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vendredi 13 février 2015

Guide To Having A Lower Natural Gas Bill New Jersey Customers Will Find Useful

By Beryl Dalton


Most houses today are kept warm in the winter months by a natural gas furnace. This is generally preferred over electric and oil heating because of its efficiency, reliability, and affordability. Many water heaters are also run using natural gas, which presents significant savings over electric models. In order to enjoy a lower natural gas bill New Jersey homeowners should follow these helpful guidelines to keep their costs reasonable.

Almost half of the monthly power bill of a typical Edison, NJ resident is made up of the cost to keep the home a comfortable temperature. During cold weather this means operating a furnace. It makes sense to ensure that as little as possible of this warm air escapes; this can be accomplished by making sure the home is well-insulated, primarily in the attic, since heat travels up. As much as half of a home's heat can be lost in this way.

Replacing costly electric water heaters with newer ones which run on natural gas can help reduce monthly costs by around 50 percent. They are more affordable, and also faster to recover hot water which most people appreciate. Wrapping them in an insulated jacket, can boost their efficiency even further. Draining a pail of water from the heater's bottom once a year will remove sediment deposits which also helps improve the heater's performance.

Keeping the thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime is comfortable and affordable for most people. At bedtime, it can be turned down as much as another 10 degrees since it's easier to stay warm under one's bedding. Similarly, if the house will be empty in the day, it can be set low then as well. Programmable thermostats make timing the temperature easy and can help homeowners save hundreds of heating dollars every year.

When furnace filters get dirty, they can hinder airflow and reduce the efficiency of the furnace, this is why it's necessary to check them periodically to see if they need replacing, which they often do once a month. Older furnaces should be cleaned and tuned by a service each year before use, but once they are about 15 years old or more, replacement is normally a better idea.

Homes can gain some additional heat with the help of the sun's low, winter angles. South-facing windows should be kept unobstructed to allow this solar heat to radiate into the home. People can also install storm doors, storm or double-pane windows and weather stripping to further assist in containing warmth inside the house and prevent it from leaking out.

Ventilation fans in bathrooms and kitchens should be used only as necessary because they not only remove moisture but warm air as well. Fireplace dampers should be kept closed when not being used as well, because it serves as an escape route for a large volume of heat. Rooms which are not occupied, should be kept closed and their heating vents shut.

Water heaters also have a thermostat, keeping it set to about 120 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended. Using less hot water means more money saved on the water heating portion of the gas bill. Low-flow shower-heads and opting to take shorter showers instead of baths are two ways in which one can reduce their hot water and its associated natural gas consumption.




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