From Dennis Goebel, Vice President, Liberty Mutual Insurance
Cranking the heat in winter can make it hard to keep energy costs down. Try these quick tips to save on your home energy bills next winter:
- Use the sun. During the daytime, open curtains and blinds on the south side of your home to let in natural heat from sunlight. Retain the warmth by pulling the blinds and curtains before the sun goes down.
- Replace furnace filters. At the beginning of each heating season, replace furnace filters. If the season is particularly cold and the heater runs often, check the filter midway through the winter, too.
- Add insulation. Insulating your attic and crawlspaces can make a significant impact on the heat conservation abilities of your home. Insulating these spaces helps prevent the exchange of indoor and outdoor air.
- Seal windows and doors. Caulk around the edges of windows, and install weather stripping in the cracks and crevices around doors that are prone to drafts. Remember to check around outlet and switch plates on walls, as well as the seal around pipes, electrical conduits, and vents.
- Install a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats allow you to pre-set your heater settings so that the heater runs when people are in the home, but reduces temperatures—and the workload of your heating system—when you’re not at home.
- Reduce energy usage elsewhere. Unplug common electronic devices that are not in use, including television sets, computers, microwaves, video game systems, and cell phone chargers. Additionally, make sure your refrigerator is running efficiently by ensuring that the seals on the doors are fitted and there are no leaks. You should also clean your fridge’s condenser coils every six months.
When temperatures dip to frigid levels, you may need more than an extra sweater to stay warm. Use these tips to stay warm all winter long.
As a member of the AAFP, you are also eligible to receive exclusive group savings. For more information and to get a free, no-obligation quote, call 855-440-2153, click here or contact your local agent.
Discounts and savings available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state. To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify.
Coverage underwritten and provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116. Reprinted with permission from Liberty Mutual. ©2014 Liberty Mutual Insurance
