Additional Home Heating Bill Savings & Conservation Tips - 3

Editor’s Note: To view the 500+ different energy and water conservation tips for the home we have collected, simply access our Un-Official Guide To Home Energy & Water Conservation, 2nd Edition

We continue with our review of the many suggestions we have received for households to reduce the consumption of natural gas, home heating oil, electricity and other energy sources consumed in the generation of heat for homes in the winter.

Yesterday, we began our review of the money saving, energy conservation, suggestions to reduce your home’s heating bills which will cost you more money to implement yet which can save you a lot year after year after year.

Number 339, Pellet Stove. Pellet stoves are like wood burning stoves except for what they burn. Pellets are made from recycled wood products rather than a ‘new tree’ or a non-renewable energy resource like natural gas or coal or home heating oil to generate heat. Do they save you money? I have to admit, I’m not sure on that one. 

Number 340, Wood Stove and Number 346, Install Wood Fireplace. Both of these of course generate heat from a renewable energy resource. Don’t think that wood is a renewable resource? Plant a tree. ;)  However, are these money savings tips as well? Well, over the long, long, long term its likely. However, they are not cheap to purchase and install. And, how has the price of firewood been lately?

Number 341, Use Space Heaters in Outdoor Areas. Some people install air vents to heat their garage in the winter using the air from the home’s furnace. They do this because they are in the garage frequently on different projects. Yet, when they are not in the garage all that heat is going to waste. Alternatively, use an electric space heater which you turn on only when you actually need it.

Number 342, Increase Humidity Levels in Home. Winter’s air is typically less humid than in the summer. Those with forced air central heaters see the air inside the home become even more dry. Remember to increase the humidity levels in your home during the winter months. This can be as simple as adjusting the setting of your humidifier attached to your central furnace to the winter setting. This will not only help preserve any wood floors and your furniture, it will also help it feel warmer in the house to allow you to have reduced temperature settings on your thermostat. Below is a picture of the flow through humidifier in our home.

Number 343, Vent Electric Dryer Inside. Some households have adjusted the vent from their electric dryers such that the air vents inside the home rather than outside. You have to be careful with this. However, at least in theory, the heated air from the dryer is used to help heat the home. As well, the heated air from the dryer contains greater humidity which helps as well. However, this is not for the faint of heart. If you decide to try this, make sure you engage a professional who knows what they are doing.

Number 344, Attic Insulation. It is simple really. Hot air rises. So, make sure you have more than sufficient insulation in your attic to keep the heated air inside your home and not let it go up through your attic and out through the openings in your roof. In Canada, with the present ecoENERGY Residential Retrofit program, insulating the attic is one of the energy conservation investments a home owner can make with the fastest financial payback; that to me is how strongly Federal and Provincial levels of government believe in the strength of sufficient attic insulation.

Number 345, Install Solar Window Inserts. Similar in concept to solar air collectors which  are placed on south facing walls and / or rooftops, these can be installed against an existing window to generate sun heated air for the room.

Next time, the remainder of our additional home heating bill money saving tips.