Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Coco Warner Reporting Monday we talked about all the places in your home that you could be losing heat-- heat that is expected to cost you dearly this winter. But there are fairly simple, inexpensive measures you can take to keep heat from escaping your home.
As a quick review, most homes lose heat through an open fireplace, windows, an attic, where plumbing and electrical wiring exit the home and a faulty furnace. So what can you do to keep all that warmth in your home for a longer period of time? As it turns out, plenty.
Use paintable caulking to fix a leaky window, and what about that fireplace?
Mark Eldredge, Energy Code Specialist: "Basically it's a little plastic thing that you can put on here, use a hair dryer to seal it off, so it has a plastic sheeting on here, or you can actually get foam."
For that attic, think about sealing the attic door or adding insulation. You should have roughly 14 inches.
Mark Eldredge: "This is your attic insulation, it's rock wool. Right now I can tell that there's probably only about that much-- you want it about that deep."
An easy fix to help reduce your energy costs-- move your furniture away from your vents, that way you're not restricting the airflow. And keep your vents clear of any debris.
Other ideas, invest in a programmable thermostat, seal off any wiring that leaves your house, better insulate your basement, make sure there are no leaks in your heating ducts, and change the air filters in your furnace at least once a month during the winter.
Mark Eldredge, Energy Code Specialist: "Have a certified furnace tune-up done by a certified professional. What they're doing is maximizing the efficiency of that equipment."
There really is so much you can do, we've only begun to touch the surface! But if you were to make a list:
- Seal your windows
- Seal any ducts
- Invest in a programmable thermostat
- Lower the thermostat of your water heater
- Insulate your attic and basement
- Change your air filters
- Check your furnace
The Utah Energy Conservation Coalition also has some tips on their web site.
