Home heating costs are expected to skyrocket in New Hampshire this winter. There are a number of steps you can take to save on heating your home without breaking the bank, particularly if you live in an older home which tends to be more drafty.
Block Cold Air
Many houses are going to have air leaks around light fixtures, outlets, windows and the foundation. Your mission: to fill as many of those holes as possible.
Don’t Feed Your Warm Air to the Fireplace
Those crackling flames need oxygen, and to feed that appetite, your fireplace pulls air from all parts of your house, including the same air your furnace has worked so hard to keep warm. Install glass doors in front of the hearth and an outside vent into the firebox. The fire will take the air from outside the chimney and feed the fire; the fire will heat up the glass; and the radiant heat will heat up the space.
Take Care of your Heating System:
Get heating units cleaned professionally once a year and change the furnace filters at least twice a year. Get duct work professionally cleaned.
Insulate the Hot Water Heater and Basement Pipes:
Insulate as far as you can go, because with every 10 feet of pipe, you lose two to five degrees.
Use Blown-In Insulation:
You can rent a blower or you can purchase bags of insulation at large hardware stores. The difference insulation can make is significant.
Accommodate for Old Windows:
Insulate the cavities of windows. High fuel cost doesn’t mean that you have to retire a home’s old rope-and-pulley window. Instead, take the interior window trim off and pack the cavity, as well as the top and bottom of the window, with strips of rigid foam insulation.