4. Find and Seal Leaks
- Seal air leaks around utility cut-throughs for pipes ("plumbing penetrations"), gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets.
- Find out how to detect air leaks.
- Learn more about air sealing new and existing homes.
- Add caulk or weatherstripping to seal air leaks around leaky doors and windows.
- Find out how to select and apply the appropriate caulk and weatherstripping.
5. Maintain Your Heating Systems
- Schedule routine service for home heating systems.
- Replace furnace and heat pump filters once a month or as needed. Find out more about maintaining furnaces or boilers and heat pumps.
- Regularly clean the flue vent of wood and pellet burning heaters and clean the inside of the appliance with a wire brush periodically to ensure that it is heating efficiently. Find other maintenance recommendations for wood- and pellet-burning appliances.
6. Reduce Heat Loss from the Fireplace
- Keep the fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a window wide open during the winter; it allows warm air to go right up the chimney.
- When using the fireplace, reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window slightly--approximately 1 inch--and close doors leading into the room. Lower the thermostat setting to between 50° and 55°F.
- If the fireplace is never used, plug and seal the chimney flue.
- Install tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room.
- Check the seal on the fireplace flue damper and make it as snug as possible.
- Purchase grates made of C-shaped metal tubes to draw cool room air into the fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room.
- Add caulking around the fireplace hearth. Find out more techniques to improve your fireplace or wood-burning appliance's efficiency. Learn tips for safe and efficient fireplace installation and wood burning.
7. Lower Water Heating Costs
- Keep the temperature of the water heater to the warm setting (120°F). This will not only save energy, it will also help avoid scalding.
- Find other ideas for energy-efficient water heating.
8. Lower Holiday Lighting Costs
- Use light-emitting diode -- or "LED" -- holiday light strings to reduce the cost of decorating the home for the winter holidays.
- Learn about the advantages and potential cost savings of LED holiday light strings.
- Find manufacturers and brands of ENERGY STAR® certified decorative light strings.
Bundle Up
Wearing layers of clothing will help to keep you warm when the thermostat is set lower. Wool, fleece, and silk clothing are warmer than cotton, and rechargeable heated clothing provides warmth indoors as well as outdoors.
The Window Replacement and Energy Savings Myth
The Department of Energy Resources (DOER) busts the myth that replacing windows is the best investment to lower home energy costs in this video:
Energy Assessments
If you haven't done so already, conduct an energy assessment to determine where to save the most, and consider making a larger investment for long-term energy savings.
In Massachusetts, you have access to services and incentives to manage your energy use and control energy costs in your home. Start with an energy assessment through Mass Save’s® online tool or website. Additionally, Mass.gov also just announced the Home MVP program for 1-4 Unit homes, a program that offers incentives to reduce home energy use and bills while improving home comfort and performance.2
The Home MVP Program is designed to help Massachusetts residents reduce their home’s energy use, costs and carbon footprint, while also improving its comfort, value, and performance.
Staying warm this winter may be more costly than in prior years, but utilizing these cost-saving tips can provide comfort to you and your family throughout the season.
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