How to Slash Your Heating Bill

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Get the feeling that you're going to spend a lot of money to heat your home this winter? You're probably right. Of the $2,200 an average household spends on energy per year, nearly a third goes to heating alone; this amount is even higher in the northern parts of the country. While you may not be able to afford to install a more efficient furnace or put up new walls, there are smaller projects that can make a sizeable dent in your energy bill. Energy Star estimates you can save up to 20% by sealing and insulating alone.

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Air leaks are responsible for a huge portion of the heat loss from a home, but aren't always easy to detect. Sometimes on a cold day you can hear or feel air coming in under a door or near a window, but if you're stumped as to whether or not you have air leaks and if so, where they're coming from, a formal energy audit or blower test can find them for you. Expect to pay about $500 for an audit and $200+ for a blower test. A blower test, often in conjunction with thermal imaging, pushes air into your home to see where the major leaks are. From the outside, a thermal image will show warm air escaping. You can prevent air leaks around windows with caulk or under doors with weather stripping. Leaks in the walls or ceiling may require a more complex insulation solution.

Most homes also lose a significant amount of energy through windows and doors. By replacing your windows with Energy Star models that are sometimes constructed of multiple layers of glass, you can lower your consumption by 7% to 15%. If replacing windows is not in your budget, consider window glazes which can be applied over existing windows. Not only can they help insulate, can also reduce glare as well.

Other ways to reduce energy usage include replacing your air filter and having your furnace checked. When you're not going to be home, turn your thermostat down a few degrees or save energy by using a programmable thermostat like the Nest. You might also consider lowering the heat in your home and only heating one room or zone with an electric space heater.

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