Worried about keeping your home warm and dry in the face of high heating costs this winter? The Washington State University (WSU) Extension Energy Program provides a variety of free technical assistance and references that homeowners can use to reduce their energy bills.
“If you consistently set your thermostat back at night 10 degrees (F), you may be able to reduce your heating bill by as much as 10 to 20 percent,”
Other no-cost measures, such as lowering the water heater temperature to 120 degrees (F) and turning it off when leaving for extended periods of time, are also effective, he said. Similarly, setting refrigerator temperatures between 37 and 40 degrees (F), cleaning refrigeration coils and keeping the refrigerator well-stocked can help hold the line on energy bills.
Also effective at producing savings are relatively low-cost measures, such as installing an automatic setback thermostat that adjusts room temperature throughout the day, using weather stripping and caulking to seal off air movement between heated and unheated spaces, and replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent lamps which use about one-quarter of the amount of electricity.
“One measure homeowners often neglect is furnace filter replacement,”
Finally, many homes have furnace ducts that are poorly insulated and poorly sealed running through their crawlspaces, garages and attics. “These ducts can be hidden sources of energy waste,” said
Anyone living in
The WSU Extension Energy Program also has a variety of fact sheets and other publications related to energy conservation tips, energy-efficient appliances and energy-efficient construction techniques available online at www.energy.wsu.edu/pubs.
The WSU Extension Energy Program is a self-supported department within the university. It receives project funding from federal government agencies, federal power marketing agencies, public and private utilities, the private sector and several other sources. It houses approximately 60 employees in
