Can't take credit for this one - this original thought comes from Lani Anglin at Single Pointe Real Estate in Austin, TX. I even stole the image, in honor of my Johns Manville reader.
Without further adieu, tips to save a little money AND keep your home warm at the same time this winter:
Programmable Thermostat
If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, get one- they’re
supposedly easy to install and can be inexpensively bought at Home
Depot (sorry Lowes, I like orange). Program the temperature to be a
little cooler at night to save a few dollars. But don’t forget to
reprogram it to warm up around wake-up time so your toes don’t freeze!
Weather Stripping
If you can feel the wind under your front door, you need new weather
stripping (which is another inexpensive fix). The door should create a
seal and you should not have a wind tunnel effect in your foyer- you’re
chunking money out the front door (and into the electric company’s
hands!).
Caulking
Like doors, windows should not be a source of air escape. Most homes
in Austin built in the last 15 years have double-paned windows (and for
those that don’t- it is a great investment when do this year’s home
upgrade project). No matter the quality of window, any window can be
victim of bad or old caulking that can lead to air escape (or entry).
Feel around the window edges to make sure the caulk isn’t cracked (or
missing in some cases).
Raccoons in the Attic
While you may not have any animals in your attic or the crawl space
between your ceiling and roof, you may have insulation problems which
can be a massive wallet-killer. If you have had any sort of
critter in your crawl space, they may have disrupted or even removed
your insulation, so if your house isn’t warming up, take a peek above
your ceiling to make sure the insulation is fine. Upgrading insulation
is another great home upgrade project, especially in older homes.
Dryer Doom
Move the dryer from the wall to make sure the tube from the back of
your dryer is properly attached to the hole leading outside that allows
the heat from the dryer cycle out. I went an entire year once wondering
why my laundry room was so cold- duh, the dryer exhaust vent was loose
and there was a six inch hole in the wall, completely exposed.
Fireplaces
Honestly, we mostly have fireplaces in Austin for looks, but
sometimes it’s pretty to have a fire, so we flip on the gas switch or
throw in a log. Then, since we’re out of practice, we go to bed and
forget to close the flue (and wake up to a chilly chilly living room).
Brush up on your fireplace using skills, guys!
