Baby, It's Warm Inside! Some Energy Efficieny Tips

Here are some no-cost/low-cost energy efficiency tips for anyone looking to reduce home heating costs while maintaining comfort.

Conduct a "draft check." Your heating dollars could be going out your windows, doors and electrical outlets. Check for air leaks throughout your home; check around doors, windows, fixtures, electrical outlets, wiring, plumbing and fireplace dampers. Draft-proofing is the least expensive energy efficiency investment with the biggest payoff.

Plug those air leaks. Seal leaks between doors or windows and their frames with weather stripping and between window frames and walls with sealant or caulk.

Install door sweeps on the insides of exterior doors. Cold air can seep in under doors. Solution: Door sweeps are cheap and keep the draft out. No sweeps available? Even a rolled up towel or blanket will help. And consider twin or dual draft guards on both sides of doors where you feel drafts.

Open curtains and other window treatments on your west- and south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to make it harder for warm air to escape. If you are purchasing new drapes, consider an insulated lining, which reduces both heating and cooling bills.

Freezing by your windows? If that's the case, and you've already plugged window leaks and can't afford new high-efficiency windows, consider purchasing a kit containing sheets of plastic film to tape over the insides of your windows. Use a hair dryer to create a tight fit.

Consider insulating drafty electrical outlets. Use light switch foam insulation pads and wall jack foam insulation pads on outlets on colder exterior walls.

You're not in the South Seas. It's a good time to wear those sweaters you received as holiday gifts instead of turning up the heat and going around in a T-Shirt and bare feet. Even when indoors, dress for winter weather and layer clothing so that you can keep the thermostat at a reasonable yet comfortable temperature.

Consider a space heater for the room where you spend a lot of time. But keep in mind that this makes sense from an energy standpoint only if you reduce heating in other rooms.

Keep furnace filters clean. Check and change your filter every month during heavy-use winter months to assist air flow, so your system doesn't have to work harder to keep you warm.

Seal your heating and cooling ducts. Did you know that in a typical forced air system, about 20% of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes and poorly connected ducts. Sealing and insulating ducts increases their efficiency, lowers home energy bills and can often pay for itself in energy savings. Insulate ducts in unheated areas such as attics, crawlspaces and garages with insulation that carries an R-value of 6 or higher. Also, a well-designed and sealed duct system may make it possible to downsize to a smaller, less costly heating and cooling system that will provide better dehumidification.

A programmable thermostat "remembers for you" and lowers the heat while your home is empty and/or overnight to reduce heating costs by up to 10%- and allows you to come home and wake up to a toasty, comfortable house.

In Montgomery County, sellers are required to provide a chart of utility bills for the last year if they lived in the property during that year. This is a handy way to get some information about the energy efficiency of the home you are considering. If you are in the market for a new home, please give Lise Howe a call at 240-401-5577. Lise will be glad to help you with your home search in Maryland, DC, or Virginia.

Not ready to buyer or sell just yet? Ask Lise to send you a copy of Coldwell Banker's most recent report filled with energy saving tips. You can email Lise at lise@lisehowe.com.