Pay Attention and Cut Your Heating Bills

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Published Date 1/23/2024

Energy savings is not just a buzzword anymore. It’s serious business. While you know you can simply turn your thermostat down to the 50s or 60s and wear a sweater all winter long in your own home, how do you know which tips to up your energy efficiency are going to offer the most bang for your buck?

Realtor.com’s Patricia-Anne Tom says some tips cost you absolutely nothing, and yet you save money. “Other tips will cost you a little, but can help you hold onto as much as 10% of the money you’re currently paying out of pocket.”

Okay, so you thought the idea of reprogramming your thermostat to a lower temp was silly? In the end, Tom says this energy-saving tip costs you nothing but time. “Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter. For each degree you raise your thermostat setting, your fuel bill climbs 3%.” And don’t forget to set it to a lower temperature during the hours you are away from home, either. You can have it crank itself up to a warmer temp about 30 minutes before you arrive home — just in time to change into those cozy sweats.

So you’ve heard changing your furnace filters was a great routine maintenance habit, but don’t forget about warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators—ensuring that they are clean and not blocked by debris or trapped air.

“If you’re not sure how to bleed trapped air from a hot-water heat radiator or flush the water heater, call a professional. They also can perform a routine check of your central heating/cooling duct system for leaks,” says Tom. “A simple task like cleaning equipment and ensuring it’s not leaking or obstructed by furniture, carpet, or drapes can improve your system’s energy efficiency by 10% while extending the life of your equipment.”

It may look funny, but wrapping insulation around pipes and your water heater can help minimize heat loss as water runs from the water heater to your faucets. “By adding insulation, you won’t have to wait as long for hot water, you will conserve water, and you can save up to 10% of your total energy costs,” says Tom. “Just be sure to leave the air intake vent uncovered on the water heater.”

If you’ve ever been to London and used the Underground, you’ll remember signs everywhere that say “Mind the gap!” Of course, they mean to look down when entering the train so you don’t fall through the crack. Well, mind the gap with your heating as well. “It’s foolish to spend money heating your home if the warm air can escape. Caulk and weather-strip around exterior seams, cracks, and openings. Pay extra attention around windows and at points where various exterior materials like wood, brick, and vinyl siding meet,” says Tom. She goes on to suggest caulking and weather-stripping around windows and door frames on the inside of your home as well, to cut down on drafts. And a draft guard along the bottom of an exterior door can also help prevent heat from escaping. Don’t forget to close the damper on your chimney as well. Air sealing and properly insulating the attics, walls, floors over crawl spaces, and accessible basement rim joists can save up to 10% of total energy costs.

Sometimes an investment in your energy future is a very wise thing. Such is the case with replacing old windows with high-efficiency Energy Star double-pane windows with protective coatings that reflect heat back into your home during winter. “This can reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 15%,” says Tom. She adds that if such a retrofit is not in your budget, cover your windows with clear plastic film — at a typical cost of $4 to $6 per window. The film creates an insulating air pocket between the plastic and the window, reducing heat loss through windows.

Tom advises to keep the humidity level in your home between 30% and 60% and in rooms where you have a ceiling fan, reverse the direction so that they move clockwise and push hot air near the ceiling toward the floor.

Can you take one more tip? When it’s cold outside, keep drapes and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow sunlight to enter your home, and then you can close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.

Realtor, TBWS

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