October Energy Saving Tip #5: Heat Wisely

The number one energy user in most households is the heating system. Although we live in a rather temperate climate, heating our living and work spaces is necessary for much of the year. By following a few simple guidelines you can stay comfortable while reducing your energy use and saving money on your bills.

Turn Down the Thermostat

Most people feel comfortable at an indoor temperature of 68 degrees, but in many households there are large parts of the day when no one would notice or care if it got a bit cooler. There is no need to be blasting the heat while everyone is out of the house at work and school, or at night when everyone is asleep. Turning your thermostat down by 10-15 degrees for just 8 hours per day can save you between 5-15% on your heating bills. Better yet, install a programmable thermostat and set it to automatically lower the temperature when you are routinely out of the house or asleep.

Let the Heat Flow

One of the easiest ways to improve the efficiency of your heating system is to go through the whole house and make sure that no vents are being blocked by heavy curtains or large furniture items. Simply rearranging your rooms to allow heat to flow into the room rather than just heating the back of a big sofa will make you feel more cozy in your home and will keep your furnace from turning on more than it needs to.

Practice Zone Heating

Although most space heaters are less efficient than your central heating system, if used effectively they can help you cut back on heating costs. Zone heating is the practice of heating just the part of the house that you will be occupying. If you know you are going to be in your bedroom reading for several hours you can turn the main thermostat control down or off and use a small space heater to keep warm instead. Just remember that space heaters aren’t actually meant to heat spaces; they work far better when they are directed at the person who wants to keep warm.

Change Your Filter

When your furnace filter gets dusty and clogged it can cause your furnace to work overtime. The general guideline is to change your filter (or clean it if you have a reusable one) every 3 months and more often as needed in the winter heating months. You may need to change it more or less based on your particular situation, so just check the filter regularly to see if it is getting a lot of dust build-up.