It\u2019s here. And it\u2019s in full force.<\/p>\n
Ok…so maybe we don\u2019t get the brutal cold other parts of the country get.<\/p>\n
But, it still gets more than cool enough to warrant heating your home. And since heating\u2019s one of your largest energy costs, it makes sense to dedicate time to learning how to keep your heating costs down.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s be honest…some energy savings tips are just not worth your time. For example…installing gaskets in your electrical outlets to block airflow from coming through.<\/p>\n
You can do it if you want to. But what\u2019s your energy savings going to be over the course of a year? $10? $15? $5?<\/p>\n
Focus your time on these tips instead because they save you cash – and enough cash that it\u2019s actually worth your time to implement them:<\/p>\n
1. Keeping Your Heat at the Ideal Temperature<\/strong><\/p>\n When you\u2019re actually at home during the day, 72\u00b0 is comfy. Aim for 68\u00b0 if you can. To get your body used to the new temperature without causing yourself any noticeable discomfort, simply drop the temperature 1\u00b0 per week.<\/p>\n If no one\u2019s going to be home, or if it\u2019s night, you should be fine at 58-60\u00b0. Plus, you can always add a layer of clothing if those temperatures don\u2019t make you feel comfortable.<\/p>\n 2. Control the Humidity<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not the heat. It\u2019s the humidity.\u201d How many times have you heard that one during summer?<\/p>\n Well in winter, dry air pulls heat from your skin, which makes you feel colder. Before you turn up the heat, humidify your home to keep the humidity at 30-50% (wherever you feel comfortable).<\/p>\n To measure the humidity in your home, get a \u201chygrometer.\u201d<\/p>\n You may not have heard of one. But they\u2019re actually quite affordable.<\/p>\n 3. Use Removable Caulk to Seal Air Gaps<\/strong><\/p>\n You\u2019ve heard talk about sealing your home\u2019s \u201cair envelope\u201d on this blog and many others.<\/p>\n But one thing we\u2019ve never mentioned is that you can use removable caulk to do the job.<\/p>\n Permanent caulk can be a pain to remove if you ever need to do it. And, someone was clever enough to make caulk you can easily remove if you want.<\/p>\n So consider using it to help seal your home\u2019s air envelope.<\/p>\n