Energy Conservation
CUTTING HEATING
COSTS
Practice Furnace Care
You can save money and increase your comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your heating and cooling equipment.
Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if in doubt about how to perform this task, call a professional.
Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
If your furnace is over 10 years old, replacing it with an ENERGY STAR ® approved unit can save up to 30% in energy costs.
Changes to the Home
Landscaping is a natural and beautiful way to keep your home cool in summer and reduce your energy bills. In addition to adding aesthetic value and environmental quality to your home, a well-placed tree, shrub, or vine can deliver effective shade, act as a windbreak, and reduce overall energy bills.
Install a programmable thermostat. Turning your heat down to 65ºF at night can reduce your heating bill as much as 21%.
Caulk and weather-strip around windows and doors.
Changes to personal habits
Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your southfacing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain.
Other websites for more advice:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/heating_cooling.html
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/msue/iac/energy/conservation-landscape_winter.pdf
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/msue/iac/energy/weatherstripping_tips.pdf
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/windows.html
For more information about conserving energy or resource recovery, contact the Van Buren Resource Recovery office at 269-657-7745 or e-mail Beth.For further information, questions or comments, e-mail:
