Energy Saving Tips

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To reduce your heating costs

Have your heating system tuned and inspected by a service professional before each heating season. Heat losses from a poorly maintained system add up over time—sometimes at a rate of 1 percent to 2 percent a year.
Clean or replace the furnace filter often during the heating season. Furnaces use less energy if they “breathe” more easily. Follow instructions in the furnace manufacturer’s manual.
Keep furniture, carpeting, and curtains from blocking heat registers and air-return ducts.
Close heat registers and turn off radiators in unused rooms, such as a spare bedroom, attic, basement and storage areas to save 5 percent to 10 percent on your heating costs.
If radiators are located near cold outside walls, place a sheet of aluminum foil between the radiator and the wall to reflect heat back into the room.
Don’t overheat your home and overwork your furnace. Use supplemental heating equipment for hard-to-heat areas.
When replacing your furnace, look for one that’s at least 90 percent efficient.
While sleeping, add an extra blanket for warmth.
Close your attic, basement, garage, and exterior doors to prevent cold drafts and keep in heat.
Ceiling fans set at slow speed push warm air away from the ceiling and move it around the room without creating a chilling breeze. This spreads the heat more evenly and will make you feel more comfortable.

Your Heating System’s Thermostat

A setback or programmable thermostat lets you automatically turn your heat up before you get out of bed, down when you leave for work, up before you return from work and down again when you go to bed. Installing one before the heating season begins could save as much as 20 percent on your heating costs and recover your investment in the first year.

Other simple things you can do:

Turn down the heat. You’ll typically save 1 percent to 3 percent on your heating costs for every degree you dial down.
Set your thermostat at 68 degrees when you’re home and at 65 degrees when you’re away for a short time. If you’re used to higher settings, dial down 1 degree at a time until you feel comfortable.
Lower your thermostat to 58 degrees if you’re away from home five hours or more. You use much less energy to heat the house up when you return than to keep it heated while you’re away.

NOTE: Warmer temperatures are recommended for homes with ill or elderly persons, or infants.

Related Links:
Energy Savers Booklet - the latest information on saving energy and money at home and on the road.