Heating

Approximately 60% of the energy used in your home is for heating. Try these heat-saving measures and make a difference in your heating bill:

• Turn your water heater off if you're going to be away for more than two days.
• During times when no one is home, and overnight when you're sleeping, turn the thermostat down. Consider installing a programmable thermostat.
• Draft-proof your house. Check for drafts by holding a tissue near doors, vents, electrical outlets to see if it flutters. Weather-strip windows and doors where you detect drafts and replace any worn weather-stripping.
• Install foam gaskets and plastic plugs in all electrical outlets and switches on outside walls.
• Close off unused rooms and reduce the temperature in them.
• Close drapes, blinds and shutters at night to reduce heat loss and open them during the day to gain solar heat.
• Repair broken or cracked glass and re-putty older windows; check to see that windows close properly and window locks pull sashes together. Make sure doors close properly; repair or replace non-working doorknobs, latches and striker plates.
• Weather-strip windows, doors and attic accesses; caulk the frames around windows and doors from the inside using a clear, pliable caulk.
• Although using an electric blanket is cheaper than heating the entire room, consider putting an extra blanket on the bed instead.