Save Money on Heating Costs and Save Energy!
With a tough economy and winter months quickly closing in, you might need to know how to save money on heating costs. Residential heating oil prices during the 2008-2009 heating season (October - March) are projected to average $2.75 per gallon.
This will be a reduction of about 17% from the previous 2007-2008 heating season. Residential propane prices are projected to average $2.22 this winter, a decrease of 10% from last winter.
U.S. Energy Consumption by Fuel (1980-2030)(quadrillion Btu)
However, residential natural gas prices are projected to increase 2% from last winter. The impact of the economic downturn on demand may lower current and expected natural gas prices. This may seem like good news but... The recent drop in power generation fuel costs has forced some utility companies to reconsider the steep price increases they announced this past summer. It is unlikely however, that electricity rates will fall in the near term. (sticky prices) U.S. residential electricity prices are expected to increase by about 6.5% in both 2008 and 2009. Residential electricity consumption is expected to fall around .5% this year. With numbers like these, it looks like it's going to be a long, cold, bleak winter! There are however, a number of things you can do, to help offset the costs! In view of these grim economic forecasts, it's nice to know how you can cut back on what you consume, save money, and make a big difference. At a time when people are being laid off from jobs at an alarming rate, it's good to know there are some real concrete ways to save money in the cooler months! How to Save Money on Heating CostsIt does not matter if you use the 'blow upwards' mode or the 'blow downwards' mode. That's a matter of personal preference. If you feel a draft from your ceiling fan and it bothers you, set the ceiling fan to blow up towards the ceiling. The warm air will deflect off the ceiling and recirculate it back down the walls to you. You can also save money on heating costs by using area rugs on bare floors to help maintain your level of comfort. Area rugs work great in tiled areas like kitchens and bathrooms. - Forced Air systems heat the entire house. Heat pumps are the cheapest to operate, but the most expensive to install. They're much safer and healthier than oil/gas systems, which can cause home fires or poison you with byproducts from combustion. (EPA). - Gas or oil-based heating units are the cheapest to install, and also the most common type of system found in the US, but they are more dangerous and potentially unhealthy for you. - Central heating systems are more expensive than space heaters or radiant heaters, which heat only specific rooms or areas. Use one electric space heater per room and only turn it on only when you’re in the room, rather than trying to heat your whole house.
Also, make sure your attic has lots of insulation and check under your house. If you don’t have insulation in either place, make sure to install it as soon as possible. R30 insulation is the thickest insulation you can buy (9.5" thick) to help contain the air inside your home and save money on heating. I recently checked under my house and found that they had rolled out the insulation a good 6" below the actual floor. I am going to try to fix this myself by stapling the insulation to the floor. Not something I look forward to, but this is paramount for saving money on heating! Never roll out sections unless you have the same width between floor beams, as are sold in the rolls. (like they did under my house.) You can save money on heating costs by purchasing any width. Never cut the insulation lengthwise. That wastes insulation which isn't cheap to buy. Cut the insulation side ways in small sections instead. That means you’ll be able to buy any width insulation and stack them up in blocks width-wise. You won’t save time doing it this way, but you’ll save money on heating costs and get more efficient use of the insulation you buy. A warm hat which breathes well, and which can cover the ears is essential. The key is to put it on before you get cold. Got extra blankets in your closet? Now would be a good time to get them out and place them in chairs around your house. When you invite friends or guests over, ask them to grab a blanket if they’re cold. You may not feel comfortable being so energy conscious, but if you want to save money on heating costs, you (and your guests) need to be flexible! You can also buy warming booties, like The Happy Company Ankle Booties If you like the idea of warming yourself up instead of the air, use radiant heat. Radiant heat warms an object, which then radiates heat throughout your room. There are many ways to get radiant heat, such as space heaters, radiators, and electric heating panels. Radiant heat will save money on heat cause it’s cheaper than forced air systems. * When you use radiant heat, you have more choices of how much of your home you heat. With forced-air you have to heat your whole house, whether you're using all of it or not. * Radiant heating convey heat better than hot air. It allows you to feel warmer even at lower room air temperatures. * Personal radiant heaters, like booties or battery-powered socks, make you more comfortable at a lower room temperature. Don't understand the difference between forced air and radiant heat? A toaster uses radiant heat. The metal elements in the toaster heat up, and convey heat to the bread, which toasts it. This is a very efficient way to use heat transfer. On the other side of the coin, think about a hot air popcorn popper. These appliances use forced air by sucking in room air and then blowing hot air out. Both appliances use similar amounts of electricity, but the toaster is more efficient. You could toast a piece of bread with a hot air popcorn popper, but it would take longer. Radiant Heat can either be fueled by gas or electricity. Electricity is more expensive, but safer and much healthier for you. Another advantage of radiant systems over forced air is that temperatures are more uniform throughout your room. In forced air systems, the ceiling retains most of the warmth and the floors remain cold. Radiant HeatersElectric Units - These usually have a round face and oscillate. Oscillating Digital Ceramic Heaters Oil Filled Units - These use electricity to heat the oil inside them, which then warms the air. The heaters look like the old time radiators that they used to use in many schools. They use about the same amount of electricity as electric-element units. The best models have adjustable heating controls, between 600-1500 watts. Radiator type heaters are very cheap to buy and will help you save money on heating costs. Radiant Heat Panel Hydronic Radiator - These are very much like oil filled units, but circulate warm water inside the unit, instead of oil. The warmth is then radiated into the room. Hydronic Floor System - Water is heated by gas, oil, or electricity, and then circulated through plastic tubing that runs under flooring, walls, or ceilings. These are most efficient if they're installed under the floor however, because warm air rises. Keeping your feet warm makes you feel warmer overall. An electric-fueled system can easily use 1000-3000 watts to heat a small efficiency apartment. Electric Floor System - Same as the above mentioned floor system, but the warmth comes from low-voltage electrical wires, not piped water. Ceiling Fan Heaters - A new product on the market are Reiker ceiling fan heaters Personal Radiant Heaters - These are great because they use just a small amount of electricity but make you feel much warmer, and you will save money on heating costs for your home. These products originated in Japan. If you work at a computer, you can buy USB-powered slippers and gloves. You can also purchase Electric Foot Warming Pads What it Looks Like
Heating your whole house is more expensive than heating just the room(s) you're using. If you substitute a personal heaters for central heat, you can save money. However, if you try to heat the whole house with multiple heaters it will cost more. To avoid extra costs, only heat the areas you are using! If you already have a whole-house system (forced-air), this means never turning it on. (My son and I are living this way right now!) You can save money on heating costs if you become a better consumer. You may have to do a bit of extra work or put extra time into it, but you'll lower your heating costs and have more money to spend on other necessities. Of course, you can always just snuggle with someone to retain heat! (Makes it better if you like this person:o) That's the cheapest way to save money on heating that you'll ever find!
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that go over your entire window. The downside of these covers is that they can be a little unsightly during the winter months and you won't be able to open your windows at all, as long as they're covered. Still, they're a great energy saver! 
. You can cover your windows completely with a seal of plastic, which helps block the cold from seeping into your house. These can be applied to the inside or the outside of your window, depending on which type you buy. All are very cost effective. 
are a great way to save money and energy! 
. These have great product reviews and look very toasty! They also now make USB cable heating gloves, booties, and mouse warmers. 
are a good example. They typically use 1500 watts on high settings.
- These are flat panel units that you can secure to a wall or leave free standing. (for some models). They typically plug into an electrical outlet or can be hard-wired in to the house's electrical system. Electricity heats the metal elements inside the panel. The panels range in size from 1'x2' to 4'x8', and energy consumption ranges from 100 watts to 3000 watts. Another option is radiant ceiling film.
. The ceiling fan generates heat and then blows it around the room. These are best for small areas like your bedroom or dining area. These are a good alternative to electric space heaters. Remember that electric is more expensive than gas, whether your heating source is radiant or not. They're suitable only as replacements for electric space heaters or electric-based forced air systems, or where there's not already a heating system installed.
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to keep your feet toasty-O warm! The more you look around for personal heaters, the more you'll find!
