|
|
|
> MSU News
Save money on your heating bill with these winter-time tips
December 09, 2002 -- By MSU News Services
BOZEMAN--Dreading winter and the high utility bills? If so, you are not alone, says a housing specialist at Montana State University.
"In Montana, about 75 cents of every home energy dollar goes towards heating your house," said Mike Vogel, a housing specialist with the MSU Extension Service. "So what better place to start saving your energy dollars than with a couple of no-cost measures to use with your heating system?"
Vogel offers these tips to help shave some money off your winter power bill:
--No matter what kind of heating system you have, a comfortable and steady thermostat setting of 68 degrees is the most energy efficient.
--If you have a gas forced air heating system, set the thermostat back 4 to 6 degrees when your family is in bed for the night or is at work or school for the day. This offers the most in energy savings, which will be less if the adjustment is lower than this. Appoint just one person in the family to adjust the thermostat.
--Change or clean your furnace filter each month. Keeping your heating system clean can help to save energy, as a clean system will run much more efficiently than a neglected one.
--Just a little dust can alter air flow to and from the heating system, so frequently vacuum around and in furnace air intakes, vent registers, baseboard heaters and radiators. While cleaning, make sure that all vents and registers are open.
--Keep all furniture and draperies away from the vents, registers, baseboard heaters and radiators to allow for proper heating, air circulation, and fire prevention.
--Lower the temperature of your water heater, and wrap it in an insulating blanket. While most heaters are set at 140 degrees F, 120 will do the trick, and you'll cut your water-heating costs by up to 10 percent. A water heater jacket (available at hardware stores for $10 to $20) can save another four to nine percent. Just be sure not to block exhaust vents, air intakes and thermostat access panels. And, newer water heaters may not need an insulation wrap; check the manufacturer's instructions.
For additional information, contact your local Extension agent or the MSU Extension Housing Program at (406) 994-3451 to order the 16 brochure set of Power Bill’s - a series of brochures on ways to save energy and money in your home, or log on to http://weatherization.org for further information and resources.
The MSU Extension Service is an educational resource dedicated to improving the quality of people's lives by providing research-based knowledge to strengthen the social, economic and environmental well-being of families, communities and agricultural enterprises.
Contact: Mike Vogel, MSU Extension Housing Specialist, (406) 994-3451
|
|
|
Email this article
