Keep heating costs from burning a hole in your back pocket
I’m surprised a lot these days. I recently discovered peanuts are actually legumes, not nuts. I was surprised to see the Los Angeles Rams squeak one out against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in playoff football. I’m surprised how much I like the Netflix series “Cobra Kai.”
Few things however top the surprise — well, shock — I felt when I opened my most recent National Grid bill. It was 25 percent more than the previous month and 40 percent more than this time last year. The kicker: We were gone for 10 days during the most recent billing cycle.
We were warned. Retail prices for energy are at a multi-year high, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its recent report on short-term energy costs. Households that heat primarily with natural gas, like us, are forecasted to spend 30 percent more than they spent last winter on average, and as much as 50 percent more if this winter turns out to be colder than average, which it’s shaping up to be.
For those using propane, it’s evenmore painful. Your bill could be as much as 75 percent higher than last winter. If you heat with electricity, you won’t be quite so stricken with sticker shock as the increase is expected to top out at 15 percent.
Considering we’re all being squeezed elsewhere, like the gas pump, grocery store, local restaurant and used car lot, doing what we can to save money, even if just a little, is imperative. Here are some tips to help keep heating costs from burning a huge hole in your pocket:
■ Use a smart or programmable thermostat that you can set as low as comfortable, and set it even lower when you sleep or are away from the home. A good rule of thumb is to set your thermostat at 68 degrees during the day. Drop it a couple degrees at night, if you can handle a little crispness.
■ Have your heating system serviced by a professional to ensure all safety controls and limits are in working order.
■ Clean or replace furnace filters once every couple of months for maximum efficiency.
■ Use heavy-duty window treatments that block heat loss and keep south-facing window treatments open during the day to allow the natural heat from the sun to warm your pad.
■ Caulk around windows that are allowing breezes to slip in and seal drafty panes with plastic sheeting or weather strips.
■ Clean floor and wall registers, baseboard heaters and radiators. Make sure they are clear of dust and debris and not blocked by furniture or window treatments.
■ Turn off kitchen, bath and other exhaust fans after use so you aren’t none of the comfy warm air is sucked out of the home.
■ You may be tempted to close vents in rooms you don’t use, but you shouldn’t. Doing so can affect air balance and make your furnace work harder.
■ Search for any seal leaks in your duct system. Airflow problems can reduce your system’s efficiency by as much as 15 percent.
■ Set your water heater at 120 degrees to save the most money while still maintaining a comfortable temperature.
■ If you have radiators, place heat-resistant reflectors between radiators and walls to minimize heat loss.
■ If you seal and insulate your furnace ducts, you can improve the efficiency of your system by as much as 20 percent.
■ Do a home energy audit. National Grid is currently offering virtual no-cost home energy assessments that can help pinpoint any problems. You'll receive recommendations for insulation, air sealing and more, as well as a 50 percent discount on approved insulation and air sealing, and additional rebates toward qualifying energy-efficient equipment.