13 Ways to Save Money This Winter
Frank wrote a nice article yesterday regarding things to do financially before the end of the year. Those are routine maintenance tips that should serve you well as we wrap up 2008 in a very turbulent time, economically.
Another way to save money is to limit how much you spend heating your home. Winter is vicious with respect to sucking the “bought air” out of the living space. Coming up soon will be an article about the analysis of what you should program your thermostat for optimum efficiency, so if you have ideas, lets hear ‘em because this site doesn’t stop. Unless its the weekend. Or a major holiday. We do have other lives believe it or not. :)
- Stop losing heat from the fireplace. We have mentioned this before, but it merits revisiting. While fireplaces can certainly warm a room, what about when you are not home? They can allow heat to get sucked out constantly. If you have a cold air intake, be sure its tightly closed or get chimney block.
- Put up heavy drapes. These should go up near those windows that feel drafty. Of course these windows should be addressed in their own right, if you need a temporary solution, some heavy drapes might stop the heat bleeding from the house.
- How low can you go? Frank and I often have this discussion, especially as of late where we are discussing thermostat optimization. Is there a significant difference between 67 and 70 degrees? Try turning down the thermostat 1 degree every day until you can’t stand it, then maybe turn it up one degree. Get a sweater, I dare you.
- Gain “light” interest from windows. Those windows that are facing direct sunlight should be left open during the day. Global warming might be bad for the Earth (if it exists, of course
) but its awesome for your house during the day. Its free heat and costs zero dollars. Might not be the total solution but can definitely take the edge off the load for your furnace or heat pump.
- Storm windows reduce heat loss by 50%. The newer windows are pricey of course but will for the most part increase the value of your home as well as potentially pay for themselves over time. The realy fancy ones have a sealed space sandwiched between UV glass that is filled with an inert gas like Argon. This provides the best barrier to heat for windows, and is completely transparent. These work to your advantage in the summer as well but this is focused on winter so you’ll have to do your own homework on that.
- Basement air leaks suck the heat out of your home as well. Seal them up with acrylic latex caulk or silicone around the sill plate if you can get to it. You can also use expanding spray anywhere the the gaps are larger than 1/4 if an inch. For hollow block installations, put in fiberglass insulation and seal with the expanding spray.
- Detect the draft. Black & Decker have come out with a new contraption that detects temperature variations based on thresholds that you set. ($40 at blackanddecker.com). The infrared sensors are pointed at window seals and show air drafts or poor insulation. Available January 1st on Amazon.com and Target.
- Add attic insulation. We often forget about the space at the top of our homes. Out of sight, out of mind right? Insulation has a rating known as an “R” rating, where the minimum attic should have between R-22 and R-49 (6 to 13 inches of loose fill or 7 to 19 inches of fiberglass batting). If you see that you could stand to pump up your R value, use loose fill even if you have fiberglass batting installed.
- Energy audit. This is a big one. Not only in importance but in cost. If you have followed al lthe steps above and are at loss as to where your home is losing heat, set up an appointment one weekend and get an audit. It takes about 2 to 3 hours and costs about $250 to $400. They use a huge blower on your front door that creates a negative air flow in your house to find air leaks, which are difficult to find on your own. Check with your local utility company and ask about rebates.
- Insulate pipes. These seems like a no brainer but you would be surprised as to how few people so this. Think about all the hot water in your basement water heater traveling up to the second floor going through those copper pipes. Metal conducts heat very well and this can bleed heat as well. Get flexible pipe insulation at the hardware store and slip it on.
- Store firewood at least 30 feet away. Dead, untreated wood is like filet mignon to termites, so keep that new cord of wood as far as you can stand it and perhaps prop it up off the ground. There should be no attraction for these destructive insects near your house.
- Clean your dryer vent. This is a good one. Even if you have a high efficiency dryer, do this about every six months. Restricted airflow causes the dryer to work harder, ergo drawing more amperage from the wall. Its also somewhat of a firehazard. Get a shop vac and maybe an extension. They also make mini chimney sweeps that rout out old lint.
- Turn off outside hose bibs. Find the main valve to your outside hose faucets and close it. Then go around to each one and open it and allow all the water to pour out. Might be a good time to rubber band or twist-tie some scraps of screen or old t-shirts to keep any last minute bugs out. GENIUS!
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Comments
Comment by Bästa
Great post! will definetly be looking into isolating my house before the winter come this year. Another great tip is looking over your energy supplier, can save you thousands!
ех! Этоя пральна мыслишь)))))))))) ваше здаровичька и крепкие нервы камраден!!!!!!!!