Keeping Warm This Winter?

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Keep Warm This Winter

Adding a sweater and keeping your thermostat set a couple degrees cooler are smart ways to save some energy. But there are many ways to save energy that will conserve energy resources and save you money.

Install a programmable thermostat. Being able to turn down the heat for large chunks of time, such as at night or while at work, can make a difference in your overall energy consumption. Consider turning off the heat to rooms that are not heavily used.

Perform regular maintenance. If you have a forced air furnace, make sure to clean or change the furnace filter about once a month. Most furnaces will need to be professionally cleaned and tuned once a year. Insulate your home. The best way to quickly save energy is by installing good insulation. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends an R-49 rating for attics. Visit www.energy.gov to learn more about these ratings. Plug leaks and holes. In addition to insulating your attic and walls, another easy energy saving step is to add caulking and weather stripping. Feel for cool air around windows, electrical receptacles and pipe and wire entry points.

Cold Facts About Fireplaces

When you light a blazing fire on a cold winter day it looks and feels wonderful, but it can be an expensive and inefficient endeavor. A fireplace sends most of the heat in your house straight up the chimney. A fireplace can exhaust as much as 24,000 cubic feet of air per hour to the outside! But, there are ways you can limit the loss of heat when enjoying a quiet evening by the fire. * Reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window slightly - only about an inch - and close doors leading into the room.
* Install tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room.
* Check the seal on the flue damper and make it as snug as possible.
* Use grates made of C-shaped metal tubes to draw cool room air into the fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room.
* When you aren’t using your fireplace, keep its damper closed!
*If you are planning to install a new fireplace, consider a gas fireplace. These provide the enjoyment of looking at flames but can be 70% more efficient than regular fireplaces.Earth Share, a nationwide network of America’s leading nonprofit environmental and conservation charities, promotes environmental education and charitable giving in employee workplace giving campaigns. Click here to find out why hosting an Earth Share campaign is a good idea for your workplace and the world.

fireplaces insulation programmable thermostat
January 15th, 2008 at 09:19 am by bibi in Environment, Go Green, Green Living

bibi

Comments

Aaron Wakling Said,
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you.

Aaron Wakling
bibi Said,
Welcome aboard, and thanks for subscribing. I’ll look forward to hearing from you again…
Kimra Said,
Hi, found your site on Stumble & I’ve really enjoyed it.

I would like to say a few things about your fireplace article.
When we first moved to our cabin in the country we were thrilled to have a HUGE rock fireplace, our first fireplace. That first winter we discovered quickly that it looks beautiful and seems to create warmth, but our central heat was working overtime to make up for the lost heat the fireplace was causing, costing us big $!

We opted to have an insert installed in our existing fireplace. We still burn wood (no need to cut trees, we pick up any dead trees/wood we find all year, or check with the nearest town, they usually have a woodpile ‘dump’ where you can go take all you want) but the insert makes the most of the heat. It’s small and contained and has a built in blower. Yes, it was initially an investment to have it put in, but we will have saved the cost of the insert in less than five years on lower heating bills.

On the gas fireplace issue, I don’t know what natural gas costs when you live in the towns or city… But I do know if you live in the country and have to use Propane, it is VERY expensive. $2.80 a gallon the last time I checked, so it is not a great trade off money wise if you live out in the country.

Thanks again for a great site, I’ll be checking back often!

K
bibi Said,
Hey Kimra,

Your right about the fireplace I have one too and although we use it here and there it’s mostly for the atmosphere.
On the gas issue, same here. We have no Natural Gas where I live, so we get propane for our stove. Just had it filled and it was $3.00 a gallon. It can get expensive…

Thanks for stopping by.