| | | How to lower your home heating costs! | | | With heating costs on the rise, just about every homeowner is looking for ways to reduce his or her energy bill. Below are six tips to save you money while keeping you warm - and many of them won't cost you a dime.
| | | | Move the furniture that blocks heating vents and always be sure to change your furnace filter every couple of months, as a clogged filter will decrease efficiency. Close the damper on your fireplace when it is not in use, as heat will escape up the chimney.
| | | | | Look for leaks
On average, drafts cost $350 a year in increased heating bills. So go for a walk around your home with a candle. If the flame flickers or goes out around windows, doors or electrical outlets, you have an obvious leak. Plug them with weather stripping, caulk or expandable foam.
It is important to ensure that the attic is completely insulated, as this could increase your heating bill by 15%. A poorly sealed kitchen and bathroom vent hole, will suck the heat up and push cold air into the home.
Insulation
Homes that are more than 25 years old, have inferior or no insulation in the walls. A simple fix is to cut small holes in the walls and blow insulation in. This service costs $2000 on average, depending on the size of the home. The savings, on your energy bill, will be approximately $150 per year.
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