| Heating your home efficiently is important from | | | | window treatments with insulated drapes. Use |
| both an economic and an environmental | | | | weather stripping around doors, as well, and place |
| standpoint. Regardless of the type of heating | | | | a rolled up towel or decorative draft stopper on |
| system currently installed in your home, there are | | | | the floor against exterior doors to block air that |
| several steps can be taken to increase the | | | | may be entering the home from beneath the |
| efficiency of your home, making it easier and less | | | | door. |
| expensive to heat. Simple and inexpensive | | | | Another key step to efficient heating is to |
| weatherizing and using a supplemental heat | | | | evaluate your heating needs. Often heat is |
| source, such as that provided by convector | | | | wasted in unoccupied spaces. In rooms that are |
| heaters can go a long way toward ensuring that | | | | used infrequently, free standing convector heaters |
| you are heating your home efficiently. Many home | | | | may be the perfect solution for efficient heating |
| owners don't realise the amount of energy that is | | | | on an occasional basis. Portable convector heaters |
| often wasted by using a boiler to heat the house | | | | can also be moved from room to room, providing |
| at different times of the day- in most homes | | | | heat where and when it is needed. |
| energy can be saved by placing and using an | | | | The level of insulation in the walls, ceiling and floor |
| electric portable heater in a specific room of the | | | | has a huge impact on the energy efficiency of a |
| house at a specific time of the day. For example, | | | | home. In new construction, installing an optimal |
| using a heater to warm the bathroom for a | | | | level of insulation will ensure the home can be |
| comfortable morning shower for the few minutes | | | | heated efficiently. In existing construction, extra |
| you spend in your house just before you go to | | | | insulation can often be added to that already in |
| work. | | | | place. |
| A significant amount of heat is lost through even | | | | There are many other simple heat-saving |
| the tiniest gaps around windows and doors. | | | | strategies. For instance, reset the thermostat a |
| Properly weatherizing your home is an important | | | | few degrees cooler. Most likely, the difference in |
| first step that can be taken to ensure efficient | | | | temperature will not be noticed. Conserve heat by |
| home heating. If your home has single pane or old | | | | closing off any unused rooms. Unless there is the |
| windows, eliminate drafts by weather-stripping | | | | possibility of frozen pipes, plants or animals turn |
| each window wherever air movement can be felt. | | | | the heat system off when no one is home. |
| Further enhance the ability of your home to retain | | | | Following as many of these tips as possible will |
| heat by replacing existing curtains or other | | | | ensure that you are heating your home efficiently. |