Heating costs take a bite out of your budget

The Department of Energy recently released figures showing that the average family pays $1,600 a year in utility bills. Approximately 45 percent of that amount is for heating and cooling. Below are some steps you can take to reduce your heating costs this winter.

“Windows: Check for drafts. A candle held near a window will flicker if there is air movement. Caulk outside. (Remove the old caulk if it’s weathered or deteriorated, and re-caulk.) Invest in window insulation kits, the kind with thin plastic sheeting that shrinks tight with a hairdryer. (One reader wrote to say that there was a significant difference in temperature when using the clear plastic sheets: the space between the window and the plastic was 20 degrees colder than the air on the living area side of the plastic.)

“Doors: Install weather-stripping, and caulk around doors. Use a “draft stopper” along the bottom of exterior doors (long fabric tubes filled with material such as poly-fill or balsam).

“Install electric plug and light-switch insulation pads on exterior walls.

“A programmable thermostat will let the temperature fall at night and during the day when no one is home, but will raise the temperature in time for you to get up in the morning and before you come home from work.

“Install heat tape to pipes in crawl spaces or unheated basements.

“Replace water heaters more than 7 years old, and insulate with a specially made “blanket” as well as the first 6 feet of cold and hot water pipes.

“If your furnace is old, you’ll be surprised at how much more efficient a newer model can be. Check your local area to see if there are state or city rebate programs to offset the cost of a new furnace.

“New Energy Star windows can help keep out cold in the winter and heat in the summer.

The Department of Energy has put together a 36-page booklet full of helpful ideas to save on your energy costs. To download the booklet, go to www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/. On the right side, click on Energy Savers Booklet. At the bottom on the next screen, scroll down and click on the download link. If you don’t have Internet access, you can call 1-877-337-3463 to order the free booklet.