How to Save on Heating Costs This Winter

Residential electricity costs have risen 35 percent in the past decade, a cold-hard fact that hits homeowners right where it hurts each winter — their wallet. As temperatures on Long Island begin to fall, homeowners brace for another long, cold and expensive winter heating homes that are, in most cases, ill prepared for the elements. Older, inefficient homes often allow warm air to escape, taking your hard-earned cash right along with it.

But don’t fret yet, because there are several inexpensive ways to make an impact on your home’s heat loss. As a seasoned home remodeler for 20 years, Jeff Kaliner of Melville's Power Home Remodeling has several tips to keeping a home warm, without burning up the wallet.

•     Reverse heat loss by adjusting your ceiling fans. By changing your ceiling fans’ rotational direction, warm air will be pushed back into the room before it dissipates, getting more mileage out of the energy used by your heater. It’s that simple!
•     Keep heated air from escaping by sealing small cracks and leaks with caulk.  You wouldn’t leave a door or window cracked in the winter, would you? Warm air will seep out of the smallest of openings in cold weather, so a fresh bead of caulk around windows, doors and outlet covers will keep heated air where it’s meant to be — in your home.
•     Preparation is key to safely using alternative heating methods in your home.  Space heaters and wood-burning stoves are a tempting alternative to furnace-only home heating with the high cost of oil, but these methods can be risky. Residue in the chimney above a wood-burningfireplace naturally builds up over time and is highly combustible. Get yourchimney ready for winter by inspecting for blockages, closing the damper toprevent wildlife or other debris from entering while it’s in use, and consider having it professionally cleaned for extra safety. Warm-air humidifiers also offer a safer alternative to space heaters for adding extra warmth to individual rooms.
•     Programmable thermostats help control heat use on hectic winter days. How many times have you left for work in the morning or gone away for the weekend with theheat blazing? A programmable thermostat ensures you’re heating your home only when you’re there to use it, saving you an average of about $180 per year according to the U.S. Department of Energy. 

*Article courtesy of Jeff Kaliner, co-founder of Power Home Remodeling Group, located in Melville.