What do you do to help lower your energy/heating bill?

1. 57

   ElleBeeposted 12 years ago

   What do you do to help lower your energy/heating bill?
   
   Winter cold is upon us - what do you do to help keep your energy/heating bills low?

   replyreport
2. 66

   atechwizposted 12 years ago

   Aside from the obvious lowering of the thermostat, I would recommend covering windows with curtains at night but open them during sunny days.  A couple of things that can be done depending on where you live is look into alternative heating solutions such as stoves.  Also, spending some money on better insulation and weather stripping might save money over the long haul.

   replyreport
   1. 57

      ElleBeeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      All good ideas. Our house is barely 20 years old, so I doubt there's a ton we could do with insulation We definitely keep our thermostat low! When people talk about keeping the therm. to a "low" 65, I have to laugh, if ours goes to 62 its a treat!

      replyreport
3. 67

   BSloanposted 12 years ago

   Here in Miami it was pretty hot during the summer, so my husband put up two shutters on the largest windows that receive the most sunlight.  This helped to keep the house cooler.  We also try to keep the thermostat at 76-77 and use the dryer as little as needed.

   replyreport
   1. 57

      ElleBeeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Makes sense.

      replyreport
4. 77

   BeyondGSposted 12 years ago

   Along with the suggestions atechwiz gave, another good way is on the more warmer days just use a small heater and blankets if you are able. Then on the colder days use your heat. I try to only turn my heat on every other day, seems to do well. Of course it depends on where you live and how cold it can get too.

   replyreport
   1. 57

      ElleBeeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That makes sense.  Unfortunately for us we're already below freexing most nights, so we can't turn it off completely because of pipes.  We typically keep our heat between 59-62 and still use lots of blankets!

      replyreport
5. 99

   KDeusposted 12 years ago

   Here in Florida, it doesn't get too cold for too long during the winters, but what we use is a large towel rolled up and placed along the bottom edge of the french doors and the front door. This summer, I made top-up/bottom-down Roman shades that can be lowered slightly to let in the sun while keeping the rest of the window covered on the cooler days.
   
   I grew up in PA and my parents did and still do put plastic over the outside of the windows to insulate them better. They're only single pane glass in an older house so a lot of heat is lost to them. My mom also made some seasonal drapes that have heavier backings to help insulate a little bit more.
   
   Also, be sure to check for any gaps along doors and replace or add some weather stripping if needed. There are quite a few different thicknesses and widths that even a small gap can be better sealed.

   replyreport