Tips

Energy Saving Tips

Getting through the final months and weeks of a particularly cold winter without breaking the family budget can mean safely reducing energy consumption within the home. Missouri’s Department of Energy’s BEE (Be Energy Efficient) Program (www.ded.mo.gov/bee) offers suggestions on reducing home heating costs:

(NOTE: Seniors and people with special medical needs should check with their doctors before changing their normal home temperatures. Also, do not alter temperatures within the home to the point that pipes risk freezing or bursting.)

• Install plastic on windows or caulk and place weather-stripping on windows and doors that leak air.
• When not in use, make sure the fireplace damper is tightly closed.
• Consider setting the thermostat as low as comfortable in the winter.
• Turn the thermostat down when not at home.
• Check air ducts to be sure they are still connected.
• Make sure vents are not blocked by furniture or drapes. Clean warm air-registers, baseboard heaters and radiators as needed.
• Close off rooms that are not in use to save on heating bills.
• Use ceiling fans to assist in heating. Blades should rotate clockwise when viewed from below.
• Install switch and outlet gaskets/foam inserts on outer walls.
• Insulate heating ducts that travel through unheated areas of your home such as crawl spaces, attic and garage.
• Seal up areas around plumbing penetrations on outer walls and basement.
• Use a programmable thermostat with your furnace to adjust the setting while you sleep or no one is home.
• Replace the furnace filter monthly when dirty.

The federal government also offers extensive energy saving tips at www.energy.gov/energysaver.