Leave High Energy Bills Out in the Cold

Leave High Energy Bills Out in the Cold
Four Important Steps to Winterize Your Home and Save Money
By Fred Yeazel, Denver Urban Renewal Authority

Any news that saves homeowners money is good news. This is why there’s elation over the nation’s growing natural gas supplies, which are expected to reach record highs this fall, equating to lower heating bills.

But even with energy costs expected to drop this winter, homeowners can still take easy steps to winterize their homes and save even more money. Here are just a few, simple tasks that can add up to big savings on your energy bill.

(1) Seal Those Cracks  

Sometimes, the smallest crack or gap can be the biggest pain in the temperature of your home and in the cost of your heating bill. Heat can escape from the tiniest opening so it’s important to seal or insulate these gaps before the warm air – and your money – leaks out. When it begins to get cold outside, inspect doors and windows by running your hand around the edges, checking for a dramatic change in temperature.   A simple affordable solution is caulking gaps everywhere and adding weather-stripping around the operable components of windows and doors.

(2) Ceiling Fans

This tip is so easy that it often times goes forgotten. Reversing the rotation of ceiling fans around the house – from counter-clockwise in the summer to clockwise in the winter – will help push rising warm air back down to ground level where it is needed most.

(3) Clean Out the Gutter

One commonly-ignored location of the home is the gutter, including all the clutter that finds its way into them. Leaves, twigs and other debris can build up during the fall, creating a makeshift dam for freezing rain and melting snow. This water can back up into the house, or funnel down toward the foundation of the house, seeping into cracks and freezing. Giving the gutters a quick cleaning once the leaves have fallen from the trees can circumvent potential disaster down the road.

(4) Maintain the Furnace

Change filter monthly.  This is the big one. Before it gets too cold, it’s important to fire up the furnace to check for anything out of the ordinary – smells, sounds or even a breakdown. It’s better to arrange for a professional servicing before the temperature drops to avoid a chilly weekend at home. Program thermostat to 55 degrees while sleeping and 68 degrees while awake.  Make sure heat registers and cold air returns are not blocked by furniture or draperies.

If you are facing a major home repair and are a Denver, low- and moderate-income homeowner, contact DURA for more information about our Emergency Home Repair (EHR) and Single Family Rehabilitation (SFR) program funding at 303-534-3872 or www.renewdenver.org.