Burr… It is officially cold outside in Mid-Michigan. If you have not
already prepared your home for the chill it is time to do so. It is
time to save yourself some money on energy bills with some low cost tips
that will have your family staying warm and not breaking the bank.
The
first issue is with the thermostat. Make sure that you have replaced
older thermostats with newer programmable ones. When your home is
unoccupied you can save yourself a good sum in heating and energy bills
by lowering the setting ten degrees and increase your home heating.
A programmable thermostat will do this automatically for you. The same
is true at night as well. Program the thermostat to decrease the heat
by five to ten degrees while you are sleeping. Add an extra blanket to
your beds and you won’t even notice the difference.
Another quick
and easy step in saving money on energy bills is to lower the thermostat
by one or two degrees. This can lower your bills up to three percent
per degree you lower the heat in your home. Make sure to purchase some
slippers on those feet, not allowing your body to get cold in the first
place will allow you to set the heat a degree or two lower without
noticing a huge difference.
By keeping the garage door shut in the
winter you can also help to keep your hot air within the home.
Something this simple can save you a few dollars over the entire winter
season. With energy prices so high every penny saved helps.
Some
families prefer to add plastic film to the windows in the home to seal
in the warmth and keep out the cold. This will depend on the age of
your windows. If you have fairly new, energy star windows installed
this might not even be an issue. It might cost you more on plastic for
the windows than it saves you in energy costs.
One thing you can
do that keeps heat in is to close curtains, blinds and shades. This
helps to insulate the home and keep the heat inside. Keeping them
closed when you are away or sleeping can significantly decrease your
heating bills.
These are simple or free tips that can help lower your energy bills. As always remember to call in a professional HVAC heating and cooling specialist to due furnace maintenance and tune ups at least once a year.
