subject: Save Energy Costs With Window Repair [print this page] Budgets are limited these days for most with the proverbial belt being tightened almost daily to cope with increasing costs with static or decreasing income. We're shopping more carefully, eating out less, and family vacations, if planned at all, are enjoyed in destinations nearer to home. One costly item in the monthly budget that can be cut painlessly is the energy bill. Conserving energy isn't just the best thing to do to extend your budget, it's the right thing to do for the environment, to lower the emissions of climate changing carbon into the atmosphere.
There are the obvious ways to lower the energy use in the home. Changing out incandescent light bulbs and replacing with long-lasting Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs saves 50% to 80% in lighting costs. Turning off appliances when not in use, such as computers and entertainment systems, will save dollars from every bill. Just turning off the coffee maker as soon as the coffee is brewed, warming later cups of coffee in the microwave for a few seconds will knock $5 off of the electric bill every month and give you a better tasting cup of non-scorched coffee.
One of the biggest energy budget-busters is climate control in the home. Air conditioning and heating costs consume as much as 40 to 50 percent of the monthly energy usage in most homes. Turning the thermostat down to 68 degrees or less in the winter, even lower at night when being kept warm under blankets in bed, can save 10 percent of the heating costs. Likewise, turning the thermostat up to 78 degrees in summer and higher when no one is at home can result in significant savings. Investing in a inexpensive programmable thermostat makes this easy.
Another area to look at to save home heating and cooling costs is the windows and doors. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, loss of heat from windows alone can result in a 10 to 25 percent increase in the heating bill. Similar costs are incurred from heat entering the home in the summer resulting in added air conditioning use. Thermal drapery or window quilts can help to reduce the heat entry and loss, but more important is keeping the windows and doors maintained for maximum performance and efficiency.
Windows and doors that allow in drafts may be warped or misaligned due to a shifting foundation. Weather stripping may be worn out. Like other structural components of the home, windows and doors need occasional "tune ups" and maintenance that will not only save you money on your energy bills, but will improve the operation of the windows and doors and extend their lives. Don't assume that older windows must be replaced to be efficient. Most often, repair and maintenance is all they need.
