As I am sure we all suspected when Puget Sound Energy released its “merge” information - Puget Energy Signs Merger Agreement with Consortium of North American Infrastructure Investors it wouldn’t be too long before we would see a request for a rate increase. We were all right! Puget Sound Energy in a press release December 3rd has started the process for an increase. Infrastructure investments, higher costs prompt Puget Sound Energy to request general rate increase for late 2008.
This could result in an average increase of approximately 9.5% for electric and 5.3 for gas. With this kind of information you better start thinking about adding some more energy saving plans to your up and coming home projects.
Let’s start by discussing five easy ways to reduce your home heating bill NOW! Why wait for higher rates! Let’s get some relieve this year. It has been cold around here lately!! The average low temp for the Bremerton area for the month of December was a chilly 35 degrees!! With the average high only being 45 degrees.
My average heating bill in the winter last year was around $300. I cringe when I open my PSE account!! I live in a home that has plaster walls and all hardwood floors with lots of windows. Even though I have a brand new furnace nice newer windows and lots of insulation I was losing heat from my full ½ daylight basement. The basement hasn’t been touched since 1941 when it comes to windows and insulation. This last summer my husband and I installed insulation in the ceiling/floor joists. When I received the first bill for November it was $150 less than the year before!! I am sure it is because of our hard work – and let me tell you it was hard!!
So here are my five easy ways to start saving now.
- Install door sweeps to all doors leading to an unheated area. You might not think that the door from the kitchen to the basement down stairs needs one – but it does! If you can’t afford to purchase products us a towel or an area rug up against the door.
- Install weather stripping to all your doors. Inspect all your doors and see it there are any “leaks”. There are several products on the market that can really help and are very easy to install. I like a real small round foam product you can purchase at Lowe’s.
- Rope caulk is a product I have used as a temporary fix until I can caulk in the spring around any windows or sliding patio doors. It feels like clay and looks like a rope. It is usually gray and reminds me of “peeling licorice”! It does not harden so is very easy to remove or can be “stuffed” in and caulked over. I love this product and yes you can buy it at Lowe’s. However, the staff there might look at you funny when you ask for it. I did find one employee that knew what I was talking about but couldn’t find it. I went to the weather-strip section and just looked and looked. It is down by the floor to your left looking at the shelves.
- If you have single paned windows you must insulated them if you can’t afford to replace them. You can use plastic and of course there are several commercial products. If you have a couple of rooms that aren’t used you might just try hanging a blanket over the window. You can take your staple gun and staple the blanket to the side of the molding without doing much damage. Just don’t press the gun so the staples become flush, let them stick out. You can purchase a cheap blanket at a discount store for under $6 and then in the summer donate it to a local charity because you are going to try and have new windows for next winter.
- Create a warm room. You need to turn your thermostat down to save the most on your monthly bill. You might be doing that when you aren’t home or when you retire for the night, but you can also do it during home hours. If you have central heat then you will need to set yours to around 62. That is all mine is set for. What I do is move a portable heater to the areas of the house I will be using. There is no need to heat space we don’t need to. If you have baseboard heaters you can regulate your energy easier. I also make sure the drapes on my large windows are drawn on really cold days. Drapes are a good insulator.
Just remember Spring is on its way!!!
If you have any questions about real estate in Bremerton Washington, contact Jo Soss with Skyline Properties, Inc. at (360) 990-1433 or visit her personal website Puget Sound Real Estate Today
where you will be able to search for homes and find more Bremerton Real Estate information.
Filed under: Bremerton WA Real Estate Info, Kitsap County | Tagged: Blogging Bremerton, bremerton buyers, bremerton real estate agent jo soss, bremerton sellers, bremerton wa real estate, pse
