Furniture that is placed within 2 to 3 feet of the radiator will absorb the heat that would otherwise rise to circulate and heat the room. Don’t place anything on top of the radiator or position furniture or rugs directly on top of floor vents as it prevents air circulation.
Manually regulate your thermostat, or use a programmable thermostat
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you set the thermostat to 68°F in winter when you’re at home and down to 65°F when you go to bed or when you’re away. In the summer, set the thermostat to 78°F for cooling.
When programmable thermostats are installed and used with the four pre-programmed temperature settings for weekend and weekdays, you can save about 10% each year on heating and cooling costs while staying comfortable. Programmable thermostats automatically adjust the temperature when you’re sleeping or when you’re away. Make sure to adjust your settings or program your thermostat for when you are going on vacation or changing your normal occupancy routine.
Watch this video about how to purchase and install a programmable thermostat.
Check out Washington Gas rebates for programmable thermostats and WiFi enabled programmable thermostats.
Air conditioning and heating can account for half of a household’s energy consumption. Changing your heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system filters regularly will allow the systems to operate efficiently, and will keep the indoor air clean. Use HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters on your HVAC system so that you have maximum filtration in your home.
The frequency recommended for filter changes can vary depending on your household environment. Most homes should have a filter change every 90 days, but more frequent changes may be needed for homes with pets or during peak seasonal usage. A monthly visual check is enough to see if the filter is dirty and needs replacement. Learn more about changing your filter from the Service Experts guide or Energy Star® guide.
In the summer, close drapes and blinds during the hottest parts of the day to keep the sun from heating your rooms. Standard window blinds can be quite effective at keeping your house cool in summer, reducing heat gain by up to 45%.
In the winter, open drapes and blinds during the day to allow the sun to warm your home, and close drapes and blinds during the evening to keep the heat inside. Conventional drapes or curtains reduce heat loss from a room by only 10%. Convection carries hot air between the curtain and the window, where the air loses heat, falls below the bottom of the curtain (and out the sides) and draws in more hot air above. Drapes or blinds that are close to the window and snug on all sides can reduce heat loss by as much as 25%.
Have you ever noticed a cold draft when you remove an outlet cover? Electrical boxes behind wall sockets penetrate into the wall cavity and its insulation making them potential sources of air leakage, especially along outside walls. Polyethylene foam gaskets installed behind electric outlet plate covers reduce drafts. For double or triple outlet or light switch boxes, multiple gaskets can be overlapped and trimmed to fit. Foam gaskets are simple to install and are available at local hardware stores or online vendors. Watch this video to learn how to install gasket insulators.
Air flow through leaky doors and window joints, cracks, frames, and sashes can account for 15-40% of a home’s heating and cooling losses. If you close a piece of paper in a door and can pull it out easily, it needs weatherstripping. Stop air leaks from windows and doors with caulking, weatherstripping, plastic film, storm windows, or storm doors. Learn more about how windows can waste energy.
From draft guards to foam weatherstripping, there’s a wide variety of products and strategies. It’s a good idea to learn what works best for your particular situation and the location and type of doors and windows you are sealing. Learn more about different strategies and materials from the Energy Savers guide, savehouseholdenergy.com, or Consumer Energy Center.
If you are a renter, there are temporary fixes for simple sealing projects, like using plastic window film or rope caulking, or laying a rolled up towel to stop drafts below doors. Air sealing strategies that are more permanent should have landlord approval.
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