Warm advice on a cold, cold day

February 4th, 2009 at 07:26am Jennie Pollock

As I sit at my desk, it’s 2 below zero outside and slightly warmer in my office. It seems as good a time as any to share “10 tips for cutting energy costs in tough times” from the University of Illinois Extension.

1. Turn the thermostat down at night or while no one is home. You can reduce your heating bill by as much as 5 percent. Note: We’ve recently run tips here on this, but it bears repeating. And remember not to turn it down too low or you’re making your furnance work too hard.

 

2. Even better, install an Energy Star-qualified programmable thermostat—set to lower the heat when you’re gone and while sleeping.

 

3. Turn off lights when no one is in the room.

 

4. While you’re at it, replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs wherever possible. By replacing just five, you can save about $60 per year.

 

5. Unplug DVD players, battery chargers, TVs, and computers when they’re not in use. They use energy constantly.

 

6. Take shorter showers.

 

7. Fix air leaks around windows, doors, and electrical outlets. Use foam inserts, weather stripping, and caulking.

 

8. Install storm windows and doors or put up plastic sheeting to reduce heat loss.

 

9. Insulate attics, exterior walls, under floors, heat ducts, and hot water pipes.

 

10. Close your fireplace damper when it’s not in use to prevent cold air from entering the house.

Entry Filed under: Green home