In home keeping, one large expense item in the household bill is normally electricity usage. It is such an indispensable need that any power outage raises a very audible howl of protest among the population. In apportioning electricity usage, meanwhile, heating takes a large chunk, often more than the lighting, ironing and housecleaning portions. It therefore follows that if you can minimize heat loss in the spaces within your home you automatically save on electricity expenses. The following suggestions may help you keep the warmth in your home better and longer.
Find the air drafts:
Openings or gaps in your wall, roof or ceiling allow heated air to escape and cold air to seep in, forcing your radiator or furnace to work harder to raise the interior temperature to the level set in the thermostat. This costs you money.
To find the drafts, visit the corners where the walls meet and hold up a wet finger. Any extra coldness at one side of the finger will indicate an air draft and its directional source. Gaps may have appeared in the wall’s frame abutments due to the wood shrinking after some time. Scrutinize the place and find the gap or gaps so you can seal it with silicone, sealant, filler or similar material your hardware salesman or building engineer might recommend.
You may do the same near window frames, door jambs, floors, foundation concrete and wall sidings, or wherever there possibly are gaps. A lighted candle (if not dangerous), puffs of powder, and cigarette incense smoke are alternative methods of finding gaps and openings.
Lower your thermostat setting a little:
One degree lower and you save about five percent in your electricity bill. And you will hardly notice the difference in the warmth levels, too.
Let the sunshine in:
If it not too cold, open your drapes and windows during the day to allow the sunshine and its heat into the room, then close them before the day closes to trap the heat in. At least it will jumpstart your temperature control later to minimize radiator or furnace usage.
Refrain from heating spaces you do not use:
If your floors or rooms are heat-controlled separately, you can turn down the heat in those you don’t use. Lowering the thermostat setting on the ground floor since you all sleep upstairs, for instance, can save much electricity consumption in your home.
Insulate the house:
Drafts may still exist in places you cannot reach easily such as the roof. To determine this, look several times at the snow on your roof a few hours or days after the snowfall stops. If the snow on your roof disappears faster than your neighbor’s, you might have a drafty roof which allows heat from the house interior to escape. Have it insulated by a professional so the warmth stays in longer and save you as much as one third on your heating bill.
These simple measures can save you money in the short and long terms so why not do them?