Don't let energy savings go up and out the chimney[SIZE=-1]
Programmable thermostats
Our report on programmable thermostats found they can cut your heating bills by as much as 20 percent. Some highly rated models cost as little as $35, and you can install them easily with our step-by-step instructions.During winter, program your thermostat to automatically lower the temperature 5°F at night (while you sleep) and 10°F during the day (when no one is home) to realize savings. "These simple adjustments should not affect comfort yet can cut your heating bill by as much as 20 percent," says Jim Nanni, manager of the appliance and home-improvement testing department for Consumer Reports.
Multiple thermostats let you deliver different amounts of heating to different parts of the home, if you can concentrate your activities in a single zone and leave the others unheated for as long as possible. For every 1°F you lower a thermostat setting, you will save about 3 percent on your heating costs.
Space heaters
Based on national average prices for electricity and natural gas and the efficiency of the typical gas-heating system, electric space heaters cost twice as much to operate as a gas-heating system if you simply heat your home to the same temperature. However, if you lower the temperature set point for your home thermostat(s) and heat only the room you occupy with a space heater, you replicate some of the benefits of multiple-zone heating.
Our report on these appliances revealed improved models that are quieter, provide more consistent heat and can be wall mounted. Convection models spread their heat over large areas better than radiant models, and some models now have thermostats.
Your savings will depend on how big the room is relative to the rest of the house and how well separated the room is from others in your home. See our safety video (above) to avoid a tragedy at your home.*
Fireplace inserts, wood and pellet stoves
Fireplaces excel at channeling expensively heated air from the rest of your house up the chimney. Wood- and pellet-burning fireplace inserts and freestanding stoves control excess airflow up the chimney and circulate indoor air for better heating, but even these models have lower efficiencies than a gas furnace. Therefore, the only time these appliances make financial sense is when the fuel cost?after adjusting for the difference in operating efficiency?is lower. Even though wood and pellet prices have been rising this winter, this fuel still costs less per Btu generated than oil, propane, and electricity and just a bit more than natural gas. Once you consider payback on the stove purchase and factor in the labor to tend to this equipment, these appliances might not be as attractive as they initially seem.**
Another energy-saving option is a direct-vent, sealed-combustion natural-gas fireplace. We've found that these units have an annual fuel-utilization efficiency (AFUE)of about 70 percent compared with only 25 percent for a conventional fireplace. You won't have to deal with cleaning and fueling a wood or pellet-fired stove and you'll still have a backup heat source in case your main burner or boiler quits.
Furnaces and boilers
Today's furnaces and boilers are nearly a third more efficient than those of the 1970s, and some of the latest models achieve an AFUE of 97 percent. Have your heating equipment serviced annually, and check the filters monthly. Replace or wash them to ensure peak performance.*
Very old heating equipment is less efficient and might require greater maintenance and more frequent repairs. What's more, older furnaces and boilers are often oversized, which causes them to cycle on and off frequently, possibly creating less-than-ideal comfort conditions.
While replacing very old heating equipment with new more efficient and reliable systems makes sense, this is not the case for younger furnaces and boilers. Most systems manufactured in the 1980s and later have efficiencies similar to those available today. The 10 to 15 percent efficiency gain you'll realize by replacing a lower efficiency model with modern high-efficiency model probably won't pay for the installed cost of the equipment over its lifetime unless the cost of heating fuel rises significantly.
However, there is an often-overlooked system that can benefit from an upgrade that will last the lifetime of the home, according to Nanni. "The duct distribution system on many furnaces often lacks proper insulation and could have numerous air leaks, causing you to lose 30 to 40 percent of your heating energy. Having your duct system sealed and insulated can often be done for a fraction of the cost of replacing your furnace and deliver far greater savings," he says.
If it's time to retire your furnace, keep in mind that prices rise with efficiency, but higher-efficiency models might qualify for incentives from your state and/or utility company. Learn more about furnaces.?Gian Trotta
Essential Information: "Save Energy, Save Money" will fill you in on the energy hogs in your home. Use the calculator from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to get payback information for your energy-saving investments.
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