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Simple and inexpensive ways to help reduce your energy costs this winter

Time and time again, we have been warned that we can expect a big shock when opening our heating bill this winter. Compared to last year’s heating bills, increases could be as much as 48% if you use natural gas to heat your home, 32% if you use heating oil, 30% if you use propane and 5% if you use electricity. Here are a few simple and inexpensive ways from Blain’s Farm & Fleet to help reduce your energy costs this winter.

-Use weatherstrip tape to seal the tops and sides of doors and windows and to block out cold air. Approximate cost: Under $4 for enough product to seal two doors and four average windows.

-Install door sweeps to provide a seal between the bottom of the door and threshold to block out the cold air. Approximate cost: $2.50.

-Foam or fiberglass pipe wrap insulate your pipes to save energy by reducing heat loss on hot pipes and condensation on cold pipes. It also helps to prevent water pipe freezing. Approximate cost: $1 to $2 for a six foot piece, and various diameters.

-Water heaters run all year long. Their constant energy use makes them the second largest energy user in a home - after the furnace. And more than 20% of a water heater's energy is used while it's on "standby", keeping water hot for the next time you use it. Adding a blanket of insulation around a water heater can help reduce its standby energy use. Approximate cost: $12.50

-Programmable thermostats are easy to install and will automatically adjust your home’s temperature settings according to your schedule. You can set your thermostat to heat the house before you get up and before you get home from work, and automatically turn the heat down when you leave for the day or go to bed at night. Programmable thermostats also tend to allow more precise temperature control. Approximate price range: $25 - $60.

-Window insulation kits are easy to use and will help to seal off any cold air that may be coming in through cracks in the window. There are kits that are designed to go on the inside of windows, but there are also kits that are designed to go on the outside of the window as well. Approximate cost: $13 for a kit that seals 5 average windows.

-Be sure to change your furnace filter every three months. When your furnace filter becomes dirty, it becomes more difficult for your furnace to push air through and causes your furnace motor to work harder. Simply changing the furnace filter on a regular basis will help air flow easier and will make your furnace work more efficiently. Approximate cost: $1 to $16.

-Use an expanding foam sealant, like “Great Stuff” to seal any cracks in the foundation. The average foundation of a home has lots of hidden holes, gaps and cracks, causing chilling drafts throughout the house. Instead of turning up your thermostat, simply walk around your foundation and look for cracks or holes where cold air can come into your home. Then, just spray a little of your expanding foam sealant in the area to seal off the gap. Approximate cost: $4 for a 12 ounce can.

-Consider re-caulking around your exterior windows and doors. Many times caulk will shrink, causing small areas where cold air can seep through. Removing your old caulk and putting on a new layer will help reduce those areas. Approximate cost for caulk: $1.50 to $5; caulk gun: $2 - $3.

-Install compact florescent light bulbs instead of regular (incandescent) light bulbs. Incandescent light bulbs use a filament to produce light, but compact fluorescent bulbs use fluorescent technology and are 4-5 times more efficient and can last up to 13 times longer than the incandescent bulbs they replace. They may tend to cost a little more than incandescent bulbs, but the energy savings can recover this cost. Approximate cost: $4 - $10 each.