Feature Articles
Act now before winter to head
off rapidly rising home heating bills
Robert Thomas, Information Specialist,
Extension & Ag Information, University of Missouri
While Americans are feeling the pinch of spiraling gasoline
prices now, they may in for a bigger shock when they get the
bill for heating their homes this winter.
Now, in warm, sunny September, is the time to act to head
off those wallet-busting heating bills, said Michael
Goldschmidt, University of Missouri architect and design
specialist.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration had projected that
retail heating oil prices will be at least 17 percent higher
this winter than last year. Natural gas, used to heat more
than half of U.S. households, and propane are expected to rise
by a similar amount.
These estimates are likely to be low, analysts now say,
pointing out the added impact on energy costs caused by
Hurricane Katrina.
A good place to begin economizing is with your furnace.
Furnaces should be checked and cleaned by a professional at
least every two years. Oil furnaces should be cleaned by a
qualified technician yearly, said Goldschmidt.
Having your furnace serviced by a reputable specialist before
the start of each heating season could reduce your fuel bill
as much as 10 percent.
If the furnace is fired by oil or gas, make sure the
furnace and flue outlets are cleaned, filters are cleaned or
changed and the motor is in good working order. Check furnace
filters every two months during the heating season.
Reducing air infiltration and having adequate attic-space
insulation are two keys to lower fuel bills, Goldschmidt said.
“Depending on the size of your house, for a couple hundred
dollars you can probably save 10 to 15 percent on your winter
heating bill. If you project that out over a number of years
the savings become much larger,” he said.
Weather-strip doors and windows and use caulk around pipes.
A couple tubes of caulk, which may cost $20, could save you
several hundred dollars, he said.
“Weatherstripping for doors and windows is readily
available at most hardware and home improvement stores. Often,
these items are available at sizes pre-cut to your door and
windows. They are very easy to install and do not require
special tools,” he said.
Adequate attic space insulation is also important. “In
Missouri, we recommend 12 inches of insulation,” Goldschmidt
said. If insulation is inadequate, “Warm air goes right up
through the ceiling.”
Exposed air ducts in the attic also should be covered or
wrapped with insulation. Warm air in these ducts coming from
the furnace cools before entering the house, making the
furnace work harder, he said.
Setting the thermostat a degree or two lower can make a
difference. It is estimated that there is a 3 percent saving
in heating fuel costs for each degree the thermostat is
lowered.
A thermostat setting of 65 to 68 F provides sufficient heat
for normal daytime activity, although children and the elderly
may require higher temperatures. Because less heat is needed
when sleeping, a thermostat setting of 60 degrees is
recommended for nighttime hours.
Turn down heat in unused rooms. During winter vacations or
long periods away from home, reduce the thermostat setting to
50 degrees.
Replacing single pane windows with double- or triple-pane
windows makes a big difference, but such replacement can be
costly.
With some homes, levelized billing might be helpful for
spikes in the energy use. Levelized billing is available at
many utility companies. Your monthly bill will be averaged
over the last year.
For a more thorough analysis of energy savings, most utility companies also offer free energy audit programs, he said.
Source: Michael Goldschmidt goldschmidtm@missouri.edu
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Last update: Thursday, February 08, 2007
