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Autumn is coming, and with it higher energy bills. You are on the right track if you are already thinking of ways you can save money this winter.
all the steps you can take to have an energy efficient home are not equal, however.
Here are some do's and don'ts to help you make the most of your energy saving efforts:
not Replace computer monitors, refrigerators and more recent stories in the hope of saving electricity
Do: Replace refrigerators manufactured prior to 1993. Switch off refrigerators you don 't really need
new devices are more effective than those of our parents and grandparents bought years ago -. a widely touted on advertisements for new
However, most devices have done in the last 20 years or more are already quite efficient. If you have the money for a new model, you'll never break even on only the energy savings.
Computer screens use very little energy per day. If you are worried about energy, turn them off when not in use
Do not :. Insulate the walls, in most cases
is that :. Insulate the attic
It may cost you a small fortune to add more insulation for walls, especially because within your walls are difficult to obtain
If your house has no insulation in the walls and you live in a cold climate, or if you intend to put a new coating on anyway (and therefore cover the holes of adding insulation ), go ahead and insulate the walls.
Otherwise, you spend less and save more by adding insulation to the attic.
Not only is it easier to get to the attic to add insulation, but because heat rises, which is probably where you lose more heat to start
not Let your heat goes up the chimney
do chimney draft block
does it feel a little common air around the fireplace? Your heat could be going straight up the chimney.
Even if you use the fireplace to warm things up a little now and then, it will never make for a constant draft in the room.
You can get a home urethane pillow made just for the purpose of blocking projects. An even cheaper solution is to reuse an old cushion to keep your heat from being sucked up the chimney.
Check drafts. A small project is like having a door ajar.
Get out the caulking gun, weatherstripping, or other stop projects tools. Lock your home used so that it does not suck heat your fireplace
Do not :. maintenance chores boring negligence
Do: Change your furnace filter
According to pet hair, dust, and other things that float in the air of your home, your filters may block more often than once a month.
When this happens, your energy efficiency decreases significantly
furnace filters are relatively cheap, and keeping them changed regularly, you'll breathe easier, too
not: .. Get new windows, unless yours are very, very old
do: Get out the caulking gun
Feel the air around your windows and doors. If you feel drafts, block with new products caulking or weatherstripping. The cost is minimal and it should save you a lot of money this winter.
The small projects around your home is like having the door open. It is amazing how the heat is on!
The only time you need to replace the windows for the purpose of energy saving is if you have old single pane windows. If this is the case, maybe it's time for a change
Do not :. Making energy-saving improvements in 2014 just for the tax benefits
Do:. Take measures that you really save energy saving silver
If you made any improvements to your home before December 31, 2013 energy saving, you may have qualified tax credits for energy in your statement
So far, unfortunately, these credits were not extended to 2014 and beyond.
For 2013, if you had paid for insulation, windows, doors and roofs that come with credit certification statement from a manufacturer, you might get 10% of the cost of your return as a tax credit.
This credit limit a lifetime of $ 500, of which only $ 0 may be for windows.
alternative energy equipment installed in 2013 was an even better deal.
If you have installed solar energy systems, fuel cells, small wind energy systems, or geothermal heat pumps before the expiration of the credit, you could take a credit tax 30% of the cost.
These energy credits can be restored retroactively, or they may not. If you do that improvements actually pay you back in energy savings, however, you will always ahead anyway.
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