Building Science Expert Explains What Reduces Utility Bills and What Doesn't

Building science expert, Michael Blasnik who works in the Boston area was recently interviewed by Mary Beth Breckenridge, an Ohio area freelance writer, to find out what sorts of advice people should follow in trying to reduce their utility bills. Blasnik had just completed an extensive study where he and his colleagues tested several of the tips people are often given by so-called experts and found that while some truly are helpful, others are not. Breckenridge has written several articles for various publications based on her interviews with Blasnik and his results and most of what he had to say can be found in her article in Ohio and the another in SanLuisObispo.

First the good news. Paying for a blower door test (where air is blown under pressure inside the house to find air leaks in your home) and replacing or repairing big leaks almost always pays off; but so too do some small things, such as unplugging refrigerators or freezers that are rarely used. Also, investing in a thermostat that will automatically turn down the heat or A/C when you're not home can pay off big dividends. He also suggests setting the furnace fan to automatic to move hot air from around it to reduce the amount of work it must do. He also suggests turning off desktop computers and television sets when not using them and switching to more efficient lighting, especially LED bulbs. It all adds up, he says.

Now for the bad news. Blasnik says that replacing windows very rarely pays off because savings are minimal at best; same thing for caulking and weather stripping unless there is an obvious leak.

He also says that worrying about keeping the refrigerator open while looking for something to eat isn't any bid deal and people should stop worrying about it. He says such activities will only add up to pennies lost over a whole year. On the other hand, putting hot food in there can cause dollar sized increase over just a few weeks. He says that cleaning fridge coils won't make much difference, so only do it to keep things clean, not to save money.

As for the furnace, he says changing the filter once a year is more than adequate and anything more than that is a waste of time and money.

There's also no need to worry about cell phone chargers either, unplugging them once they've charged your phone will only save a couple of dollars over a whole year's time. Same thing with closing the drapes at night, though he does acknowledge that opening drapes during sunny days in the winter can make a small dent in heating costs.

And finally, he says don't be duped into having your gas furnace tuned up every year. The savings from doing so will be minimal and such furnaces actually only need tuning ever three to five years.