Well it looks like winter’s here to stay in Middle Tennessee so I thought it fitting to try and help out with the bills. So here are some tips that I hope save you some chips.
* Turn your thermostat down and throw on a sweatshirt and socks. For every degree that you turn it down you’ll save 3% on your heating bill.
*Don’t let your hard earned money blow out the window. Seal all the windows and doors. Check all of your windows and doors for broken seals and caulk where needed.
* Use mother nature! On the side of your house where the sunlight shines the most during the day open the drapes and blinds so that mother nature heats your house and not you. However, don’t forget to shut them back at sunset, otherwise she’ll be stealing it from you instead of providing it to you!
* Properly insulate. Any area where there is only minimal insulation to no insulation needs to be beefed up. Check with the local hardward store for exactly how much, but a properly insulated home can save up to 30% every month.
* When you leave the house for more than a day, turn the thermostat down a few degrees. No need to heat an empty home.
* If you have a fireplace, use it wisely. Even when you are burning a fire, some of the heat from your vents can still go up the chimney, so only use your fireplace for ambience (unless you are getting free firewood) and be sure and close the damper just enough so that smoke goes up the cimney and not in your house this will push more heat to the house and not up and out. And when the fireplace is not in use, mak sure you close the damper completely off.
* Any rooms that you don’t use should have the vents either closed off completely or opened minimally if the rooms are only used seldomly.
Great advice. Many utility companies offer free heating audits which can tell you where and how heat is escaping your home. This is a great way to notice trouble spots in your home. Also, I am a big fan of hot water bottles. You can lower your thermostat at night, pop a hot water bottle into bed and stay toasty warm the entire night.