Dear Ida B. Green,
I love all the tremendous technologies coming along that could help with my heating and energy bills. Should I be considering any of them for my home?
Signed,
High on Tech
Dear High,
Before going high-tech, see where you are with the important low-tech steps to reduce your energy demands. Then solar, wind, or geothermal will provide a bigger boost.
Free changes:
· Turn down your heat and wear a sweater.
· Decrease the amount of space you heat. Close doors and vents to rooms you're not using.
· Cut water-heater demands by reducing the length of your showers, using cold water in the laundry and turning water heater settings down to 120 degrees.
Do it yourself:
· If you have central heating, install a programmable thermostat and program it to bring temps down while you're out of the house or asleep. Look for thermostats that have different settings for weekdays and weekends. Studies show that turning the temperature down 10 degrees can save you more than 10 percent on heating costs.
Hire it out:
· Seal and insulate for our cold climate with at least R-41 in the attic and R-20 in your walls.
· Close-fitting storm doors and windows or good double pane windows, properly installed, can cut down on the air infiltration that makes rooms uncomfortable and difficult to heat.
· Get a complete energy audit,with the door blower test, to see if you are "high-tech" ready.
Easy to be Green,
Ida
