Saving on Heating Costs

Despite the colder weather this year, we've managed to keep down our heating costs. Here's how we have done it:

- Thermostat at 59 degrees.
- Close all the vents upstairs. Warm air naturally rises.
- Keep doors to rooms closed to hold in the heat.
- Zone heating in den/kitchen with small electric fire place insert.
- Dress warmly inside - sweaters, heavy socks, and leg warmers.
- Feather comforters and extra blankets at night.
- Insulated drapes
- Open drapes in sunny rooms during the daylight hours for natural warming.
- Leave oven slightly ajar after I'm done.
- Turn down thermostat on water heater at night, and during daytime non-use.
- Wash clothes in cold water.
- Air dry laundry on racks.

Our bills for natural gas and electric have been lower these past two years, even with older windows. A combination of using the above methods, and new energy saving appliances and light bulbs have helped as well. We also turn off lights when we leave a room and use plug strips to turn off electronics with sleep mode lights.

For the past two months, I've been turning our natural gas water heater thermostat all the way down, turning it up only for bathing. It's hard to tell yet, but I think it's reduced the monthly natural gas bill by a few dollars.

In a few years, we'll be ready for new windows, and we'll see better results, but for now it's nice to know we have a little control over the electric and natural gas bills.