Lower Energy Bills: A Helpful Gift to Yourself This Season

Giving yourself the gift of lower energy bills is the perfect way to celebrate the coming holidays. Here are some easy-to-implement strategies to curb your household energy usage over the holidays and throughout the entire heating season too.

Weatherize the Exterior Envelope

You can start reducing energy waste by applying an outdoor caulk around your windows and exterior door frames. Then, make sure the doors are airtight by installing sweeps and weatherstripping. Finally, plug up gaps and holes in the shell. Common trouble spots are where different structural components meet, around the foundation sill plate, and where wires, exhaust vents and plumbing or gas lines penetrate the shell.

Schedule Daily Temperature Setbacks

If you have a manual thermostat, set the temperature a low as your comfort tolerance allows when you’re at home and awake. At night or when you’re away at work, set it back an additional 10–15 degrees. To automate daily energy-saving setbacks, have a programmable thermostat installed and learn how to program it to match your usual daily routine.

Lower Your Water Heating Costs

In the average home, hot water heating represents about 18 percent of the total yearly energy usage. You can lower water heating costs in your household by setting the appliance’s thermostat at 120 degrees. If you have an older unit, adding an insulated water heater jacket can reduce your costs even further.

Maintain Your Heating System

If you neglected furnace maintenance this fall, book an appointment now with your HVAC professional to make sure it’s running efficiently. To prevent airflow restrictions that can erode efficiency, inspect the furnace filter once a month and replace it whenever there’s any sign of dirt accumulation, or every three months at minimum.

Seal Up Window Drafts

If you have older, drafty windows, invest in custom storm windows for the exterior, or seal them on the interior by applying snug-fitting window film using double-sided tape. Installing insulated blinds or drapes can also help curb heat loss and save energy.

Contact us at C.R. Wolfe Heating & Air Conditioning for more tips to help lower energy bills in your Middletown home.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about lowering bills and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 845-367-4482.

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