How Can I reduce my heating costs?

To reduce your heating costs, focus on the things that can help make your system run less, help you be more comfortable at lower temperatures, and reduce the amount of cold outside air that leaks into the home.

Caulk & weather-stripping are two of the most important things in controlling heating costs. Use it to seal up small openings that allow the cold air to enter, around windows and doors. There is even Some caulking available today that can be applied in the fall and then peeled off easily in the spring - great for windows that have a loose fit.

Humidification can be a key to being comfortable at lower temperatures. If you have hot-water heat, you can place a stand-alone unit in your main living space (but be very careful to keep it clean - these can be a breeding source for all kinds of contaminants if not kept scrupulously clean). If you have warm-air heat, a central humidifier can be installed on the furnace duct system to handle the entire house. Today's central humidifiers do not have standing water in them so they do not create the breeding ground mentioned above.
When you add humidity, people are generally comfortable at a somewhat lower temperature than without it - and you reduce or eliminate static electricity problems and the drying effect of winter on furniture and doors as well.

Insulation is, of course, key to keeping any structure warm in winter. The greatest heat loss is straight up, through the ceilings, so be sure to have at least 12" of fiberglass insulation (or its equivalent) up there. Side walls and floors are very important also, though if you have a warm cellar the main living area floors need not be insulated.

Programmable Thermostats can decrease heating bills by an estimated 10%, according to the Energy Department. They can be programmed to keep temperatures lower when people are not home, or are sleeping, so less energy is used. Newer ones today are more user-friendly and easier to program than they used to be.

Tankless water heaters eliminate standby losses that occur when you have a tank full of heated water available at all times. The burner has to run regularly to keep the water hot even when there's no one using it. A Tankless heater heats water "on demand", that is, it comes on as soon as you turn on a faucet, heats the water you need as you use it, and then shuts off. The good ones really do work extremely well and you won't run out of hot water in the middle of your shower if you get a reliable unit properly sized.

Zoned heating can generate huge savings. New systems should be set up with separate zones - each with its own thermostat - for different parts of the house. This can be done with both hot-water and warm-air systems, and sometimes existing systems can be retrofitted with them.

Other energy saving tips:

Compact fluorescent light bulbs in place of standard bulbs. On average, a fluorescent bulb uses just 16 watts to produce the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. New versions more realistically mimic the soft, yellowish lighting that most consumers prefer for their home. And their prices have come down.

For holiday lighting, there are new LED light sets that use only 20% of the energy of standard mini-light sets, and can last up to 10 times as long.

Don't hold the refrigerator door open, and keep it and the freezer full. It's cheaper to keep food cold than it is to heat up air that enters the empty spaces.

Check out these links:
EnergyExperts.com
EnergyMiser.com

Cost Comparison
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