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Rull
Bros
Delivering
home-town service and warmth to your family
Be
Energy Smart - 6 Ways to Save
1.
Lower the Thermostat
Each degree you lower the thermostat on your heating system decreases
your fuel bill by 3 percent. Going from 72° down to 68°F
doesn't matter much in terms of comfort, but it can save up to 12
percent on your heating bill. Cost: $0
2.
It's Closed-Flue Season. Minimize Those Romantic Fires
An open fireplace damper lets the same amount of heated air escape
up the chimney as a wide-open 48-inch window lets out. Make sure
your flu is closed when you don't have a fire going. In fact, it
is a good idea to reduce the number of times you use your fireplace.
A roaring fire exhausts over 20,000 cubic feet of heated air per
hour to the outside. Sure it feels warm by the fire, but every Btu
that goes up the chimney is replaced by cold air pulled into the
house elsewhere. Cost: $0
3.
Move Furniture Away From Vents, Registers, and Radiators
This sounds like a no-brainer, but many times a couch, chair, or
bed moved during the summer stays there in winter, blocking the
flow of heat into the room. This wastes money and leads to cold
rooms. With a forced-air system, blocking a supply or return vent
can cause a house-wide pressure imbalance that disrupts the heat
flow in the whole system. Cost: $0
4.
Adjust Your Water Heater
You use more hot water in winter. Lower the water heater temperature
from 140° to 120°. And take showers, not baths. According
to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average bath consumes up to
25 gallons of hot water, while a five-minute shower uses up much
less - only around 10 gallons. Equipping your showers with low-flow
showerheads also dramatically reduces the consumption of water,
both hot and cold. Cost: $0
5.
Work the Drapes
Got drapes or curtains that block sunlight? Open them during the
day to get free solar heat (make sure windows are clean). And then
close the curtains just before sunset. Also, consider insulating
curtains (around $100 per window). As a general rule, each square
foot of window that you insulate at night saves about 1 gal. of
oil or nearly 1.5 cubic feet of gas a year, which means that insulating
curtains pay for themselves in around seven years, to say nothing
of the added comfort. Cost:
$0
6.
Change Your Furnace Filter
If you
have a forced-air system, changing the furnace filter can save you
some energy (up to 5 percent) and keep dust down in the house. The
system will last longer and be less likely to break down. The most
popular 16 X 20-inch duct filter costs around 50 cents when bought
by the box. Change them monthly during heating season. Measure your
air filter before shopping; they range in size from 12 X 12 inches
to 30 X 30 inches. An alternative to swapping out the replacement
filter is to use washable filters (around $20 each). With care,
they can last five years. Cost: Under $15 per year
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