Using energy wisely can reduce consumption and
save money on utility bills. Some things cost
nothing and can save a lot.
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High
Natural Gas Bills? Here are 25
Energy Saving Tips.
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| 1. First and foremost, have your furnace
and gas appliances serviced annually by a qualified
contractor to ensure safety and maximum
energy-efficiency. As you "tighten up" your home for
energy-efficiency, you may even want to install a
carbon monoxide detector for added safety. |
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2. When buying a new heating system or
appliance, compare energy-efficiency ratings and
annual operating costs. A slightly higher initial
cost for a high-efficiency unit could pay itself
back in a very short time through energy savings and
lower utility bills. |
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3. Put on your favorite sweater and set
your thermostats between 65 and 68 degrees during
the winter. For sleep hours, set the temperature at
least 5 degrees lower and add a cozy blanket to your
bed. When away from home for more than a few hours,
set your thermostat at 58 degrees. (Warmer
temperatures are recommended for homes with ill or
elderly persons or infants). |
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4. Install a programmable thermostat
and set it to accurately follow your
schedule. If no one is home during the
day, there's no need to keep your house
toasty. Using a programmable thermostat,
you can adjust the times you turn on the
furnace or air-conditioner according to
a pre-set schedule. Programmable
thermostats can store and repeat
multiple daily settings (six or more
temperature settings a day) that you can
manually override without affecting the
rest of the daily or weekly program. |
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5. Adjust vents to keep specific rooms
of your home at a desired temperature. Heat rises,
so you may want to partially close upstairs vents.
Check with your heating contractor to see if this
will work well with your heating system design. |
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| 6. Seal leaks around doors, windows and
other openings, such as pipes or ducts, with
caulking or weather-stripping. |
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7. If pipes or ducts run through
unheated areas, insulate them. |
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| 8. Close vents and doors in unused
rooms. Check with your heating/HVAC contractor to
see if this will work well with your heating system
design. |
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9. Use draperies, awnings, blinds or
shutters on all windows to slow the loss of heat
through the glass. In winter, keep window coverings
open on sunny days to let the sun's warmth in and
close them at night to insulate against cold,
outside air. Use drapes, shutters, awnings, shade
trees, glass with reflective film or solar screens
to keep sunlight out in the summer. |
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| 10. Rearrange furniture by placing it
against inside walls you're less likely to feel
cool drafts if you're not sitting next to the
outside walls.. |
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11. Avoid blocking heating vents and
air returns with furniture, draperies or carpet. |
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12. Consider storm or thermal windows
and doors or double-paned glass. A less-expensive
alternative is plastic sheeting, which can be
temporarily fastened over doors and windows to
retain heat or air conditioning. |
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13. Purchase some inexpensive, pre-cut
insulation gaskets and seal out the cold air
entering your home through electrical switches and
outlet plates, particularly those on outside walls. |
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14. A dirty furnace filter can drive up
the cost of heating your home. Change or clean
filters in heating and cooling units at least four
times a year. |
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| 15. Check to see if your attic and
crawlspace and/or basement have recommended levels
of insulation. Add insulation as needed. |
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16. A humidifier either on your furnace
or as a separate unit ¿ can help control heating
costs. You'll feel warmer in moist air, so you can
set your thermostat lower. |
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17. Closets and cabinets on outside
walls can leak a great deal of air, so make sure the
doors fit snugly and keep them tightly closed. |
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| 18. If you have ceiling fans, make sure
the mountings are snug and tight. Use clear caulking
to seal any leaks. Even minor cracks around the base
can let in lots of cold air. |
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19. Use kitchen, bath and other ventilating
fans sparingly in cold weather. In just one hour,
these fans can blow away a household of warm air. |
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20. Set water heater temperature at 120
degrees and install water-flow restrictors in
showerheads and faucets. Water-saving showerheads
and faucet aerators save up to 50% on your hot water
use. Simply unscrew the old one and screw on the new
one. |
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21. Check your water heater manual for
instructions and drain sediment from the water
heater tank at least annually. Removing sediment
promotes proper heat exchange and extends the life
of the water heater. Check the website of your water
heater's manufacturer if you've misplaced your
manual. Many are available on-line. |
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22. Repair leaky hot water faucets
promptly. A leaky faucet wastes gallons of hot water
in a short period of time. |
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23. Be sure that dishwashers, washing
machines and clothes dryers are fully loaded before
running. |
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| 24. If you never use your fireplace,
plug and seal the chimney flue. |
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25. You may not realize that your
fireplace is one of the most inefficient heat
sources you can possibly use. It literally sends
your energy dollars right up the chimney along
with volumes of warm air. A roaring fire can exhaust
as much as 24,000 cubic feet of air per hour to the
outside. The warm air is replaced by cold air coming
into the house from the outside. Your heating system
then works overtime to warm up this air which is
then exhausted through your chimney. Keep your
fireplace damper closed unless a fire is going.
Keeping the damper open is like keeping a 48-inch
window wide open during the winter since it allows
warm air to go right up the chimney. |
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| Caution: |
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| Don't use your gas fireplace or gas logs to try and
heat your home. Use them for decorative purposes
only and only sparingly in very cold weather. Don't
use your gas or electric range to heat your home
either. That's a potentially dangerous and expensive
thing to do. Just use it for its intended purpose ¿
cooking.
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