How should I keep my heating bill down?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071009/bs_nm/usa_eia_winter_dc

this article is making me worry.... what are some tips for this year's winter?

Answer 1

There are couple of tips I follow which works:-

1) Use programmable thermostate and program it to your needs.
2) Keep temp of the house low (18 - 19 degree) depends what is your comfort level. Each degree will make a diff. in ur bill
3) If you are keeping the temp little low then u can consider wearing socks to make urself comfortable
4) Seal ur windows
5) If u r in a house and ur basement is not used a lot then u might consider closing the ducts for your basement.
6) Use Ventilation fans in the kitchen and washrooms deligently (they can drain hot air of the house very quickly)
7) Use humidifier (this will make u comfortable even in little low temp)
8) If posible install strom door on the main door.
9) Try to find out air leaks in your house and repair the leaks whereever posible

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Make sure that your furnace has clean filters before the heating season starts. If they are in good shape, you can vacuum them yourself with a brush attachment; and replace them. New ones can be purchased at hardware stores and home centers.

You can have your service provider come to your home and give your furnace the cold weather prep service, or you can get a furnace maintenance book from Home Depot or Lowes or even the library and Internet and do the work yourself. My husband and I learned how to do the yearly maintenance ourselves a few years ago and have saved over $150.00 per year by doing so.

Check with your oil dealer and see if you can have a small discount for preordering your oil, many companies will offer a five to ten cent per gallon discount. You may even get a higher discount if you prepay for the heating season. So if your average year is $1200.00, prepay the 1320.00, which would include the 10% increase, and save a bit more.

Keep your windows well insulated with storm windows and draperies to hold the heat in. If you have a sunny side to your home, open those drapes during the sunny hours and keep your heat down or off in that room or area.

Close vents in rooms that are not in use, unless there are water pipes passing through that location. Wrap water pipes in unheated areas or crawl spaces. Make sure that your water heater is wrapped in an insulting blanket, especially if it is in a unheated area, or is oil-fired.

Run your heat a couple of degrees lower than you have in the past, and wear a sweater instead of having your home overly hot.

Solar panels on the roof with a storage cell can help.

Have your service provider check the line/lines leading to/from the oil tank, clogged lines will make it more difficult for the entire heating system to work harder and burn more oil.

Do not let your tank fall below one quarter of a tank, the silt and sludge that collects in the bottom of the tank can freeze up the entire system, and reheating a house that has dropped a great deal in temperature will burn excess oil.

Hope these ideas help, they have helped my family and I over the past decade or so.

Good luck and think warm thoughts!

Answer 3

I heat my home every year with wood. I have an air tight wood stove that heats quite nicely.

Pros: I cut, split, transport and stack the wood myself

My heating bill is virtually non existent. I use an electric heater in my bathroom. And every once in awhile when I'm tired and lazy I'll kick the propane furnace on.

Cons: I cut, split, transport and stack the wood myself

Alot more work than just switchin on the heat. Wood is Messy. Spiders, Bark everywhere, Ash.

Answer 4

first thing is call a heating and air specialist to make sure your unit is working properly. put weather stripping around all your doors and windows, and when it gets cold hang towls in front of your windows. if you have a sliding back door or double windows some drapes might be a good investment. if you have a fireplace make sure to get it cleaned, and invest in a space heater (they keep rooms you are in warm and they take less energy) keep the heat realitivly low (i keep mine at 68 and just wear sweatshirts and other warm clothing)

Answer 5

Best idea is to lower the thermostat and put on another sweater. Make sure the house is insulated and no air is leaking in or out around windows and doors.

Answer 6

well Put plastic up on the window or covers so it keeps the heat in and the cold out.make sure your furnace filter is clean out .Turn your furnace up a bit Higher than Normal.Make sure all the cracks inside and outside are filled.

Answer 7

Here are two articles I found uesful that give good advice about lowereing a home heating bill:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2040320_lower-home-heating-bill.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2007287_home-heating-bill-this-winter.html
Hope the advice in them keeps you warm without emptying your pockets.

Answer 8

WELL AS WITHA LL THE FUEL COST ON THE UP AND UP ITS HARD TO KEEP COSTS DOWN I LIVE IN FLA SO WE DONT USE HEAT FRO WINTERS LIKE YOU DO BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP A/C ON 10 -11 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR AND KEEPING THE SETTING ON 80 FOR A/C HAS HELPED ME THIS LAST MONTH IN SAVINGS OF ALMOST 100 DOLLARS I ALSO BOUGHT INSULATED CURTAINS FOR ALL WINDOWS WHICH ARE PRICEY BUT WORK EXCELLENT IN KEEPING HEAT AND COLD OUT MY SUGGESTION FOR YOU IS TO KEEP THE HEAT SETTING VERY LOW JUST TO TAKE THE FREEZING CHILL OUT OF YOUR HOME TURNING HEAT OFF DURING THE DAY IF YOU ARE NOT HOME AND KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL ETC... AS FOR A/C KEEP IN ON 80 DURING THE DAY AND TURNING IT TO 76 AT NIGHT IF EVERYONE IS HOME .. MAKE SURE YOUT WINDOWS ARE SEALED VERY WELL NOT TO LET ANYTHING IN OR ESCAPE OUT.. BUY WELL INSULATED BLANKETS AND DRESS WARMLY FOR BED IN WINTER.. ONLY USE HEAT IF ABSOLUTLY NECCASARY AS AT NIGHT FOR BED ETC.... TRY NOT TO USE WASHER AND DRYER EVERY DAY AS MAYBE DOING BIGGER LOADS AT AT IME IF WASHER AND DRYER ALLOW THAT TRY TO KEEP DOORS CLOSED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TURN FANS OFF AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE MAYBE USING MICROWAVE OR TOASTER OVER INSTEAD OF OVEN DAILY TRY THESE SMALL TIPS AND TRY TO CONSERVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE MY ELECRIC BILL RUNS HALF OF WHAT MY MORTGAGE PAYMENT IS SO I ALSO AM TRYING TO CUT BACK ALOT,ALOT ALOT..... HOPE THIS HELPS A LITTLE..