|
tips?
Nov 26, 2015 2:34:33 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by nfalls116 on Nov 26, 2015 2:34:33 GMT -5
I know there are other frugal people on here what are some inexpensive home improvements a person could do to lower their utility/heat bill? How do you save money with your heating and electric bill?
|
|
|
Post by HuntMeister on Nov 26, 2015 4:57:31 GMT -5
programmable t-stat. seal the windows with the clear plastic sheeting, can buy the stuff at home improvement places. keep temp lower and wear more clothes.
|
|
|
Post by tenring on Nov 26, 2015 8:18:24 GMT -5
Check your attic for the proper amount of insulation. Minimum of R40.Rule of thumb is 60% heat loss is through the ceiling, 30 through the side walls and 10 through the crawl space.
|
|
|
Post by esshup on Nov 26, 2015 10:02:02 GMT -5
Check with your utility company and see if they will do a (I'm not sure what it's called) heat loss test.
It's where they have a fake door with a fan in it. Turn on the fan to suck air out of the house. Then they go around and see where the air is coming into the house, and seal all those areas.
When you leave a room, turn off the lights, even for 5 minutes.
Switch the most used lights to LED's whenever possible.
Don't leave TV's, computers, etc. on when not using them.
If you are using a 25 watt light as a night light, go buy a 1-2 watt LED night light.
If you have a yard light that you leave on, switch it to a motion sensing light.
Agreed about the plastic on the windows, and check the door seals too.
Put an insulated blanket on the water heater. Turn down the temp on the water heater if you can.
While it wasn't cheap, I switched from a fireplace to a fireplace insert that uses outside air for combustion. I can heat the whole house in the winter with wood and it dropped my natural gas and electric bill.
A wood stove would be even more efficient, but I don't have a place in the house to put it. More heat for less wood burned, and no electric usage to run a fan. Yeah, then I spent $$ on chainsaws and safety gear.......
|
|
|
Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Nov 26, 2015 10:24:28 GMT -5
I have some open rooms that I don't close off, but will put a sleeping bag over the big double glass doors, and one room, I actually put insulation in the windows.
I like it a little cool in the house, so my thermostat is on 65.
My gas bill isn't high and have gas heat, but my electric bill is high. I haven't figured this out yet. I think this house is just 2800sqft, but my lake house was over twice the size with lower electric bills. The lake house had two furnaces and two air units.
Maybe it's just the old appliances, not sure. I do have a new furnace and AC unit here.
My mom would put heat wrap plastic on her windows.
Make sure your doors a sealed well, and it never hurts to put something at the base of the door to block air.
|
|
|
Post by 36fan on Nov 26, 2015 14:07:25 GMT -5
Check the seals on your refrigerator and freezer.
Check the seal around your doors.
Unplug appliances (blender, toaster, etc...) and cell phone chargers when not in use. You can also plug them up to a multiple outlet/surge protector and turn it off when not in use.
Don't use hot water unless you need to.
Turn the thermostat down a couple of degrees and wear a sweatshirt.
|
|
|
Post by trapperdave on Nov 26, 2015 14:26:22 GMT -5
Bubble wrap on your windows. Mist the glass n stick it
|
|
|
Post by span870 on Nov 27, 2015 6:48:53 GMT -5
While the initial investment can sting a bit I advise anyone that has the room to change over to a wood furnace. We put ours in last year ourselves. We used all top of the line parts as a "preventative" to having to redo things. I think my total investment for parts including the furnace was right at $3000. We ducted everything into the garage and placed the furnace in there. It would have been even cheaper but we ran separate dual duct work to it and its own cold air return. Didn't use any existing duct. What did we get in return? Pre install our last heat/electric bill was $524, after our highest even in the coldest months last year was right at $200. Our house is total electric. We did have to buy a bit of wood last year so it cut into the savings. This year is cut some trees for a neighbor in exchange for a new log splitter. Last year cut some for a chain saw. The farm I hunt the owner uses wood to heat. I traded him some wood for the ability to cut on his property. I have about 10 cords of wood right now all for free. My wife keeps the house insanely hot during the winter, at times north of 80°. They are well worth the money. The next step is going to be to insulate the attic as we have very little insulation left up there. I think that'll cut the wood consumption and the furnace use even more.
|
|
|
Post by Woody Williams on Nov 27, 2015 7:35:23 GMT -5
My present (and last) home was built in 1986. At that time I did what very few people were doing. I put in a Geothermal unit. The home was also built with 2 X 6 exterior walls and super insulated attic. It has the double paned windows and storm windows too. The original Geothermal unit gave up the ghost a couple years back which was a pretty good life span. I replaced it with another Geothermal unit.
We moved from a three level home to a single level home because of my wife having MS. Our present home is only 1600 square feet and I can easily heat it with our fireplace insert, even down to single digits. It is a 35 year old CEMI.
My daughter's ex-boss has a big woods and we get our wood free.
|
|
|
tips?
Nov 27, 2015 16:17:03 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by 36fan on Nov 27, 2015 16:17:03 GMT -5
I've been considering installing a supplemental wood burning unit, but haven't pulled the trigger, yet
|
|
|
Post by throbak on Nov 27, 2015 16:51:18 GMT -5
8 have burned wood over 40 years Just bought a Soapstone stove been burning about a month now it is by far the best stove I have used I bought the homestead insert by Hearthstone stoves Love it
|
|