By Eric Van Orden,
Energy Efficiency Expert, Standard Renewable Energy

Old Man Winter has made an appearance and it’s time for Colorado residents to winterize their homes in preparation for his official arrival. Heating your home during the brutal winter months is not only critical to your family’s comfort, but to your bank balance, as well.

Besides cooling your home, heating systems are the single largest source of home energy consumption. If not used effectively and efficiently, just keeping your family warm can eat away at the family budget.

To ensure homeowners are running their systems as economically as possible this winter, Standard Renewable Energy (SRE) offers these tips:

Properly Sealing and Insulating Your Home

Sealing
The first step to reducing energy loss in your home is making sure your attic and windows are properly insulated and sealed. Sealing your home’s structure means your heating system will not constantly struggle to distribute warm air to keep your home comfortable. Properly sealing, caulking and weather-stripping all of the holes and cracks in your home can save you as much as 10 percent on your energy bills during the winter months.

Insulating
One of the easiest ways to save money and keep your home warm this winter is insulation. Many homes lack proper insulation, but, done correctly, it’s a sure way to save you some money. Do a thorough check of your attic, ceilings, exterior walls and crawl spaces to make sure your insulation is in sync with the recommended level for Colorado’s climate (www.energysavers.gov). With the wide variety of materials available on the market, it is best to consult a professional when making this type of investment.

Home Remedies for the Winter Months

Here are some tips you can do yourself to keep home comfortable and operating at its peak performance.

• Lower your thermostat a few degrees this winter to cut back on costs. Even better - purchase a programmable thermostat to help you regulate your home’s temperature, even when you are away.

• Clean or replace the furnace filter once a month, or as needed, when your furnace is in use.

• Clean registers, radiators and baseboard heaters as needed – and be sure they are clear to allow for maximum ventilation.

• Let the sun in by opening your shades on the south-facing windows. At night, keep them closed to prevent the cold temperatures from getting in.

• Don’t snuggle up next to the fireplace - they actually exhaust a ton of warm air right up the chimney, causing your heating system to work overtime.

• Consider replacing your system with a higher efficiency model that uses significantly less energy to run.

Conducting regular check-ups to your cooling and heating systems is a smart idea and can be made easy by contacting professionals, like SRE, to schedule a yearly maintenance plan for your home’s systems. Properly servicing your systems year-round will not only lower your energy bills, but it is also key to ensuring that your system won’t fail you when you need it the most.