对许多人来说，冬天的水电费账单可能是钱包里的痛点. 事实上，家庭取暖是美国普通家庭最大的能源支出.S. 住宅和住宅占能源成本的45%左右. 幸运的是, there are a lot of simple steps you can take today that will help reduce your utility costs immediately. We’ll also introduce you to a couple things you can do long term to significantly lower your winter bills.
10个快速的方法，你可以减少你的家庭冬季取暖燃气费用
的re are a lot of simple measures you can take to reduce heat loss in your home. 的re are several areas in your home, for example, where drafts may be allowing warm air to escape. Take a look at our list below to see what things you can do to start saving money today.
- 关闭通风口和门 到你家里不需要加热的房间.e. if you have a guest bedroom that you only use when company comes to visit). 不用的房间不要花钱加热.
- 增加家里的湿度 减少20%-40%可以让你的家在冬天感觉更温暖. 你可以 use a humidifier, indoor plant or an aquarium to help increase humidity in your house.
- 定期维护您的炉子 对保持效率很重要吗. 每月更换一次炉膛过滤器 during the winter season will help your furnace work more efficiently. 如果你有一个脏的过滤器或传感器, 它迫使你的加热器更努力地工作，以加热你的家. 你可以 每年进行一次专业的炉膛调试 确保你的炉子运转正常. +, regular inspections help keep your family safe because they perform a carbon monoxide test and will help you avoid unexpected heating failures.
- 防止热量流失，减少家里的气流 are some of the simplest ways that you can reduce your heating bill right away.
- 更换门窗上磨损的防风雨条.
- Use weatherproof caulk to seal caulk and openings where warm air may be escaping.
- 调整你的门槛.
- Use an inflatable chimney balloon to keep warm air from escaping from your fireplace.
- 在冬天来临之前关闭你的沼泽冷却器.
- 用塑料膜盖住你的窗户.
- 锁好门窗.
- 利用太阳为你的家供暖. 白天打开窗帘，让阳光温暖你的家. On the flip side, be sure to close your drapes at night to help retain the heat in your home.
- 顺时针转动吊扇 (there’s a switch to reverse the blades’ rotation) to push the rising hot air back down. 你可以使用最低的风扇转速，这样你就不会感到“微风”.”
- 保持加热器寄存器和散热器没有障碍物 所以温暖的空气可以循环. Also be careful that you don’t block vents in areas of your home where gas appliances are stored – this can be a serious safety hazard.
- Set your thermostat only to the temperature you’d like your house to reach. Turning your heat up to 75 degrees won’t heat your home any faster (it’s not like the gas pedal in your car). Also, programming your thermostat to match your schedule is a great way of controlling heating costs.
- 检查一下你的空气宝博体育买球是否密封和绝缘良好尤其是在阁楼和爬行空间. Look for places where the ducts may have pulled apart at the seams and corners. 能源之星 says that a house with a forced-air furnace can lose up to 20% of the air that moves through the system to leaks, 孔洞和连接不良的宝博体育买球! 你可以 use mastic sealant or metal tape to cover and seal any leaks or you can call a professional to inspect or repair your ductwork.
- 少用热水 is a great way to use less energy and there are a few easy changes you can make to help reduce the amount of hot water you’re using.
- When you do laundry, wash your clothes in cold water as often as possible. 你可以 also lower your water heater’s temperature setting to 120 degrees.
- If you have water lines in unheated parts of your home (like the garage), you can purchase polyethylene foam pipe insulation at your local home improvement store and install it on those exposed water lines.
- Installing low-flow shower heads are also a great way to conserve hot water.
- Turn the water heater thermostat down or off when you’re gone for more than three days. Newer water heaters typically have a “vacation” setting you can use, too. 如果你不在家，就没有理由烧水.
减少家庭供暖成本的4个家庭项目
如果你真的想减少你的冬季账单, there are a few other long-term things you can do that make a larger impact on your bill than some of the things we mentioned earlier.
安装节能供暖设备 & 炉系统
A traditional single stage furnace operates in either “on” or “off” mode. 多级炉有高、低速两种速度. 然而, a variable speed motor allows the blower to adjust the speed of the motor incrementally based on the heating needs in your home. 这种类型的马达增加燃料和电力效率, 提供一致的热, 减少噪音, 并使空气更清新. Because the furnace adjusts the demand for heat, you’ll use less energy and electricity.
适当地隔离你的家
检查阁楼的绝缘水平, 外墙和地下室墙, 天花板, 地板和爬行空间. 添加绝缘是相当容易和经济有效的. 你可以 tell if you have adequate insulation by measuring the thickness of your existing insulation. 如果是小于11英寸的玻璃纤维, 岩棉或8英寸纤维素(植物纤维保温), 然后增加更多的绝缘材料是有帮助的. 为你的爬行空间或地下室增加绝缘材料, 然而, 可能是一个更复杂的工作，通常需要承包商. A professional insulation expert will know how to properly install the insulation and is also trained to assess the area for any other issues that may need to be addressed. 你知道吗 New Mexico Gas Company offers a rebate for 25% of the cost (up to $500) when you have a licensed and insured contractor add insulation to your home’s attic or roof?
安装一个可编程或“智能”恒温器.
Programmable thermostats allow you to set the temperature in your home to match your schedule. 你可以 actually save about 10% on your heating bill by setting your thermostat to turn down the temperature by 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day (either when you’re not home or when you’re sleeping). 你可以 then set your thermostat to return to normal temperatures before you wake up or before you get home. Smart thermostats take the programming a step further by helping you manage the temperature of your home. 智能恒温器(如森西、Nest & 霍尼韦尔歌词)从你的行为中学习, show your energy use in real time and allow you to control the temperature of your home with your smartphone. 的 宝博体育买球天然气公司为某些智能恒温器提供折扣.
安装热窗 & 门
Installing storm or thermal windows and doors is also a great way to prevent heat loss in your home. 当然, 这可能是一项相当大的投资, 所以如果你不打算做这样的事情, then covering your windows with plastic film works just as well for the winter.