Fall is a great time to complete a quick check on your home to ensure it is ready for the colder weather. By checking the following items and ensuring they are working properly, you help reduce your overall energy consumption.
Ensure windows and doors are properly sealed and weather stripped. When you have drafts in your home, your furnace has to work harder to keep your home at the desired temperature. Sealing up drafts can reduce the amount of times your furnace has to run in order to adequately heat the space.
A common misconception is that gas furnaces don’t use much electricity, however each time your furnace runs, it requires electricity to operate the fans to blow the warm air throughout your home.
Check your home for items that are plugged in, but are not in use. Items that are plugged in, but are not in use, may still use what is called “vampire power”. This means that these devices consume electricity in “stand-by” mode, even if they are not in use. By taking a quick look around your home, and in outbuildings such as shops, sheds or barns, you may find items that may be contributing to higher than needed consumption.
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