What
a waste. This year tens of millions of dollars will be spent beating the
great outdoors. Millions of dollars will be sent, literally, out the
window and up the chimney. It won't be the wasters who suffer. We all do.
Every cubic foot of natural gas and gallon of heating oil that's wasted
damages our environment unnecessarily. We don't fully understand the
effects of adding carbon dioxide and other combustion by-products to our
atmosphere, but we do know this: a few simple steps can reduce the amount
of energy we use and make us more comfortable in our homes besides. Here's
what you can do:
End
the Drafts
When
air leaks around your windows and doors, you lose your money. Your house
feels drafty. Your furnace works harder than it should. Spend a Saturday
caulking and weather-stripping your windows and doors. You'll be well paid
for the time and money you invest every time you receive the electric bill
in the mail.
Bats
in Your Belfry (or at Least in Your Crawl Space)
Insulation
bats, that is. Your attic, sidewalls and crawl spaces should all be
adequately insulated. You can install it yourself or hire a contractor to
do it for you. Either way, you'll notice an improvement in comfort right
away and be money ahead in the long run. An interesting side benefit:
fiberglass insulation is a very good sound insulator, too. So while it
keeps the heat in, it keeps the outside noises out and dampens kitchen and
bathroom noise inside the house, too.
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A
Tip From Your Cat
Even
on the coldest winter day, the sun still packs plenty of energy punch.
Just look where your cat likes to nap, and take a hint. Opening the drapes
to the sun on a bright winter day can do a lot to help warm your home.
Closing them at night can hold heat in. In both cases you'll be well paid
in energy savings for a few seconds of work (as well as giving your cat a
few more places to stretch out). |
Invisible
Protective Shields
Well,
almost invisible. We're talking about storm windows and storm doors, those
transparent weather barriers that really reduce heat loss. These days
there are other options, too, like double and triple glazed windows. Your
contractor or window dealer can tell you more.
Warm
up Your Furnace
It
keeps you warm all winter, doesn't it? Return the favor by giving it what
it needs. An annual check-up to make sure it's operating safely and up to
the limits of it's efficiency. Fresh, clean furnace filters at regular
intervals, so it doesn't have to blow harder than it should. Maybe a kind
word now and them. Proper maintenance means comfort and safety for you and
your family.
Out
of My House You Energy Glutton
When
it comes to old furnaces, sometimes it's better to be cruel than to be
kind. If it's more than seven years old, your furnace is like a car with a
manual choke in a world of computer- controlled fuel injection. New
furnaces recapture heat that your old furnace sends up the chimney in the
form of steam. They condense the steam to hot water and use the energy
thus recaptured to help heat your home. So while and eight year- old
furnace might convert 60% of the energy in the natural gas or oil you buy
into heat, today's condensing furnaces turn over 90% or that energy into
warmth for your family. We
all want a better environment, inside and out. It's nice to know that
making yourself more comfortable during the winter benefits us all. And that our
children, and their children, will benefit, too.
