There’s just three weeks until the official start of winter—is your home winter energy efficient? With the cooler weather settling into Kissimmee and the holiday decorations starting to come out, consider these five tips to make sure your home is winter energy efficient this holiday season:
- Take advantage of heat from the sun – Open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from the cold windows.
- Adjust the temperature – When you are home and awake, set your thermostat as low as is comfortable. When you are asleep or out of the house, turn your thermostat 7°-10° from your usual setting. This change could save you 10% a year on your electric bill. A programmable thermostat can make this change easy.
- Maintain your heating systems – Schedule service for your heating system and replace your filter as recommended by the manufacturer, usually every 2-3 months, or as needed.
- Reduce heat loss from the fireplace – Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a window wide open; it allows warm air to go right up the chimney. When you use the fireplace, reduce heat loss by closing doors leading into the room, and lowering the thermostat while the fire is burning.
- Lower your water heating costs – Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F). You’ll not only save energy and money, you’ll avoid scalding your hands.