I know winter is drawing to an end in most places, and already done in some, but I ran across a great article in Real Green, Winter-2010 entitled “Winterize Your Home, Save $, Save Energy.” This is the kind of knowledge that is timeless, and always worth knowing. Season independent!

• Check for air leaks. It doesn’t matter how much you heat your home, with air leaks it’s never going to be enough… and that costs money.
• Adding insulation can keep your home warm with less energy.
• Check your windows. If they are drafty, you can do several things such as installing storm windows, putting plastic insulation on them and closing your curtains at night.
• Use a programmable thermostat. There is no sense in heating your home when you aren’t even present.
• In a similar vein, shut the vents in the rooms you don’t regularly use.
• And finally, the one I found most surprising is to humidify. In addition to easing congestion from colds, and moisturizing lips and skin, humid air feels warmer than dry air at the same temperature.

While some of these solutions might cost a little bit up front, your eventual savings will far surpass the cost. In the US, 45% of residential energy bills went to heating in 2008. With those kinds of numbers, every little bit can help.

-Nat Smith