 Keep Power Bills Down With These Energy-Saving Tips
An average of 70 percent of your power bill goes toward heating your home, so during a Montana winter and in a time of ever-increasing utility rates here are some tips for keeping your home warm and toasty this winter. The top energy-saving measures you can do at home are: 1. Seal air leaks and furnace ducts 2. Give your furnace a tune-up 3. Install interior storm windows 4. Insulate the roof Sometimes these require the skills of a professional. However, there are a number of things you can do yourself. Start by plugging any big holes by vents, chimneys, water pipes and heating systems. Then go after the little holes around windows, doors and electrical outlets. Of course, once you have your house good and tight, you'll want to be sure all combustion appliances (stoves, furnaces, water heaters) and ventilation systems are in good working order. It's a good idea to have your furnace checked periodically. If you have a forced air furnace, clean or replace the filter once a month. Clean baseboard heaters weekly and keep furniture from obstructing the flow of heat. Other low-cost energy saving measures include turning down the temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees and installing an insulation blanket around it, and turning down the thermostat in the house to 68 degrees (and a little less at night and when you're not at home.) About insulation Insulation is measured in terms of R value (the higher the R value, the greater the resistance to heat loss and the better the insulation). One of the most common types of insulation is the glass fiber material that comes in a roll. It has an R rating of 3.2 per inch. In Montana, it is recommended to insulate the attic to a minimum of R-38, floors to R-19 and walls to R-11. So, in order to insulate an attic, you would need a thickness of 10 1/2 inches of glass fiber batt. However, glass fiber is only one type of insulation. It also comes in sheets, such as expanded or extruded polystyrene boards, which have an R value of between 4.0 and 5.5. These are commonly used in basement and crawl space walls. To achieve an R value of 19, you would need between 4 and 7 inches of the board-type insulation. Insulating the attic is one measure often taken on by do-it-yourselfers. It's fairly easy to roll out the glass fiber bats or pour in loose-fill cellulose. To avoid moisture problems, the attic needs to be checked for proper ventilation and moisture entry points - a job you may want to contract a professional for. In unfinished or unheated basements, insulation can be applied to the ceiling floorboards using rolls or batts of glass fiber insulation. When applying insulation, it is important to wear a respirator, work gloves and protective clothes. Insulating walls usually requires the services of an expert. To treat them, parts of the exterior siding is removed. Then one or two holes are drilled and the material is blown in to the wall cavities. Once the process is complete, the holes are sealed and the siding returned. Rigid board installation may be applied in the case of interior walls made of solid material such as brick. For more information The Montana State University Extension Service has published a series of pamphlets dealing with energy conservation. For more information about insulation, you can order free Power Bill pamphlets that deal specifically with attics, walls or floors. Other pamphlets cover water heaters, energy saving tips and condensation. Contact Michael Vogel at (406) 994-3451 or mvogel@montana.edu. Tell him you read this on the MSU home page!
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