When cold weather approaches, you can keep your home comfortable and still keep your energy bills from escalating with these winter tips from Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative:
BUNDLE UP YOUR HOME
Check around doors and windows for leaks and drafts. Add weatherstripping and caulk where heat might escape. Make sure doors seal properly.
CLOSE THE DAMPER
Don’t forget to close the damper on your fireplace when the fireplace is not in use. If the damper is open when you’re not using the fireplace, your chimney functions as a large open window that draws warm air out of the room and creates a draft.
CHANGE THE FILTER
Be sure to clean or replace your system’s air filter. At a minimum, change the filter every three months; a dirty filter clogs the system, making the system work harder to keep you warm.
CHANGE A LIGHT BULB
Lighting our homes can represent 20% of home electricity bills and is one of the easiest places to start saving energy with more energy-efficient bulbs.
PLUG THE PLUG
Electric wall plugs and switches can allow cold air to enter. Purchase simple-to-install, foam gaskets that fit behind the switch plate and effectively prevent leaks.
CHECK YOUR HEATING SYSTEM
Get a routine maintenance and inspection of your heating system each autumn to make sure it is in good working order.
CHECK YOUR INSULATION
Insulate your attic. In an older home, that can be the most cost-efficient way to cut home heating costs. Before energy efficiency standards, homes were often built with little or no insulation. As a result, large amounts of heat can be lost through walls, floors and ceilings.
LOWER THE THERMOSTAT
Lowering the setting on your thermostat will result in savings, too!
