Now that the wintery weather has hit and is likely here to stay for a few months, experts on home heating costs are offering their advice to Iowa homeowners on how to shave a few dollars off of our power bills. One utility’s spokesman, Russ Reno, says the first hint is obvious — lower the heating level.
Reno says to turn the thermostat down to 68-degrees, as for every degree you lower the thermostat, you’ll cut your heating costs three to five-percent. He says the next bit of advice involves a few very simple things you can check around the house.
Make sure air registers aren’t obstructed by carpeting, furniture or drapes. During the day, he says to open the shades and drapes to the sun on that side of the house for a bit of warmth and close them at night. Reno says it’s also a wise idea to clean or replace your furnace filter so the furnace operates at peak efficiency.
If there’s a dirty or plugged filter it can increase heating costs while reducing the amount of heat that gets into your home. Other tips include: when you are away from home for more than a couple of days, dial back the setting on the water heater, fill gaps around doors, windows and air ducts, tape heating duct joints, and use ceiling fans to bring the heat down from above. For more information, see the website “www.midamericanenergy.com”.
Related web sites:
MidAmerican Energy website