Tips for an Energy Efficient Fall Season

Fall tips

Energy consultant Gail Lawlor shares ten tips on how to use less energy and cut heating costs

1. Caulk cracks on interior baseboards, windows, and door trim.
Don’t forget to check the attic, basement, and ceilings for drafts.
2. Use high quality weather stripping on windows and doors for peak performance under all weather conditions.
3. Place foam gaskets behind electrical outlets/switch plates to stop drafts.
Put a continuous bead of caulking on one side of the gasket and seal it to the wall before reattaching the cover.
4. Set your thermostat back a few degrees when you’re not home and before bed each evening. Better still, buy an automatic, programmable thermostat, and mount it away from hot or cold sources.
5. Schedule a yearly service check as a properly maintained furnace uses less energy.
Also, remember to clean the filter on a monthly basis during the heating season.
6. If your furnace needs replacing, consider a direct vent, high-efficiency unit.
A direct vent furnace has its own outdoor supply of air, reducing the drafts in your home.
7. Move carpets, furniture, and drapes away from floor registers, return air grills, and hot water radiators to ensure heat circulates freely throughout the room.
8. Seal furnace duct seams with aluminum foil duct tape and insulate exposed ducts.
9. Check insulation levels in your attic, basement, and above-grade walls. Improve the quantity if required. Most basements have little, if any insulation on the walls and floor, so there is a good return on your investment if you insulate these areas.
10. Install new windows with low-E film, argon gas, and warm edge technology, which help to reduce heat loss and condensation. If upgrading isn’t an option, cover windows with inexpensive, but effective, shrink-wrap plastic.