Reducing heating costs

If you are an average homeowner, more than 50 percent of your energy costs go to heat and cool your house.  According to your local Sparta heating and cooling specialist, anything you can do to reduce your energy use will take a bite out of your monthly gas or electric bills – reducing home heating costs this winter.

There are a number of ways to save money on heating costs.  The most expensive, of course, is to completely upgrade your system with new equipment that employs energy-saving technologies.  The second is to add supplemental heating sources that are energy efficient.  For starters, you can do a lot to reduce your energy consumption by sealing up the drafty places in your home and changing the way you use your appliances.

Home Heating Tip of the Week

Tip #1  Start with insulation around your doors and windows.

Tip #2  Seal the spaces around hose bibs and air-conditioner lines from the outside condenser.

Tip #3  Set up reflectors behind radiators on exterior walls.  They come in styles to match different interior designs.

Tip #4  Vacuum warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed.

Tip #5  Make sure furniture doesn’t block the circulation of the heat.

Tip #6  Install a ceiling fan to move cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter.

BONUS TIP:  This simple addition helps equalize the temperature in the room, reducing hot and cold spots, and you can change the thermostat setting about 4 degrees without noticing any difference in comfort.

Tip #7  Install a programmable thermostat that adjusts the temperature according to your schedule.

Tip #8  Seal all joints on heat ducts with mastic (do not u se duct tape, it deteriorates).

HEATING TRADE SECRETS:  Changing the way you use energy also will save money.  Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.  Rinse hand-washed dishes all at once rather than individually.  Take short showers instead of baths.  Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120 degrees.