The good idea how to reduce your heating bills.

The good idea how to reduce your heating bills is turning your heating down a couple of degrees you won't notice the drop in temp but it will reduce your heating bill.Also draw curtains at night that will keep the heat in.

thanks for the great tips. the weather is definitely starting to get colder and every little bit helps to save money

I agree that turning the thermostat down a few degrees helps, but whether or not you will notice it is to be seen. One thing for sure that will help is to turn the thermostat down and dress warmer. Stop running around the house half naked with the heat cranked. Instead, wear sweat pants, sweat shirt, and socks or slippers and lower the temperature to 65-68 degrees :-)

In fact, using a digital programmable thermostat that can be programmed to automatically lower the temperature 3-5 degrees at night (while sleeping) and then again dropping the temperature during the day (when you're at work) is a sure way to reduce your heating costs 15%-20%. So buying a $40 programable thermostat is definately worth it in the long run.

...I don't know if drawing the curtains has anything to do with heat loss or not, but insulation surely does. Therefore, if you have ice hanging off the edge of your roof in the middle of winter, this is tale-tale sign that you are loosing a lot of heat through your roof (thus melting the snow and causing ice) in northern climate areas. If you do have ice forming on over-hangs or if you have cold air coming in around windows and doors, check with a contractor or maintenance man about insulating your home better and this will save you a lot of money.

Another thing is to make sure that you are not running your furnace with a clogged filter. If you starve the furnace for air, it has to run longer to do its job - thus costing more to operate. If you have 15-18 year old furnace you should definately consider the option to replace it with a 95% gas fired furnace (if available in your area). Electric and propane heating systems are getting very expensive to run these days.

Same holds true for summer months when using your air conditioning but reverse the thermostat settings. If you keep your house 75 degrees when occupied, turn your AC up a few degrees to 78 at night and also raise the temperature during the day a few degrees (from 75 to 78 degrees) when you're not at home, this too will save you aproximately 15% on your electric bill. You want to make sure that you have your AC checked and that it is charged properly and working as efficiently as possible.

another thing I wanted to add is that proper humidification in your home will also help to reduce your heating costs...

As silly as that may sound, it's true. Keeping your humidity level at a normal 40%-50% during the winter months will allow you to reduce the room temperature while still feeling "Warm".

For example: If you do not have a humidifier and your house is very dry to the point where you have a lot of static electricity, you will find that you may need to keep your thermostat 75 degree or so to "feel comfortable" whereas if you had a humidifier and kept the home at the proper humidity level, you can most likely reduce the temperature to 69-70 degrees and still feel relatively comfortable. This is because that as the air gets colder, the less moisture it can physically hold and so it will pull the moisture out of your skin.

I believe that is the reason, I can't remember exactly, but basically, air with a moisture content around 50% will feel warmer than air at 10% humidity during the winter months.

For example, if you were in michigan in the middle of january with an out door temperature of 40 degrees and 10% humidity, that is going to feel far colder than the folks down in south florida where it might be 40 degrees but 35% humidity. Have you ever noticed that in the summer even though it might be 90 degrees outside, if the humidity is low, it's not that terrible? But if its 90 degrees outside and 90% humidity you feel like you're in the jungle and about to die from heat stroke? Well as I said, the more moisture in the air, the warmer it feels and so the reverse is also true... the less moisture inthe air, the colder it will feel - so this is why (or may help to explain) why propery humidity in your home will help you lower your thermostat to feel comfortable at a lower temperature setting.

Down here in FL we don't deal with heating our houses we are always trying to keep them cool...now that the weather is down in the 70's and like 50's in the morning we are leaving our windows open all night rather than having ac or fans on all night. That helps a lot.

Absolutely true! We have both a humidifier and a dehumidifier in our home. We run the humidifier in the winter, and the dehumidifier in the summer. It really helps to reduce heating and cooling costs if you manage your ambient humidity properly, as well as minding the thermostat. *smile*

[QUOTE=robert8450;572]another thing I wanted to add is that proper humidification in your home will also help to reduce your heating costs...

As silly as that may sound, it's true. Keeping your humidity level at a normal 40%-50% during the winter months will allow you to reduce the room temperature while still feeling "Warm".
[/QUOTE]

Noticing the drop in temperature can be a problem for those of us with chronic conditions that involve pain.

If one must drop the temperature the house is heated to, using a heating pad is necessary.

Using the heating pad is still cheaper than heating the whole house to the same temperature.

I never use my heat in the winter, I live in Arizona and it only drops down to 30-40 at night , my apartment usually stays around 70-75 so I never need to use my heat.

I never have to use my heat either, I may use it sometimes if I am feeling sick, but other than that I really like the cold, plus I can always double up on blankets.

I keep the door shut in my computer room, that keeps all the heat output by the computer int hat room, and its always like 10 degrees warmer in ther now.

I never really need my heat in the winter now!