is another opportunity for energy savings – as much as $100 each year on energy costs.
§ Seal up your home. Sealing holes, cracks and openings and then adding insulation is one of the most cost-effective means of improving comfort and reducing energy use. Cracks in windows and doors can be plugged through weather-stripping and caulking.
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