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January 17, 2009

Save money on energy bill during freezing temperatures

By ELYSE BETTERS

PLATTSBURGH — The nights are steadily growing colder as winter hits the North Country with all its frozen might.

The National Weather Service reported temperatures as they fell to a record low in the Plattsburgh area, reaching minus 24 degrees early Friday morning.

The lowest recorded temperature for Friday was in Paradox, with the low reaching minus 35 degrees.

As winter's chill creeps along the North Country, local hardware stores are recommending everyone winterize their home to save heat, energy and money.

"Seal every door and window," said Gary Bombard, assistant store manager of Alix's True Value Hardware in Plattsburgh. "It helps to keep the cold air out and the warm air in."

Bombard said weather stripping for doors and plastic or temporary caulking around windows will protect a home against potential air leaks and cold cracks.

"It's a project any homeowner can do to stop drafts and save energy," he said.

According to the government's Energy Information Administration, door sweeps, window plastic and draft guards are effective methods of weather stripping that increase the energy efficiency of an opening up to 70 percent.

Bombard said the easiest way to detect an air leak or draft within a home is by using a lit candle.

"Just hold up a candle and watch the flame," he added. "It's easier than feeling around."

Cory Rock, operations manager of Lowes in Plattsburgh, recommends space heaters and programmable thermostats to homeowners looking to reduce their heating expenses.

"Space heaters are perfect for parts of a home that stay cold — even when the thermostat is turned all the way up," he said. "They warm up those spaces and prevent people from cranking up the heat."

Rock also suggested programmable thermostats as a significant way to trim costly energy bills.

"They range in price but are still a pretty cheap way to regulate the temperature of a house," he said.

Programming the temperature of a home throughout the day and night can save up to 30 percent in a well-insulated home, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's Web site.

"By resetting your programmable thermostat from 72 to 65 degrees for eight hours a day (for instance, while no one is home or while everyone is tucked in bed) you can cut a third off your heating bill," the department's Web site stated.

The recent frigid temperatures are causing school cancellations, engine troubles and traffic light malfunctions across the region, and the National Weather Service is forecasting more chilly nights ahead.

The average homeowner may be shaking in their boots at the sight of a minus-reading thermostat, but with a few simple insulation steps and energy saving techniques, homeowners can stop shaking and bravely face their reduced energy bill.

"Winter is cold and can be expensive," Rock said. "People just need to remember that the key to staying warm and saving money is by insulating, insulating, insulating "¦ and smart heating."

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