Checklist to Save Money on Home Heating

 

Just a few steps can help to reduce your energy bills this winter. Direct Energy has provided this handy checklist:

 

• Clean or replace your furnace filter every three months.

 

• Sign up for a heating protection plan. The better ones give you 24-hour emergency service and an annual inspection by licensed technicians who will conduct safety tests for carbon monoxide, natural gas leaks and combustion exhaust as well as ensuring your system is in optimal working condition.

 

• Boost the insulation, to a minimum of 30 centimeters (12 inches) especially in the attic and basement.

 

• Install a programmable thermostat set to lower the temperature at night or during the day when you are out.

 

• Use your ceiling fan to re-distribute the warm air that rises. In winter, the blades should rotate in a clockwise direction.

 

• Close the registers to conserve heat and energy in unused rooms and do the same in non-insulated places.

 

• Investigate the advantages of replacing your conventional furnace with a high-efficiency one. This can deliver cost savings as high as 15 per cent – making it well worth the investment.

 

More information is available online at DirectEnergy.com.

 

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