Though spring 2020 is fast approaching, we are all still heating our homes to stay warm. It's not too late then to save on your home heating bill. There are 3 ways you can begin saving now:
According to the U. S. Department of Energy, you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting. You can immediately begin to save energy in the winter by setting your thermostat to a lower temperature while you are awake. However, where you can realize the biggest savings is to set the thermostat to a lower temperature when you are away from home for more than a 1 hour and then again during the night while you're asleep. Although you can manage this all by manually adjusting your thermostat, I highly recommend installing a programmable thermostat. There are many quality programmable and WiFi enabled thermostats that take the pain out of managing this task. And most electric utilities, including PEPCO offer $100 rebates on many models of programmable thermostats.
Weatherstrip or caulk around all your doors, windows, and external wall switches and outlets. Sealing up a drafty house can save you up to 20% on your home heating and cooling bill. That's huge! There are many ways to go about this and many types of weather sealing that are more appropriate than others for certain situations.
Most homeowners can reduce their heating bills by adding more insulation in their attic. That's especially true for older homes built in the 1960's and 70's. But even adding insulation to a newer home can pay for itself within a few years. However, you'll first need to determine how much, the type, and R-value of insulation you currently have in your attic.
If you have been wanting to do something about lowering your heating bills and are not sure where to start, give me a call at (240) 324-8081 today and let's discuss your options.
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