Rising fuel costs mean higher energy bills. As everyone knows, the cost of fuel has gone up significantly over the past few years and dramatically over the past few months.
Now is a good time to consider energy-efficient improvements to reduce your overall energy use and save you money this winter.
ADD WEATHER-STRIPPING: You can save money by keeping the warm air inside with weather stripping. To check seals, light an incense stick and move it around the edge of your doors and windows. If the smoke moves horizontally, there is an air leak.
INSULATE ATTICS, WALLS AND FLOORS: According to the Department of Energy, you can reduce your heating needs by as much as 30 percent by adding just a few hundred dollars worth of new insulation. The extra cushion between your interior space and the outdoors pays for itself over time. Although the tendency may be to just focus on the attic, don’t forget other key places such as crawl spaces, ceilings, basement walls, and around recessed lighting fixtures (just make sure those fixtures are designed for direct insulation contact).
THINK LANDSCAPING: In the winter, cold, blustery winds can reduce the temperature inside your home by as much as 20 percent. Plant deciduous trees (ones that lose their leaves in the winter) on the south side of the house to allow the sun to heat the south side. Plant evergreen trees or large shrubs (ones that don’t lose their leaves in the winter) on the north side of the house to block the winter winds.
INVEST IN A CEILING FAN: Ceiling fans are a cost saving way to reduce energy use since they use 98% less energy than most central air conditioners. Since the fans will provide extra air circulation, the air handling unit will come on less frequently saving you money. Hot air rises so running the ceiling fan with the air blowing down is an effective way to reduce heat stratification in the winter.
For assistance in implementing these energy saving ideas, contact us at: ArchCJC@aol.com or 609-654-2329.
Tags: energy, energy saving