It is critical to take energy efficiency into consideration with talks of fossil fuels running out steadily. Our activities have resulted in the loss of 80% of the forests. On top of that 55 billion tons of fossil fuels, metals, biomass, and minerals are extracted from the planet annually.
The chief concern is that energy from non-renewable sources isn’t infinite. The resources are limited and excess use on our part has brought us to a stage where we are consistently worrying about the consequences of our actions. For instance, environmental implications such as global warming and ozone depletion due to the burning of fossil fuels for energy are serious concerns.
Similarly, negative imprints are also evident with pollution taking the lives of 1 million seabirds and 100,000 sea mammals annually. What’s more, is that pollution kills about 100 million people. In this context, it’s best to take energy losses from sources such as central heating systems into account. Concentrating on energy efficiency is one of the simplest means to shoulder the responsibility of preventing energy wastage.
Here are some tips that can help cut down your heating energy bills and control environmental emissions:
1. Get an energy audit
An energy audit is an all-important step when it comes to properly plan power conservation. Getting an energy audit is essential. The Department of Energy establishes that changes made as per the house’s review can help lower bills by nearly 30%.
It revolves around requesting a professional to inspect your house for areas that are mainly causing energy wastage. Once an expert eye recognizes these areas, you can get to following the home improvement changes for energy conservation. You can also ask the pro for economical options for saving energy.
2. Replace the heating system
There are numerous ways to lose heat within the building of your house including through the roof and windows. Not only does this stress the heating system but it also adds to your bills with all the heat that is lost. Energy invested in heating chips in 42% of its share in your utility bills.
You can slash down the costs by replacing the old furnaces with energy-efficient ones. This step alone can help you save significant energy as old furnaces are only 60% efficient at converting the fuel to heat. On the flip side, newer equipment is 90% efficient in its working, therefore, it helps save both energy and money.
If replacing the heating system doesn’t sync with your budget, then you can always consider cleaning it professionally such as from www.acclaimedfurnace.com. This will help maintain the performance and efficiency of the central heating system.
3. Change worn weatherstripping
Consistent use leads to wear and tear of the weatherstrips that frame the windows and doors. Black Hills Energy reveals that 7-12% of heat is lost through doors and windows. Worn weatherstripping does little good to stop this loss. The typical response to this is turning up the heating system. However, that only adds to the energy bill and the release of greenhouse gases.
Therefore, it is crucial to replace the weatherstripping to curtail heat loss. In this regard, the president of the Energy Audit Institute, Jeff Rogers, confirms the role that weatherstripping plays. Rogers highlights, “Weatherstripping around doors, and caulking around doors and windows can cut down on drafts.”
4. Cut heating bills by setting the ThermostatLab.com
You can also encourage energy conservation by setting your thermostat to an ideal temperature. Every degree that is higher than 20 adds 10% to your heating costs. In the cold weather, heating can be responsible for more than 30% share in your utility bill. Thus, you should try to set your thermostat between the range of 18 and 20 degrees in winters.
Also, every two degrees that are lowered during this season save 6% of carbon dioxide emissions related to heating. This sums up to a reduction of 420 pounds of the gas emissions from a standard house every year.
In summers, set the thermostat to 26 degrees or above. Besides, turn off the coolers and heaters when they are needed. On a side note, lower the thermostat setting of the water heater too. Keep it at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Every 10 degree Fahrenheit reduced helps you save $12-$30 annually. Furthermore, if you wrap your water heater with an insulating jacket, then you can save 1100 pounds of gas emissions per year.
5. Insulate your house for minimizing heat loss
Insulate your home to save energy and lower the heating bills. Proper insulation preserves warm air and cool air during the cold and summer season, respectively. So, in the winters, insulation keeps you warm and vice versa. You can start off insulating your home by putting in place new weatherstripping as it wears off.
Fill in any cracks in the doors and windows as well. These are not the only sources of heat loss though. Attics and basements are typically ignored, but a substantial amount of air escapes through these places. Hence, insulate the areas. You can also install radiator panels to make sure that the radiator warms up the room and not just your walls.
6. Other tips to reduce the heating bill
In addition to the heating equipment upgrade and maintenance, you can also save money and power by following other tips. In fact, the right air sealing, insulation, and thermostat setting can help mark down the utility bill by 30%.
Turn off the exhaust fans in your kitchen and washrooms within 20 minutes. During this time, the air is refreshed, so you don’t have to leave the appliance on for a long time. If you have a fireplace in your home, then the odds of warm air escaping from it are high.
Heat is lost from a chimney even as its flue is shut. Use a chimney balloon that is inflatable to keep heat loss from a fireplace at bay. It works to block airflow and isn’t very costly. Drought-proof your windows and doors to prevent heat loss from these areas. Also, bleed the radiator one or two times in a season. Trapped air prevents it from functioning optimally, which means less energy efficiency that culminates in higher bills.
Final words
There are numerous ways of conserving energy and reducing bills such as installing energy-efficient appliances, using LED bulbs, and more. However, cutting your heating bills is a fundamental step in the right direction. Heating and cooling contribute to almost half of your utility bills. To this end, maintain an ideal thermostat setting, insulate your house, replace the weatherstripping, and change the heating system.
