MoneySavers & Green Products...

Winter is upon us.  The days are cold and short; the nights are long and dark. And the sight of your energy bill strikes fear in your heart.

Don’t just sit there – start slashing away at the high costs. Here are the best places to start.

1. Turn down your thermostat.

Sure, it’s cold, but that doesn’t mean you have to make up for it by turning your apartment into the steam room in a Turkish bath house.  If you turn the heat down just two degrees, you’ll save about 4% on your energy bill, and reduce your carbon emissions by 6%. 

2. Seal the cracks.

A little DIY draft-proofing works wonders. How? Close all your windows and doors, and light a candle or a stick of incense.  Wander around your place, taking note of where the smoke drifts.  These are your problem areas.  For doorways, a simple door sweep should do the trick.  For other solutions, check out this how-to site from The Dept. Of Energy.

3. Lower the temperature of your water heater.

Not only can you adjust the temperature on your thermostat, you can also lower the temperature of the hot water generated by your boiler.  Many water heaters actually heat water too high so that it has to be balanced with cold water for comfortable bath and shower temperatures.  This is wasteful. Lowering the temperature a couple of degrees can mean big savings.

4. Insulate those pipes.

Simply wrapping insulation blankets around the hot water pipes leading into your boiler can result in up to 10 percent savings on energy bills.  They’re cheap, easy to install, and available at any Home Depot.

5. Don’t dawdle in the shower

Some people just love to take their sweet time in there.  And believe me, I understand the solace and calming effect a good, long shower can have on the psyche.  What I would recommend is incorporating your time of meditation and reflection into a different part of your morning routine where running water is not involved. 

6. Turn on a fan

A strategically placed, slow-rotating fan can significantly bolster the effect of your radiator or heating ducts.  It will distribute heat throughout a room, keeping everybody warm, and maybe even helping to compensate for those pesky draft spots you’re still trying to figure out how to seal (see #2).

7. Fireplaces need special attention

Fires in fireplaces are not very effective at generating heat – more heat flies up the chimney than into the room. If you must have a fire, consider investing in an Eco-Fire Super Grate, which should significantly increase your fire’s burning efficiency. 

8. Put on a sweater.

Wear layers- a T-shirt, outer shirt, sweater, and a hat- (a large percentage of your body heat escapes through your head).  Bundling up works as effectively as insulation in your home’s walls- and it’s free. Besides, it’ll be a perfect opportunity to finally get some use out of all those wooly cardigans your Aunt Mildred’s been knitting for you since you were six years old.

9. Invite your friends over

What better excuse to throw a dinner party than the need to huddle together for warmth?  The more people in an apartment, the higher the collective body heat.  Perhaps you could try initiating a weekly “No Heat Potluck” with all your closest, eco-conscious pals?

10. Get your heating system checked out before the cold sets in.

Sometimes, spending a few bucks at the beginning of the season to have your old, fussy boiler inspected to see if it’s running efficiently could end up saving you a bundle in the long run (if you live in an apartment, you can probably even convince your landlord to do this, free of charge). 

If these Top 10 Tips to save on your heating bill are just too hard, we suggest you move to a warmer climate. And don’t forget to write to us at RiverWired –we may move, too.