Small things to save big this winter - keep the heat in and cold out

What happened to fall in central Texas? We went from triple digit days - where we complained about high utility bills – to blustery 60° days and nights dipping into the 30s (oh yes, it will approach freezing November 10^th) – where we’re already complaining about cold floors and drafts throughout the home/office. Fear not my fellow thin-blooded Texans, there are small things you can do to be comfortable and lower utility costs this winter.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll post energy saving techniques homeowners and business owners can apply to save up to 20% or more on heating costs this winter. The first installment will focus on ways to increase heating efficiency in your home or office…

1. Turn down your thermostat a couple of degrees and put on an extra layer of clothing. Yes, keeping your room temperature lower is a no-brainer as a means to lower heating costs; what most people don’t know is exactly how much can be saved by lowering the temperature just a few degrees. If you normally set your room temperature to 74° in winter, consider setting it to 72°, or 70°, if possible. For each degree you lower the temperature on your thermostat, you are likely to reduce heating costs by 2% (e.g. lowering thermostat temperature 4 = 8% savings).
2. Use blinds and shades to keep heat in the room. Keep blinds and shades open during sunny days to allow for natural solar heat gain. Even the most energy efficient windows and coverings do not block out solar heat gain completely. At night, close blinds and shades to reduce heat loss through windows. The blinds and shades act as a thermal barrier, slowing the transfer rate of warm air that in the room to the outside.
3. Change the direction of ceiling fans, so they turn counter clockwise in winter. Many people recognize that hot air rises; but what happens when hot air gets to the ceiling? Answer: nothing. Insulation in the attic floor acts as a thermal barrier, slowing heat transfer of hot air through the ceiling, so once hot air reaches the ceiling it has a tendency to stay put. Circulating ceiling fans counter clockwise encourages warmer air to re-circulate throughout the room.
4. Keep air supply registers in rooms open, and DO NOT close off unused rooms. If you’re like many homeowners and business owners, you don’t use all rooms, and think, “if I’m not in this room I should shut the register and keep the door closed.” This is not necessarily the case. The HVAC system is designed to produce balanced air flow, i.e. it is designed to push a specific amount of air to all rooms, and to receive a specific amount of air through the return system. When registers are closed, it disrupts the balance of your system, causing it to work inefficiently – inefficient heating systems means higher utility bills. Close doors to unused rooms ONLY if there is space under the door to allow for air circulation.
5. Replace air filters MONTHLY and ensure return registers are not blocked by furniture or other items. Air filter manufacturer’s state filters last “up to 3 months.” What’s not stated on the package is the filters were tested in a lab environment where conditions are relatively consistent. What’s not stated is that leakage (check back next week on ways to eliminate leakage in your home or office), pets, and general activities in the home cause dust to collect on air filters. Once the dust collection capacity is reached, air filters allow excess dust back through the system. Additionally, too much dust on air filters negatively impacts an air filter’s resistance, i.e. its ability to catch dust and allow air to be recycled through the system. Not enough return air disrupts the balance of the system, again resulting in higher heating costs. Check out http://afmfilters.com/gbes to explore an air filter with higher dust capacity and better resistance, which will help save on heating costs.