Stay Warm but Save on Heating

Stay Warm but Save on Heating

By Steve Castle

It’s that time of year when you have to start heating your house. And whether you heat with oil, gas, or another source, you can save energy and shave money off your bills—without ever having to be cold or uncomfortable.

Your home’s heating, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) system can account for almost half of your total energy use—and there are ways to save beyond putting better insulation in your home.

For example, just by turning a thermostat down one degree, you will save 1 percent to 2 percent on your energy costs, It doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up. And with today’s technologies, you don’t have to keep running to a thermostat to adjust it.

Start with Smart Thermostats
Programmable and smart thermostats allow you to set temperatures for certain times of the day. For example, you can have the temperature in an area (or zone) of your house go down several degrees at night when you’re sleeping or during the day when no one is home.

Some smart thermostats can also regulate the humidity in a home—a big plus for large residences or families with health concerns.

Then Add Home Control
You can have several programmable or smart thermostats regulate several “zones” throughout your home, without ever having them mar your walls. They can reside in an equipment room and be operated by a home control system that knows when to turn down certain areas of your home’s heating. If you want to change a setting, you can do that right from a home control touch panel.

You can even have the heating in certain rooms or areas be activated by motion or occupancy sensors that detect if a person is in a room.

Want to heat a space before you arrive, for maximum comfort? Home control systems offer iPhone and smart phone apps that allow you to remotely control all your home systems, including the heating.

Home control systems can also be used to close dampers in cooling and ventilation systems in areas of the home that aren’t being used.

Shades Help as Well

Motorized window treatments like shades or drapes can also help to heat or cool a space. If you have south-facing windows, you can benefit from “solar gain” in the winter by raising shades and allowing the sun to heat the space. Areas with tile of cement walls or floors can especially benefit, as these materials hold the heat and release it slowly. Motorized window treatments can be programmed to open at certain times, or they can be activated by light sensors so they open when you can benefit from it.

Other Heat-Saving Ideas
-Sealed and combustion boilers for better energy efficiency in burning oil or gas.
-Radiant-floor heating for energy efficiency and keeping your tootsies warm.
-Geothermal heat that uses the warmth below ground to help heat your home.
-Solar thermal panels for domestic hot water—and some whole-house heating.

Steven Castle is the senior editor for Electronic House and cofounder of GreenTechAdvocates.com.