Bill's Bright Ideas
Winter Efficiency Tips For Your Home

Though we’re experiencing a very mild winter so far, spring is still a month away and we New Englanders know anything can happen with our local weather. It’s not too late to take steps to tighten up your home and lower monthly energy bills, just in case winter still has a few surprises for us.

The most helpful first step in discovering the energy improvement options in your home is to sign up for an energy assessment. With a call to 800-632-8300, NSTAR customers can talk to an energy efficiency consultant to learn more about these free in-home assessments and find out if one is right for them.

Our energy assessments include a top-to-bottom analysis of your home’s energy use with printed results, advice for saving energy and rebates on recommended improvements. Once the assessment is complete, you’ll be armed with the information you need to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient throughout the year.

There are many do-it-yourself steps folks can take right now to improve the efficiency of their homes this winter.

There are also many do-it-yourself steps folks can take right now to improve the efficiency of their homes this winter. Among the easiest is making sure furniture and draperies are kept away from heating baseboards and vents. A clear path for the heated air to rise helps it circulate efficiently throughout the room.

A ceiling fan, set on low and turning in the opposite direction from when it’s used for cooling, is another good way to circulate heated air. This is especially important for rooms with high ceilings.

Keeping south-facing draperies and shades open on sunny days will put natural radiant heat to work for you. The sun’s rays will warm the objects in the room and help maintain the warmer temperature longer than heated air alone.

Adjusting thermostats to a lower temperature is one of the most effective ways to save on heating costs. Programmable thermostats work well for this because they do this automatically. NSTAR customers who have an energy assessment done may qualify for up to two programmable thermostats at no cost. There are also rebates available for those who prefer to purchase thermostats on their own.

For information about NSTAR's energy efficiency programs and rebates, visit NSTAR's Energy Efficiency section.

In my next column, I’ll discuss energy efficiency programs for income-eligible customers. .

Bill Stack is NSTAR's energy efficiency spokesman. He can be reached by emailing brightideas@nstar.com. If you're a member of the media and would like to arrange an interview with Bill,  please call Caroline Allen (617-424-2460) or Mike Durand (508-441-5831).