Home heating tips to save fuel and money
With heating oil and natural gas prices projected to be even higher this winter than they were last, there’s all the more reason to try to conserve energy. The following tips will get you on your way to saving money on your home heating, and at the same time, help reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, the environmentally harmful greenhouse gas that’s produced when furnaces and power plants burn coal, oil, and natural gas.
MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY
Check your heating system before you turn it on for the winter. Simply having your home’s heating system professionally inspected and tuned up annually can save fuel. A properly maintained heating system is not only likely to work better but also to last longer. What’s more, it can save your life. Malfunctioning systems increase the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and may cause fires. As a precautionary measure, we also recommend installing a CO detector and smoke alarm on every floor. ConsumerReports.org subscribers can visit our reports on carbon-monoxide detectors and smoke alarms.
Give your furnace a tune-up. Keeping your furnace clean, lubricated, and properly adjusted can save about 5 percent on your heating bill. Maximize your furnace’s efficiency by replacing or cleaning furnace filters once a month during the seasons it operates. Dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy use.
Consider replacing an old furnace. Today’s furnaces are about 25 percent more efficient than they were in the 1980s. If your furnace is more than 15 years old and breaks down frequently, installing a new one can not only save money, but reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Look for models carrying the Energy Star label, which are about 15 percent more efficient than standard ones. You can also compare your current heating system’s efficiency with a new one by using the Western Area Power Administration’s calculator. Visit our report on furnace repair history for advice on choosing a reliable brand.
You can read more about carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and their impact on global warming in the Global Warming Solutions Center.
MINIMIZE HEAT LOSS
Seal up the leaks. Sealing and insulating duct systems can cut heating costs by as much as 40 percent. Caulking and weather-stripping cracks and gaps around your home are the most cost-effective steps you can take to conserve heat. Focus on the attic, basement, windows, and doorways. Also check near pipes, vents, or electrical conduits that go through the wall, ceiling, or floor. When sealing leaks, use no- or low-VOC caulking to minimize harmful indoor gases. Look for these products at your hardware store or online.
Add insulation to your home's attic. Even if your attic floor already has a couple of inches of insulation, another six inches can help. To learn more about insulation and the different types available, read an excerpt from The Solar House.
Make ventilation a priority. Sealing leaks doesn’t mean eliminating ventilation. Adequate venting helps control moisture and avoid indoor air-quality problems. Properly insulating and venting your attic can help save 20 to 35 percent in heating costs, but be careful not to block attic vents with insulation. It’s also a good idea to have a heating and cooling technician check gas- or oil-fired furnaces, boilers, water heaters and dryers for proper venting.
Wrap an insulation blanket around your hot water pipes and tank. This is especially valuable for older water heaters and can save up to 10 percent on water-heating costs. But always be sure to leave the air intake vent uncovered when insulating a gas water heater.
Don't use an open-hearth fireplace for heat. The heated air that's drawn from your home and up the chimney offsets almost all the warmth that a fire provides. If you like the aesthetics of a fire, consider a direct-vent (sealed-combustion) gas fireplace. Those don't draw air from your home--and they can put about 70 percent of the heat they generate back into the house.
Keep your fireplace damper closed when you don’t have a fire burning. This will prevent up to 8 percent of your furnace-heated air from going up the chimney. Turn off kitchen and bath ventilating fans when not in use. If left on after they've done their job, these fans will blow heated air from your home.
Consider replacing deteriorated windows. Give priority to well-insulated, double-glazed windows that are draft-free. In older homes with single-pane glass, be sure to at least install storm windows for the winter. Additionally, heavy curtains can block the chill from cold windows at night. Just remember to keep them open during the day to let the sun help heat your home for free.
CONSERVE HEAT
Turn down the thermostat a little. For every two degrees you lower the thermostat, you’ll save about 4 percent on heating bills and reduce emissions by about 6 percent. You may not even notice the difference, especially at night. Don’t overdo it, however, especially if anyone elderly lives in your home. Because of the potential danger of hypothermia, the National Institute on Aging recommends that the thermostat be set no lower than 68 to 70 degrees F in homes with older people.
Consider a programmable thermostat. One of these can help you cut heating costs as much as 20 percent by automatically lowering the temperature 5 degrees at night and 10 degrees during the day when you’re not home. If your home has several heating or cooling zones, such as a finished attic or basement, consider a programmable thermostat for each one. Watch how we test programmable thermostats and get recommendations on choosing a thermostat (full report available to subscribers).
Reduce hot water temperature. Save 7 to 11 percent of water-heating costs by keeping your water heater at the "normal" setting or 120º. Just be sure the owner's manual for your dishwasher doesn't require a higher setting.
Shorten showers. Showers account for two-thirds of your water-heating costs, so even shaving off a few minutes can help. Replacing a showerhead that’s more than 12 years old with a low-flow model can save up to half the hot water used for showering.
GETTING HELP
Do-it-yourself. Many government, utility company, and nonprofit Web sites offer useful tips on saving energy. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Star and Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) sites feature online “Home Energy Saver” programs. These can help you tailor weatherizing projects to your ZIP code and to the age of your home and its systems. The Energy Star Web site has step-by-step guides with photos and illustrations for laying insulation, sealing gaps, and insulating duct work. The EERE site shows how to perform your own home-energy audit, such as where to look for air leaks.
Find a pro. If you prefer to have a contractor help weatherize your home, check Energy Star’s “Home Performance” program. It lists contractors pre-qualified by state agencies, local nonprofit groups, or utilities to perform energy audits.
INCENTIVES AND REBATES
The Federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 provides tax credits for consumers who upgrade their homes’ thermostats, caulk leaks, or install highly efficient furnaces or water heaters, among other things. The credits take effect January 1, 2006 and expire December 31, 2007. For more information on that law as well as on state energy credits and any rebates that your local utility company may offer for purchasing green items, check the Energy Star and Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Web sites. The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy is another good site to visit for information on energy credits.
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Thermostat testing [Video]
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