Thursday, December 22, 2011

Ways To Cut Your Winter Energy Bills

The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that home heating oil, natural gas and electricity will go up from 2-11% more this winter than the previous year. Considering that heating prices are on the rise, getting your home prepped for this season is crucial.

First, you might want to consider having your thermostat control that can be done from your smartphone. These are programmable thermostats that let you automatically adjust the heat down at night which can save you 10% off your energy costs. Since they are link to the internet, you can adjust the temperature remotely. The easier it is to control your energy use, the more likely you are to save money.

Try storm windows that go inside instead of out. This is one recent alternative and with a better value. The products have aluminum frames that spring-loads to fit your window, and yet cost the same or less than your exterior storms and also energy saving. They are also much easier to put in and take out.

It might help to hire a pro to do home energy audit which can shell you out at least $100 to $400. You can instead consider buying a thermal leak detector for about $50 which can accurately pinpoint where energy seepage is at. You can either seal it or let a pro do it once you identify the problem zones.

Adding insulation to your attic and using caulk or foam up there to seal cracks can save you up to 30% on energy costs.


Sent from my iPad

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