CASSOPOLIS, Mich. --- With plummeting temperatures around Michiana, energy costs are on the rise. While theres no end to the cold in sight, it is possible to help ease the pain of the electric bill every month.

I think one of the biggest misconceptions is the difference between air sealing and insulation, Roger Bowser, Midwest Energy Cooperatives Manager of Energy Programs and Services said. People get them confused all the time. They're two separate things. In order for insulation to be effective you have to air seal first and then insulate properly.

Having a home that is well sealed is a great step into saving money on your bills. Bowser held a meeting at the Lowe Center in Cassopolis to help residents find ways to save money. The biggest tip was to get a home energy audit. These are when professional energy auditors come into your home to find out where a homes biggest problem areas are as far as energy efficiency goes. This could be attics with leaky areas around chimneys or duct work, crawlspaces and basements with thermal boundary issues or dirt floors, or even fireplaces which allow drafty air inside the home. An energy auditor can come and tell you where the problem areas are with a blower door energy audit. However, the audit wont fix anything but will give you the knowledge you need to make your home more efficient.

It's really important, if they're going to spend the money to do an energy audit, and if you have money to make an upgrade, then do it, Bowser said. Don't just do the audit. The audit is not going to save you anything. Other than give you more knowledge.

There are some simple steps to making your home more efficient. You can install a programmable thermostat that can turn your heat down as much as 10 degrees during the work day or at night. This can cut your annual heating bill by as much as 10 percent according to the U.S. Energy Department Estimates.

Another useful tip is cleaning or replacing furnace filters. Bowser says if you have forced air heating, cleaning or replacing your furnaces air filter each month during the heating season will save energy and money.

One tip that may infringe on your comfort level, but will decrease costs, is turning down your water heater.

Many homes water heaters are set way above the recommended 120 degree temperature, Bowser said. Unfortunately, every 2.5 degrees above the mark unnecessarily boosts your hot water bill by about one percent and increases the risk of scalding, especially in homes with children.

With water temperature, another factor is frequency. How many showers are you taking per week and for how long? How many loads of laundry are you doing? These things can have major impacts on a monthly utility bill but can be lowered using some of these tips.

There are a lot of decisions we make that we can conserve on if our behavior is such that we want to change it, Bowser said. They need to understand what their energy costs are and how their behavior affects that. If thats something they want to have as part of their lifestyle, then they should understand how much more that costs them to do that. If theyre willing to accept that, thats fine. This is a free country.

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Simple ways to lower energy costs in the winter

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The following article is sponsored by Scott Hale Heating & Plumbing.

Now that winters here, its time for a pop quiz: You wake up in the morning and the glass of water you that left by your bedside has turned to a solid block of ice. What do you do?

If you had trouble with that one, its time for a quick lesson on furnace troubleshooting. Here are nine easy tasks you can perform yourself, before you call in a professional such as Scott Hale Plumbing Heating & Air, to try and get your gas furnace- to start kicking out the heat again.

Thermostat Problems

The first thing to check is the battery. Most digital thermostats have a battery indicator on the display. If you see an icon in the display asking for a battery, follow the manufacturers instructions and replace the battery with an appropriate size.

If you see no display at all, check the power to the furnace. This particular thermostat has a sealed battery in it, and its not replaceable.

If youve checked the battery, youve checked the power supply, and your thermostat is still not operating properly, its likely that youre just going to have to replace your thermostat. Its important to understand how your thermostat operates when its normal, when everything is right. If youre familiar with the proper operation of your equipment, then its going to make it easier. If you notice something acting unusual, call Scott Hale Plumbing Heating & Air for a proper diagnosis.

Mismatching Furnace and Thermostat

Your homes gas furnace needs to be paired with the correct thermostat to work properly; if it isnt, you could run into problems.

Thermostats have to be matched to the system based on the type of furnace thats used and the capacity and capability of that furnace. The best way to make sure youre going to have a thermostat that matches your system is to get it from an HVAC professional.

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9 Ways to troubleshoot your furnace

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