Bourne's Energy Tips

1. Change your furnace filter regularly. Spending a little on a new filter will go a long way toward maintaining the efficiency of your furnace.
   
   
2. Keep the area near registers, radiators, air-returns and baseboards clear. Vacuum or dust radiators and baseboards often and be sure they're not blocked by furniture and carpets. Heat needs to circulate to reach all areas of the house, especially with a forced-air system.
   
   
3. Lower your thermostat. By lowering the thermostat when nobody is home or when you're sleeping, you can cut your winter energy bills significantly. For each degree you turn the thermostat down in the winter (around the clock), you save roughly three percent on your bill. Programmable thermostats can also offer up to 15 percent savings over the heating season if you set the thermostat 10 degrees lower while you're sleeping or out of the house.
4. Check for drafts and seal them up. If your house feels dry during the heating season, it's probably because it's drafty. Try using an airflow indicator such as an incense stick to test for drafts. If the smoke is drawn toward, or forced away from, such areas as an attic hatch, chimney chase, knee wall hatch/access, you've got a draft to seal. Larger holes can be sealed with expanding foam, which comes in a spray can. If your water pipes freeze, it could be that a draft is cooling the pipes. Prevent this problem by insulating the pipes.
   
   
5. Think twice about space heaters. Even with higher gas and oil prices, electricity remains the most expensive way to heat the home. A thermostatically controlled 1.5kw electric space heater can increase energy costs by as much as $50 per month. The constant need for space heaters may actually signal a larger energy efficiency issue within the home, such as drafty windows and doors.
   
   
6. Seal up drafty windows and doors. Windows and doors can be sealed with caulk and weather stripping. Inspect old caulk and weather stripping and replace anything that is cracked or damaged. Loose windows may benefit from side-mounted sash locks to hold the sash close to the frame. Covering windows with heavy drapes will help reduce drafts and night time heat loss.
   
   
7. Close dampers when you're not using the fireplace. An open fire pulls warm air (air you've paid to heat) from the house, creating a draft near the fireplace. An open damper will pull heated air out of the house even when there is no fire. To prevent this situation, make sure the damper is closed when you're not using the fireplace, after the wood and ashes have gone cold. And, if possible, avoid or reduce the use of wood-burning fireplaces on the coldest days of the winter.
   
   
8. Don't forget about hot-water savings. Keep the tank temperature at 110 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, use low-flow shower heads, and save.
   
   
9. Let the sun in. Take advantage of the winter sun by opening the blinds, shades and curtains to help heat your home on sunny days. Close curtains at night to help keep the heat in.