If only we had Leonardo DiCaprio's millions, we too could spend what amounts to a small fortune heating our mansions with solar panels without the worry of wondering whether the investment will ultimately cut down on our energy use. Sadly, we don't have his millions. (Heavy sigh.)
Which means that most homeowners will have to forgo purchasing a $3,000 energy-efficient toilet (what's a celeb's L.A. mansion without at least one, right?), and instead have to look for more realistic ways to shave dollars off their heating bill this winter.
"Many of us don't realize how much we are needlessly spending to keep warm," says bankrate.com.
For more expert tips (including one weird one), read on:
• Adjust your doors. Popular Mechanics magazine uses the word "sneaky" to describe this money-saving tip. The theory is that if you can see daylight beneath your front door, it means the indoor air—which you are paying to heat, by the way—is seeping under the door and escaping outside. "A little light in the corners is okay, but don't raise the threshold so high that it interferes with opening and closing the door."
• Use ceiling fans with care. Here's a page out of the "Simple Life Hacks You Can Do Right Now to Save Money" book. "[Running fans] clockwise will trap heat inside to keep your rooms warmer during cooler months," advises U.S. News & World Report. (For those who have permanently fled New York winters for Florida or Arizona, try to contain your desire to brag to those shoveling snow long enough to recall that the same is true in warmer climates.)
• Ensure your attic is properly ventilated. Homeowners are throwing money away on paying higher energy bills if there's not what Jason Joplin, program manager of the Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence, calls "a continual flow of air to protect the efficiency of your attic's insulation." What works against that is the excess moisture buildup that clings to your roof's underside in winter from seemingly benign sources—appliances, showers and cooking vapors—before ultimately soaking the insulation when the condensed moisture falls.
Joplin's choice for heading off the problem is the Cobra Ridge Vent from GAF (www.gaf.com), North America's largest roofing manufacturer, because of its ability to "naturally promote the ridge ventilation with electricity."
• Say the word: "plastic." Here's the odd one. Jim Rogers has apparently seen so many poorly fitted windows in his time as president of the Energy Audit Institute that he advocates covering windows and sliding patio doors with clear plastic film. "Just by using that plastic," he's said, "you're going to save about 14 percent on your heating bill."
True, you might save some green, but what will your decorator say?
Share This Article
