Conserving Energy While Staying Warm
Conserve Energy While Staying Warm
Conserving energy and staying safe during cold days is important for all energy consumers. There are some fairly easy, low cost steps that can help reduce your energy use while staying safe. Assistance is also available to those who may need it.
Tips for Minimizing Heat Bills
Saving money on heating bills during the cold winter months can be maximized by following a few guidelines:
- Find and repair air drafts from windows and doorways.
- Clean or replace furnace filters regularly.
- Run the dishwasher only when fully loaded.
- When doing laundry, clean the lint filter after every dryer load.
- Lower water heater temperatures to 120 degrees.
- Remove window air conditioning units to stop winter drafts from coming through its vents.
- Open the drapes or blinds during sunny days to take advantage of solar heat. Close them at night to reduce heat loss.
- Turn down the thermostat several degrees when leaving the house for the day or extended periods of time.
- Close off rooms of your home that are not used.
Unsafe Ways to Minimize Heat Bills
When temperatures drop, many families turn to alternative heating sources to avoid the costs of utility bills. Stay safe by remembering the following:
- Never try to heat a room with a gas stove or oven. This can cause suffocation by producing deadly carbon monoxide fumes.
- Practice caution when using a wood stove. Fumes, particles, and smoke can be absorbed into the structure of a house, causing respiratory problems. Only burn dry, untreated wood and do not install outdoor wood-fired furnaces within 500 feet of the nearest residence.
- Never try to heat a room by using a portable generator. Carbon monoxide is released from the generator’s exhaust, fires are commonly caused by improper refueling, and shocks caused by improper use or wrong connection can occur.
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