| Heating and Energy Savings Tips | |
One of Huntsville Highlight
readers, Ginger Cribbs, offers these additional tips for saving money on your
utility bills. Ginger says, "mostly I included tips that were low in
cost and low in handy-man skills. There are lots of others like insulating
attic space with additional insulation, installing a whole attic fan, etc. that
require more technical know-how. I
also emphasized what to do in the winter, but many of the same tips apply for
the summer as well."
1. Do the same with windows as you do for doors. You can buy or make cloth
barriers to help seal breaks in bottom of windows and doors. Use old ties
for instance to stuff and seal.
2. Vacuum the bottom of the outside of your refrigerator. Also vacuum the
back and behind it. This removes clogging dust and lets the air
flow, allowing your refrigerator to function more efficiently.
3. Make custom insulation for your windows with foam board and decorative cloth.
They can be relatively inexpensive and can keep the house warm, especially at
night. If the window is facing south or you want the light, remove during
the day. Very easy to make and manipulate.
4. Hang your clothes to dry inside of using the electric dryer. Use the
bathroom shower curtain rod to hang them on. Get a wooden dowel clothes
rack and use it. To hang small items, plastic rings with small clothes pins are
available at dollar and department stores. Even if you don't have much
space, you can fit one of these somewhere. Use the clothesline.
5. Make sure to turn off lights when you are not using them. However, be
aware that sometimes leaving a light on for a little while instead of constantly
turning the light on and off saves energy.
6. Don't flush the toilet every time.
7. Place large pieces of furniture on outside walls. This adds a little
insulation.
8. Make sure to clean or change the filters in your heating system on a regular
basis.
9. Use towels more than
once. Hang up to dry after a shower.
10. Let your dishes air dry.
11. Use cold water to wash most clothes. Line drying also disinfects
clothes. Wash full loads of clothes instead of several smaller loads.
12. Open the refrigerator, take out everything you need, and then shut it.
The same goes for putting things back in. Decide what you want out of the
refrigerator before you open the door. Don't just stand there with the
door open and look.
13. Full refrigerators and freezers expend less energy. If you
don't want to fill it with food, use milk jugs almost full of water or even
pillows wrapped in plastic. Just fill it.
14. Use heavy blankets or decorative rugs on the walls.
15. Sleep with your animals and enjoy the body heat generated.
16. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.
17. If you take long showers, time them, then shorten them and time
them every time you shower. Or install a cut-off. Share a shower.
Showers cost less than baths.
18. Write to your senators and congressmen.
19. Drink hot tea and other hot liquids to keep warm. Eat soup
with your meals.
20. Use the microwave as much as possible. Don't preheat oven
for everything.
21. Insulate your hot water heater.
22. Close off parts of the house that you're not using.
23. Have a time when all the family is in one room not spread out.
24. Check for leaky sinks, faucets, etc.
25. Install a timing device for your thermostat and your hot water
heater.
26. Check heating and cooling ducts in house for air leaks.
27. Curl up on the couch with a blanket and/or a friend, with maybe a good
book to read or movie to watch.
28. Put a brick or a water jug in your toilet tank to use less
water.
29. Turn off the light in your refrigerator.
30. Don't iron anything except in a rare emergency!!!!
31. Turn off the stove a little before the cooking is finished.
32. Put a lid on your pot or pan when boiling water, heating food, etc.
If you
have more money-saving, energy-reducing tips to share, please go to the Huntsville
forum and tell us about them.
Cathey's
Heat Savings Tips
