How to save money by winterizing your Charlottesville Area home
November 5th, 2009 categories: For Buyers, For Sellers, Helpful Tips, Info, STR Market Info Blitz
This post is part of the Strong Team REALTORS Market Info Blitz. We’re heating up the Winter market by giving you three-months worth of the information you need, November through January. Check out the latest posts in the blitz, here.
Luckily, the chances that your home will look like this are slim
Luckily, the chances that your home will look like this are slim
Winter is around the corner in the Charlottesville Area
This is one of our favorite times of year in the Charlottesville Area. The leaves are changing and falling, the air is crisp, and the mercury is falling. All of that means that winter is just around the corner. Whether you are thinking of buying a home in Charlottesville, or you already own one, preparing your home for winter can save energy; and saving energy saves money.
Winterizing your home can save you money
The U.S. Dept. of Energy reports that if you turn down your home’s thermostat by 10-degrees for 8 hours during the day, you can reduce your heating bill by 7%. Programmable thermostats are worth their weight in gold, and average around $150 in our area to install. Turning the heat down while you are at work all day seems like a good idea and the reward is a 7% decrease in your energy bill.
More tips to save energy and money
Other great tips are simple ones:
–close the damper in your chimney when your fireplace is not in use
–close drapes on north-facing windows to block out the cold and open drapes on your south-facing windows to allow in the sunlight.
–Turn then off the ventilation fan once you leave the bathroom or immediately after your shower – otherwise they will suck the heat right out of your home.
–Clean those HVAC air filters. Did you know that a dirty filter can clog the system, making it stay on longer to warm your home? It can actually cost you much more than the price of a new air filter! Remember to check your filter’s size before heading to the store because they aren’t all the same!
–“Get Your Ducts In A Row” Did you know that your home can lose up to 60% of its heated air if the ducts are disconnected, not insulated or have to travel through unfinished areas. Go into your basement, attic, and/or crawl space and make sure your ducts are connected.
Make the most of your ceiling fans in winter, too!
Most people only think of using their overhead fans in the summer when they want to cool things off, but by simply reversing the blades (using the little switch on the side of the fan) you can actually send the warmer air, which is collecting at the ceiling, back into the room. Remember, counterclockwise rotations produce cooling breezes, whereas clockwise rotations bring the heat off of the ceiling and into the room.
How can a lit stick of incense save you money?
Take a lit incense stick on a windy day and walk around your home with it. Hold it near recessed lights, wall receptacles, door and window frames. If you see the smoke move, you will know immediately if heat is escaping from those areas. If it is, start caulking or insulating!
Stop throwing money out the window!
Winterizing your home might not sound like a lot of fun, but saving money sure does.
For more tips on saving energy and money throughout the year, check out all the helpful tips from the US Department of Energy.
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