Lower Your Heating and Energy Cost At Home
With lower temperatures come higher heating
costs. And with Americans already spending more than
$160 billion a year to heat, cool and light their
homes, cost-consciousness is more important than
ever.
According to recent research from the Propane
Education & Research Council (PERC), 57 percent
of homeowners who recently remodeled or purchased a
new custom-built home saw increased household energy
costs, and virtually all respondents anticipated
costs would continue to rise.
That's why PERC and other energy experts are urging
homeowners to scrutinize their heating and energy
choices to keep their homes comfortable and their
wallets fuller.
"Americans are not powerless when it comes to their
energy choices," said Scott Morgan, host of HGTV's
"Dream Builders" show. "Homeowners can see a big
difference by making a few small changes in the
home, developing an energy plan and taking advantage
of new tax credits. And families building new homes
have a huge opportunity to make smart energy choices
that will pay off over the long term."
As such, PERC is encouraging homeowners to save on
energy costs by creating a three-step energy plan:
* Explore fuel payment plan options to spread your
projected annual costs over many months, balancing
the costs of seasonally higher bills.
* If you use a fuel that requires delivery, such as
propane, set up a regular delivery schedule with
your retailer. Consider filling your tank before the
start of the heating season rather than waiting
until it is empty.
* The federal government is offering a tax credit of
up to $500 for qualifying energy-saving improvements
made during the 2006 and 2007 calendar years.
Credits are available for many home improvements
including high-efficiency heating and cooling
equipment such as propane water heaters and
furnaces. For more information visit
www.energytaxincentives.org.
And with the average American home losing up to 50
percent of its energy through inadequate insulation
and inefficient appliances, according to experts
like HGTV's Morgan, PERC is offering these easy tips
to help consumers lower their energy bills:
* Inspect and tune-up your residential heating
system regularly. A heating system that runs well is
more efficient and saves money.
* Change your furnace filter regularly. Clean
filters will increase efficiency.
* Consider switching to a propane water heater.
Propane water heaters can save up to one third as
compared to electricity, and they heat more than
twice as much water in an hour as a comparable
electric model.
* Turn down your water heater to 115 degrees
Fahrenheit. You could save more than 10 percent on
your water heating bill.
* Wrap your water heater in an insulating blanket.
* Increase your water heater's efficiency by
draining it every six months to remove mineral
deposits and sediment.
* Vacuum dust off refrigerator coils every three
months. It takes less energy to cool that way. Check
the gaskets around the door and make sure it shuts
tight.
* Install flow-restricting showerheads. You can
reduce hot water usage by up to 50 percent without
affecting shower pressure.
* Run washing machines, clothes dryers, and
dishwashers with a full load.
For additional energy savings tips from PERC, visit
www.usepropane.com.
(SPM Wire) |
