Seasonal Energy Saving Tips
Heating System
- Have a licensed heating professional come inspect and service your heating
unit each year before you begin to use it, this includes:
- Inspecting the thermostat for proper operation
- Inspecting the filter, and changing or cleaning filter as needed
- Checking all electrical components and controls
- Oiling the motors as necessary
- Inspecting the heat exchanger for possible cracks (This is important
as a crack in the heat exchanger will introduce carbon monoxide into your home)
- Checking the air flow to see if it is diminished, and if it is
necessary to clean the evaporator coil
- Checking of air fuel mixture
- Make sure there is nothing flammable stored next to the furnace
- Change or clean your furnace's filters regularly
- Remove the sediment at the base of your water heater's tank
- When first turned on, be sure that the heating system is running safely. Look
out for strange signs and smells which don't quite seem right - shut it
off and consult a professional
- Invest in at least one high-quality carbon monoxide detector
- Have your smoke alarms ready and distributed throughout the house - replace
the batteries and check to make sure they are working properly.
Holiday Lighting
Holiday lights add a festive quality to your neighborhood and your home; however, if
used incorrectly they can present a safety hazard.
- Make sure any light set you purchase has been approve for the
right use, indoor use, outdoor use or both, and is marked with the UL label.
- Do not overload electrical circuits. Circuits in older homes carry a
maximum of 15 amps or 1,800 watts each. Circuits in most new homes can carry
20 amps, or 2,400 watts each.
- Before you decorate, check light sets for frayed wires, damaged sockets
or cracked insulation. If you find defects, replace the entire set.
- Use timers to reliably turn off lights during daylight hours and other
times when lighting not needed.
Light Emitting Diode (LED) holiday lights are a new application for a
mature technology. Each year manufacturers have improved the choices,
producing bigger and brighter bulbs and new color options. LED lights have
a number of benefits over conventional lighting:
- Energy-efficient - 0.08 watts per LED C7 multicolor bulb
(compared with 0.48 watts for an incandescent mini-light and 6.0
watts for a standard incandescent C7 bulb).
- Long life-span - up to 100,000 hours or more used indoors, half
that outdoors, and some manufacturers provide limited lifetime warranty.
- Safety - no chance of combustion since the bulbs are cool to the
touch, regardless of how long they are left on.
- Sturdy bulbs - the epoxy lenses are virtually indestructible.
Cold-Climate Window Tips
- You can use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or
tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames during
the cold winter months. Remember, the plastic must be sealed tightly
to the frame to help reduce infiltration.
- Install tight-fitting, insulating window shades on windows that
feel drafty after weatherizing.
- Close your curtains and shades at night; open them during the day.
- Keep windows on the south side of your house clean to let in the winter sun.
- Install exterior or interior storm windows; storm windows can reduce
heat loss through the windows by 25% to 50%. Storm windows should have
weatherstripping at all moveable joints; be made of strong, durable
materials; and have interlocking or overlapping joints. Low-e storm
windows save even more energy.
- Repair and weatherize your current storm windows, if necessary.
For more energy conservation tips, go to more tips.
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