Cut Your Heating Bill

Heating your house can get expensive, so many people look for ways to lower their heating bills. Upgrading your heating system is a good investment; many of today's equipment is much more energy efficient than systems even bought as recently as ten years ago. You can also make sure that you have good insulation, energy efficient windows, and no leaks in your house. If you have done all that and still think your heating bills are too high, an energy audit would be a good choice. A professional could assess your house and give you some new suggestions. In Atlanta, the state require that Georgia power help's homes become more energy efficient:

ATLANTA -- State regulators require Georgia Power to help its customers improve energy efficiency, so if you make an appointment, they'll send an expert to your home or business to do a lot of the dirty work for you.

Efficiency Expert Rodney Welch says a few quick fixes can cut your bill in half, starting in the attic. "You want to make sure you have at least 10 to 12 inches of attic insulation," he said.

Welch said a programmable thermostat prevents you from heating an empty house. He said for optimum efficiency it should be set at 68 degrees in the winter. "Any temperature above 68 will increase the bill anywhere from three to five percent per degree," he said.

On a recent audit of a Craftsman style bungalow in Atlanta, Welch found a lot of ways the homeowner was saving energy but also a few ways she was wasting it. 

The fireplace damper was open, allowing cold air in, and the stripping was starting to peel away from the front door. Outside, the HVAC unit had some tree branches starting to creep around it.

To learn more suggestions, check out the full article: http://www.11alive.com/news/article/211968/3/Cut-your-heating-bill-by-up-to-60-percent-