Sept. 23 ushered in the first day of autumn, and temperatures seemed to follow suit as Alabamians awoke to chillier mornings.
It’s officially time to pull those sweaters and blankets from the cedar chest for added comfort during cooler days and nights. It’s also the right time to consider how to keep your home warmer. Here are some easy, practical tips to keep your energy dollars from escaping, compliments of experts at Alabama Power:
1. For heating, set the thermostat no higher than 68 degrees when you’re at home, and lower the setting when you go to bed or leave the house. For every degree you lower your thermostat, you save about 2 percent on your heating bill.
2. The water heater is your home’s second-largest energy user. Turn on the savings by turning down your water heater to 140 degrees. Create a water-heating bonus by using an insulating blanket, which is made to easily fit around the water tank and keep heat in. The thicker the insulation, the more energy you’ll save.
3. Reducing air leaks can cut as much as 10 percent a month from your household energy bill. The most common air leak areas are doors, windows, floors, walls, ceilings, ducts, fireplaces, plumbing penetrations, vents and electrical outlets. For an easy fix, caulk and weatherstrip all doors and windows. Use locks on windows to make them tighter and draft-resistant. Insulate, or increase the amount of insulation in, the attic, basement and outside walls.
4. Open windows, shades and curtains on the south side of your home to allow solar heating. At night, close the curtains to keep heat inside.
5. Have your heating system serviced. Replace or clean the heating system filters monthly to save energy and money.
It doesn’t take much time to make your home more energy-efficient. For more money-saving ideas, see Alabama Power’s website.
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