Energy Efficiency Best Strategy to Counter ‘Chilling’ Winter Heating Costs, Says Alliance to Save Energy

Washington, D.C., August 18, 2008 – Using energy efficiency can insulate American consumers facing the prospect of record high heating costs this winter as well as keeping families more comfortable in their homes even as temperatures drop, according to the Alliance to Save Energy.

“Energy costs are wreaking havoc with the budgets of far too many Americans,” noted Alliance President Kateri Callahan, “with the average U.S. household expected to spend a whopping $6,150 this year between powering their homes and vehicles.” She added, “Coming after a spring and summer of record-high gas prices, consumers now face the same troubling trend as the U.S. government is projecting a 36% increase in the costs for home heating oil and a 24% increase in natural gas, which is used to heat over one-half of the homes in the United States.” Even families that rely on other fuels for home heating will see increases as the government projects electricity costs this winter will rise by 9% on average and propane costs will go up by 14% over last year.

Alliance to Save Energy research demonstrates that energy efficiency is the best way to reduce the impact of rising winter heating costs without sacrificing comfort at home. The Alliance suggests a number of money-saving winter energy tips that simultaneously also reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and improve our nation's energy security.

Money-$aving Winter Energy Tips

• Seal air leaks with sealant, caulking, and weather stripping; and install appropriate insulation for your climate to increase your comfort, make your home quieter and cleaner, and reduce your cooling and heating costs up to 20 percent.
• Properly maintain your HVAC system. Clean or replace furnace filters regularly. Consider a yearly professional “tune-up” of the system to ensure it is working efficiently.
• Let a programmable thermostat “remember for you” to automatically coordinate the indoor climate with your daily and weekend patterns to reduce heating costs some 10% and not waste energy when no one is home.
• Open curtains and other window treatments on your west- and south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night.
• Seal your heating and cooling ducts. Sealing and insulating ducts that move air to and from a forced-air furnace or heat pump can improve the system’s efficiency by as much as 20%. Warmed air can be lost before reaching the register if ducts are not properly insulated in unheated areas such as attics and crawlspaces. Also insulate your hot water heater and hot water pipes.
• If your HVAC is not performing efficiently or needs upgrading, consider replacing it with a unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency heating and cooling units can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent. Also look for the ENERGY STAR label, the symbol of energy efficiency, when replacing or buying appliances, electronics, lighting and many other product categories.
• Go “window-shopping” at www.efficientwindows.org to discover how high-performance ENERGY STAR-labeled windows can cut heating and cooling costs by as much as 30 percent while increasing indoor comfort and lessening fading of home furnishings.

Many more winter tips are available on the Alliance to Save Energy's consumer website at www.ase.org/consumers.