With the colder season bearing down on us, there is a trend of people trying to devise a way to lower their heating bill this winter/cold season. The way to lower heating bills is to use less heating fuel. For most, this means use the furnace less.

But how do you use the furnace less without feeling cold around the house? Turning down the thermostat obviously uses less fuel (sometimes) because the furnace runs less. But that isn’t always practical, because it may leave you feeling cold. And uncomfortable.

Lets examine fireplaces and if they save energy.

I was recently called to consult on an energy problem in a home with a portable, oil-filled space heater in the master bedroom. The owner was complaining that the room was still cold even after running the unit all night. Plus, he was concerned the unit was costing too much money to run every night for 12 hours. So…how much energy does the unit use? Let’s find out.

Q: I was walking around my neighborhood today and saw that my roof barely had any snow on it, but my neighbor’s houses did. I think we have the same roofs. Is this a problem?
Probably. If you don’t have snow on your roof, this points to an energy leak through your attic to the roof. What’s probably happening is the warmed or heated air in your home rises, and the last place it gathers is the attic. Typically, there are attic vents or ventilation fans to disperse the additional heat. …

With harsh economic times upon us, smart homeowners and even renters are turning to their energy bills as a source of potential savings. Let’s look at 3 dirt simple tips (or steps) that are proven to save money on energy.

Turn down the thermostat in the winter. Chances are you’ve heard this tip before. Turning down your thermostat to 68 degrees F (or about 20 degrees C) in the cold winter months (or anytime that the furnace is on) will save you money on your energy bills. How much will it …

A general question that gets asked more often than you think is “because of the recent crappy credit market (and weak economic climate) what will happen to my energy bills? Will they increase?”
The answer, unfortunately, is a sound “I don’t know.” Givent he current market conditions, and weak economic forecast with signs of continued slowdowns, energy prices may continue to actually fall depending on the market volatility. This is welcome news for consumers, as their bills may actually be lower.
However, this is typically not the case. During times of economic …

The most common complaint in the cold winter months about older doors is they are drafty, or don’t insulate well anymore.  In fact, a door is usually one of the first places you tend to notice energy issues. The reason is because it is opened and closed and used so often. Add to this the fact that they are heavy and held up by only a few screws and hinges around a frame, and the potential for problems increases with age.
What can go wrong?
Even newer doors can have energy gaffes. …

Here’s a little secret for those of you who may be looking for a home and are energy conscious. Newer, high efficiency furnaces do not have an exhaust pipe that rises vertically (up through the roof of the house). The exhaust is actually sent out usually through a PVC pipe at an angle towards a side of the house. It may rise up from there, but it never goes straight up from the furnace like older, inefficient units.

There’s a few things to consider here. On the surface, and as a general rule, you should avoid turning up the thermostat. The reason is relatively simple – you will be pumping natural gas (or whatever your fuel) into a unit that consumes a relatively large amount of fuel to heat a large area. If you are in every room of your house, this is by far the most efficient solution.
But I’m going to assume that you are not in all the rooms of your house, at least at the …

Let’s face it – any time is the right time when it comes to saving money!
You may think of utility savings in the colder winter months, when you see your first high heat or gas bill.
But the truth is, saving money on utilities, whether it is natural gas, electricity or water is a year round effort. In any given season, there is always something that can be done which will help your utility bill saving effort. Even if its just preparation work, the key to saving money on …

Turning down your thermostat by just a few degrees to 68 F in the winter can save 5-10% on your overall heating bill.
If you think about it, this makes sense. By turning down the thermostat to a more reasonable temperature in the colder months, there is less of a difference between the air outside and the air inside. Keep in mind that insulation only slows the transfer of air, which moves from warm temperatures to colder ones. The closer the temperatures, the less air will move.
Additionally, there is less of …