Focus feature - The World Women Want

This week: As winter makes its presence felt in higher heating bills and shrinking supplies of natural gas and oil, Diane offers the top energy-saving tips from her best-selling everyday eco-guide.

The Top Ten Ways to Save Energy and Money When You Heat Your House This Winter ...

Insulate. You can reduce your energy needs by as much as 20 to 30 percent, and save about four months’ worth of household energy, by investing in insulation. Focus on your attic floor or top floor ceiling, crawlspace, exterior walls. basement ceilings and walls, and rooms over unheated spaces, like garages. The “Simply Insulate” website maintained by the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association will tell you how much insulation you need in the different parts of your house, depending on where you live.
Caulk or weather-strip windows and doors. Materials for the average twelve-window, two-door house could cost about $25, but savings in annual energy costs could amount to more than 10 percent of your yearly heating bill. According to the Department of Energy, if every gas-heated home were properly caulked and weather-stripped, we’d save enough natural gas each year to heat almost 4 million more homes.
Install storm windows and doors. Combination screen and storm windows and doors are the most convenient and energy efficient because they can be opened easily when there is no need to run heating or cooling equipment. For windows, alternatives range from fitting the window with a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame to clear plastic film that can be taped tightly to the inside of the window frames. Savings in reduced space-heating costs as a result of these types of protection can amount to as much as 15 percent a year.
Insulate windows with thick curtains or blinds to reduce heat loss. Thermal draperies, made with a thick, fiber-filled backing to fit snugly against the entire window frame, can reduce heat loss by as much as 50 percent and save you $15 per window each winter. But even simple heavy drapes attached to the window with a valence can save about $10 per window each winter.
Use a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat allows you to predetermine temperatures for daytime and evening comfort as well as energy savings. It can save you as much as 20 percent if you opt to reduce temperatures by 5 degrees at night and 10 degrees during the day when most people are out of the house.
Get an energy audit. At low or no cost, your local utility may provide a specially trained auditor to examine your home and explain what inexpensive and free energy conservation actions you can take to save money and energy immediately. The auditor may also take an infrared photograph of your home to help you pinpoint exactly where heat is being lost. You can also use this do-it-yourself audit tool developed by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
Set your water heater to 120 degrees. If you currently heat your water to 140 degrees, you may save as much as 10 percent on water-heating costs.
Wrap your water heater in an insulating blanket. This is one of the most cost-effective steps to save money on heating water you’ll ever take. Insulating blankets or “jackets” cost only around $10. But they can reduce the loss of heat through the walls of the tank by 25-40%, saving 4-9% on heating bills. Do it, and forget about it. The same goes for the hot water pipes that move hot water from the tank to your faucets.
Use less hot water. Wash laundry in cold water. Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. Fix leaky faucets. Wash full loads of laundry and dishes.
Maintain your furnace. If you heat with oil, have your furnace serviced at least once a year to save 10 percent in fuel consumption (if you do this in summer, you’ll get cheaper, off-season rates). Clean or replace the filters in your forced-air heating system each month. Dust or vacuum radiator surfaces frequently. If you must replace your furnace, buy the most energy-efficient model you can afford.