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Lowering the thermostat by just one degree can reduce heating energy costs up to 5% and save $35-$60.
It’s a fact: 45% of the typical Illinois homeowner’s energy bill goes to home heating. Here are ten tips to consider when opening that ComEd bill this winter:
1. Lower it. Turn down the thermostat. In Illinois, lowering it by one degree can reduce energy costs by up to 5%, depending on how your home is heated. Even better? Get a programmable thermostat. Programmed properly and with the “awake-times” in mind, you can save up to 10% off your heating bill.
2. Replace it. Windows in older homes can allow up to 16% of the heat in your home escape. If you don’t have the budget to replace them with more efficient models, at least close the drapes at night or install insulating shutters to keep in the heat.
3. Insulate it. Your attic, that is. It’s one of the easiest, cheapest things you can do to keep your heat in your home. Make sure to maintain proper ventilation to wick off moisture.
4. Caulk it. Seal and weatherize openings, cracks and gaps. This is a problem with older homes, but check around doors and windows, ductwork, electric outlets and switches on outside walls and around chimneys and in the basement or crawl space.
5. Shut it. Speaking of fireplaces, keep the flue closed when not in use — it’ll suck warm air right out of your home.
Homes that orbit high is the sky? Not likely in 2031, but plenty of neat-o things are sure to be commonplace.
There’s a great article over at ABCNews.com about Good Morning America’s technology contributor, Beck Worley’s, tour of Popular Science and Sunset magazines’ “House of the Future.”
Designed to feature some possible concepts in the year 2031, the home is full of Jetson-era conveniences and is much more warm and comfortable than you might think of the future being over 20 years from now. Some excerpts:
Music. According to Ms Worley, the home featured music in all of the rooms — but no apparent speakers or stereo equipment. Subtle wall-mounted controls pulled music from a variety of devices — an iPod, CD player, radio or other media source. The idea here is that everything is “seamlessly integrated” — no wires and simple, intuitive controls.
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