- Use grandma’s fragrant warming tip
Increase the warmth and moisture level inside your home on bitterly cold days by simply simmering a large pan of water on the stove. Don’t forget to periodically check the pan and refill the water as needed. Throw a few cloves, some orange peel and one or two cinnamon sticks into the pot and you’ll have a delightful air freshener as well.
- Get lit up about draughts
To pinpoint the often mysterious source of draughts — and where you’ll need to add or renew any draught-proofing — wait for a windy day, then light a candle. Start with the window or door nearest the draught. Hold the candle in a bottom corner of the frame and slowly raise it. The flame should travel up in a straight line; when it moves sharply in one direction or another, you’ve probably located a leak. Repeat this process for all the sealed openings around your house to pinpoint draughts.
- Block door draughts
A draughty door will raise your fuel bill and make you feel uncomfortable. Until you can replace the draught-proofing, try blocking the draughts under doors with a homemade door ‘sausage’. Get an old long sock or cut a sleeve off an old shirt and fill it with sand, rice or foam padding weighed down with a few small stones. Sew the open ends shut and keep it against the crack at the bottom of the door. For safety’s sake, prevent stumbles by spray-painting the draught-blocker a bright colour.
- Cooling energy-savers
Buying a bigger air-conditioning unit for a room won’t automatically keep you more comfortable during a long, hot summer. In fact, room air-conditioners that are too big for the room they are servicing will perform less efficiently and cost you a lot more to run. And don’t forget that air-conditioning may not be the answer to everyone’s cooling needs. Follow these easy tips for staying cool in summer:
- Use whole-house fans to pull cool air through the house and exhaust warm air through the roof space
- Don’t set the thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on an air-conditioner. It won’t cool the house faster and may result in excessive cooling.
- Don’t put lamps or TV sets near a thermostat as it will respond to the heat.
- Hot water money-savers
If you insulate both the hot-water storage tank and the first metre or so of pipes running from the water tank, you can save some serious money on your heating bill. But remember not to cover the tank’s top, bottom, thermostat or the pilot flame, and don’t hesitate to get help from a professional. Storage tanks have relatively short lifespans, so when your tank is about seven years old, start looking around for energy-saving replacement options. Comparing prices will help ensure the best deal, and although the initial outlay may be more than conventional tanks, you’ll save money in the long run by saving energy.
- Degrease a dirty fan
Even occasional use can cause an extractor fan to collect dust and grime on its blades and grilles. The build-up of dirt will reduce the fan’s air output and, worse, place unwanted stress on the machine’s motor.
To clean a dirty fan (which you should do at least once a year), unplug at the socket or turn off at the wall switch, and remove the housing. Vacuum off any loose dust using a soft brush attachment, then wipe down the blade and grilles with a rag or sponge dipped in a solution of ¼ cup (60ml) ammonia and ¼ teaspoon washing-up liquid in 5 litres warm water. Make sure that all the parts are dry before you reassemble them.
Credit: Reader’s Digest