Are there ways to save money if your home uses natural gas? The answer is yes. Here are seven great tips for you and your family to keep your natural gas bills down.
- Insulate wisely. Keep in the heat produced by your natural gas furnace. Insulating will help keep costs down as your furnace won’t have to heat the house in excess to replace escaping warm air. Properly insulate your windows, doors and walls, and make sure you seal any cracks where warm air might seep outside.
- Take care of your furnace. It is also a good idea to insulate your furnace. Like a tea cozy, insulating your natural gas furnace will keep heat from escaping at the source.
- Keep warm shrewdly. Don’t top off that thermostat at 80 degrees. Use the lowest setting you can, preferably around 68 degrees or below. If you are still cold, load up on warm blankets and wear sweaters.
- Cook efficiently. Use the lowest settings for your oven and stove top that you can while still cooking food safely.
- Start appliances when full. When starting your dishwasher, or your washer and dryer, make sure you have a full load. Maximizing hot water use can lower your costs. If you need to do a smaller laundry load for delicates, adjust the water setting to a lower level. Finally, whenever possible, avoid using hot water by using your washer’s cold and warm cycles.
- Clean up quickly. Take shorter showers, and turn down the water temperature when you take them.
- Install Energy Star appliances. If your natural gas furnace seems to be constantly running and your house seems constantly cold, it may be time to switch to an Energy Star furnace. The U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency estimate that U.S. consumers could save $171 million each year if all gas furnaces were Energy Star compliant.
If you aren’t sure where to start on improving your natural gas bill, contact a professional. The Energy Resource Center helps Colorado families in El Paso, Teller, Fremont, Douglas, Alamosa, Conejos, Mineral, Saguache and Rio Grande counties with utilities and weatherization assistance. We conduct free home energy audits for income-qualified families and charge a small fee to non-income-qualified households for audits.
A Colorado home energy audit will let you know you can save on natural gas. Let us help you as you help your pocketbook! Call us and find out how to save on natural gas.