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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Reduce Your Heat Bill 101


Here’s the hottest class you’ll take this winter – ways to reduce your heating costs during what could be the most expensive winter season on record. No need to attend classes or even get online. Simply read the following tips. Then go home and put the ideas into action.

These 10 tips are presented to you by two Monroe Community College experts in the Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) program – Kate Schiefen, chair of Applied Technologies, and Kevin French, HVAC instructor.

Tip #1: Install a programmable setback.
This little hardware that gets mounted to your wall can save you as much as 30 percent in lost heat per day, which equates to a 30 percent drop in your utility bill. The programmable setback, which costs about $70, automatically resets the thermostat based on the user’s setting – a benefit for those who forget to change it before leaving the house for work. Recommendations call for lowering the temperature in your home by 8 degrees for 8 to 10 hours a day to feel significant cost savings.

Tip #2: Change the filter.
Improve the furnace’s efficiency by as much as a third – by getting rid of that dirty filter. When the fiberglass mesh gets too much dirt embedded in it, not as much air can pass through it; and yet, the heating mechanism within the furnace is working just as hard to heat the air. Filters on average cost less than a dollar and take a couple minutes to install. Do it whenever you pay your utility bill.

Tip #3: Get an inspection and cleaning.
Call that phone number today on the sticker stuck to your furnace. Or, take a company up on its seasonal special offer, which often runs $60 to $70. A thorough cleaning will ensure any soot, dust and dirt gets removed.

Tip #4: Caulk around cracks.
Get out that caulking gun and fill in small cracks and crevices found around windows, doors and pipes/cords through the exterior walls (such as TV cable lines). Or invest in new windows with proper sealing. The most common loss of hot air in a home is caused by leaks around windows.

Tip #5: Insulate the attic.
Most heat is lost through the ceiling and roof. Ensure attic insulation is at least 6 inches deep. Add a layer of unfaced insulation or a few inches of blown in insulation.

Tip #6: Keep it cool and steady.
Some HVAC experts caution that furnaces require the most use when the heat’s turned up and when it’s turned down. Maintaining a cool, steady temperature could offer the most efficiency at the lowest cost.

Tip #7: Close off rooms.
If you have a big home or an empty nest, consider blocking off a room. Shut the vents in the room and close the dampers in the ductwork in your basement, making sure that the return air ducts are open and clear of obstructions. Then, close the door or even consider adding some temporary insulation to the door as well as to the space between the door and wall. Experts warn not to go overboard – a furnace loses airflow when more than a third of a home’s ducts are closed, which can cause the furnace to overheat.

Tip #8: Add humidity.
With the proper humidity, temperatures of 68 degrees can feel like 72. That’s because heat hangs onto the moisture in the air. Humidifiers can run roughly $300, but you’ll see a savings over the long run by keeping the thermostat numbers down.

Tip #9: Consider your commodity.
Most homes’ furnaces use natural gas or propane, offering the most stable pricing. Oil fluctuates more. Electric – unless you live in Fairport or another town where the municipality owns the utility – historically has been the costliest, despite its 100 percent efficiency (that is, no heat is lost through a chimney or flue).

Tip #10: Stage a long-term investment.
Furnaces are now built in stages. The standard furnace runs at a minimum 80 percent efficiency, while some can operate as high as 94 percent. Prices climb up from $2,000. Savings are seen as utility costs are kept down.

Dianne E McConkey
Public Affairs
10/17/2005