ENVIRONMENTAL CENTS: Saving Energy in Winter
Worried about winter power bills? There are steps you can take now to cut down on high heating bills.
By Bruce Saller
COLUMNIST
Cold weather is approaching, so here are some suggestions to save energy:
Gaps around windows and doors can cause 30% of your heat loss. Ensure your windows and doors close tightly and are properly caulked. Add weather stripping at the top and bottom of windows, and around the door frame as needed. If you have single-pane windows, considering installing interior storm windows.
Electrical outlets and switches on exterior walls can allow cold air into your house since the insulation is either missing or compressed around the boxes. Install insulation pads under the covers to reduce the loss.
Windows have less thermal insulation than walls, so use insulated drapes and curtains to reduce heat loss.
Keep your drapes and curtains closed except when the sun is shining on the windows. Sunlight can provide up to 100 watts of energy per square foot. You can capture 70-90% of this energy by putting dark rugs, furniture, etc., in the sunlight. Sunlight can fade certain materials, so you may want to cover them with dark sheets or blankets.
A home’s thermal heat loss is equal to the temperature difference between the inside temperature and outside temperature, divided by the home’s thermal resistance value. For example, if the outside temperature is 45 degrees, you will use 50% more energy to keep your house at 75 instead of 65 degrees. So, keep your house as cool as possible.
If you have heat vents by a window, adjust the louver or use a vent deflector so air does not blow on the window. Blowing warm air on a window increases the thermal loss through the window.
Use your clothes dryer during the warmest part of the day. A typical clothes dryer will exhaust the air in a 2,000 sq ft residence in about 1.5 hours, so you will need to re-heat all that air. If you have an electric dryer (not gas!), consider using an Indoor Dryer Vent Kit. You get double savings from this since you keep the warm, moist dryer exhaust air in the house and aren’t replacing your room air with outside air. If you install a vent kit, consider running the dryer during the coldest time of the day, to reduce using your heating system when it is least efficient.
If you have a heat pump:
Check if your thermostat turns on the auxiliary heat when the outside temperature drops below a certain temperature. Most thermostats have a setting of 40 degrees. Most newer systems are still very efficient at 30 degrees.
Do not increase the thermostat setting by more than two degrees to prevent the auxiliary heat from turning on.
Heat pumps are less efficient as the temperature decreases, so try not to increase the temperature setting during the coldest parts of the day.
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There are some interesting tips here I haven't come across anywhere else. Thank you!