Thursday, Sep 1, 2011Home Energy Saving Tips for the Fall

“Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.” ~ Peter Drucker

It’s pretty obvious that winter is coming.  It usually happens after every Fall.  Many homes need to be prepared for winter and here are some home energy saving tips to help you get ready.

In most countries, winter means “cold.”  You’ll want to prepare several things in your home to keep the warm air from your heating system inside the home.

Fireplace: Clean the damper so that it’s free from soot.  When it closes, it needs to form a tight seal to keep the heat inside. Also, be sure the chimney is cleared from creosote to prevent fires inside the flue. Using the fireplace can reduce the cost of electrical heating.

Heating Ducts: Is there still insulation wrapping your heating ducts?  If yours is an older home, it may have fallen away.  R-6 or fiberglass insulation will keep the heat moving through the ducts inside and not escape. Use the proper sealing tapes to keep the insulation in place. This, too, can reduce heating costs.

Windows and Doors: Be sure the caulking around both the inside and the outside of the frames around your windows and doors has not cracked and fallen away.  Weather stripping or caulking will create a tight seal to keep the warmth inside.

Thermostat: How old is your thermostat?  If it’s very old, it is more than likely not programmable.  Programmable thermostats can be set for day and night temperatures, or for when you are not home at all.  Consider setting your thermostat just one degree cooler than you currently use it to realize a substantial savings in your heating costs this winter.

Water Heater: Check the temperature on your water heater.  If it’s set too high, you could be wasting the energy to unnecessarily heat the water.  A recommended range is 120 to 150° Fahrenheit.

Heating and Cooling System: Have your furnace maintenance done during the summer or fall.  Be sure there is a new filter in it for the winter.

These home energy saving tips will be a great savings for you.  You might also train your family members to turn off lights when they’re leaving a room.  Replace your standard light bulbs with the more energy-efficient fluorescent light bulbs.  Be sure to vacuum the coils on the back of your refrigerator to make it work more efficiently and use less energy.  Also vacuum out the vents and ducts in your home to be sure your furnace can work efficiently.

It would be interesting to create a family project out of these home energy saving tips and then trace how much the budget was spared because of your hard work this Fall.  Best of luck!