Home > News > Winter is here
Winter is here
Stay warm and keep bills low this season
BY DAVID BUCKNER
STATESMAN STAFF WRITER
RYAN HANSON / STATESMAN
College students and empty wallets seem to go hand in hand. With the cost of tuition and rent, UMD students are always looking for ways to save a few bucks. With winter knocking at our door, utility bills will be an increasing expense for students. There are several easy tips, however, that renters can use to cut down on those nasty heating costs.
Eric Schlacks is the gas and energy coordinator at Comfort Systems in Duluth. He said that keeping your thermostat down is the best way to save money. “For every degree you set the thermostat back, you save 1-3 percent on your bill,” said Schlacks. “One thing that people should consider is to dress warmer rather than raising the heat.”
Junior Chris Schwartz and his roommates found that by keeping their thermostat as low as possible, they can save roughly $40 a month on heat. “We keep our heat at about 62 degrees,” said Schwartz. “We usually have to wear sweatpants and sweatshirts because it’s freezing in here, but it saves money.” Schwartz says that they kept the temperature at 68 degrees last year, but the cost was over $200 a month. Drafty windows are another culprit in losing heat energy. Double pane windows work the best for keeping in heat, but many college renters are in older houses with single pane windows. Installing new windows is too expensive for most students, but a simpler strategy will help.
Junior Blake Farber lives in a house with four other people. He said that they seal their windows with plastic wrap. “You can tell that once you put it on there, it stays warmer in the house,” said Farber. According to the Comfort Systems Web site, covering your windows with a clear plastic film will create an insulating air pocket between the plastic and the window. This can reduce heat loss through the windows by 25-50 percent. The cost of covering your windows is about $4 to $6 per window. Comfort Systems also lists caulking the seams of your windows on their Web site. Caulking the cracks and frames around windows and doors will help to reduce drafts.
JEFF DEZELSKE / STATESMAN
David Olson shovels his car out of a UMD parking lot earlier this week.
Many students may already know about sealing the windows and keeping the temperature at a reasonable level, but there are ways to save money that aren’t as obvious. The Comfort Systems Web site suggests replacing your furnace filters about once a month. A new filter costs between $15 and $25. Splitting that cost with the others in your house can be a cheaper way to improve your heating. Along with replacing the filters, keeping things clean can also help to improve heating. Clean your warm air registers, baseboard heaters and radiators when they get dirty. Also, make sure they are clear of furniture and carpeting. By replacing your filter and keeping your registers clean, you can improve your energy efficiency by 10 percent, according to Comfort Systems.
Space heaters can also help to keep costs down if they are used effectively. Space heaters are one of the most expensive uses of electricity, and according to Schlacks, you’ll only save money with a space heater if you’re willing to lower the temperature in the rest of the house. Only using lights and appliances when needed is an easy way to save electricity, but the same practice should go for kitchen and bathroom fans. According the Comfort Systems Web site, in one hour those fans can suck up a houseful of warm air. Another free way to keep the house warm is by utilizing your drapes and shades. During the day, keep your south facing drapes open to bring in more sunlight. At night, close the drapes to cut down on heat escaping through the windows. Simply opening and closing your shades will trap heat and keep the room warmer.
By using these easy techniques, you can keep your house a bit warmer, and more importantly, keep your heating bill down. By spending a little money now to prepare your house for the cold weather, you can save money all winter long.
