Happy Halloween! As many of you celebrate ghosts and ghouls and other creepiness today, we Energy Savers bloggers are marking the end of Energy Awareness Month. We hope October's entries on saving energy in the winter have been useful and provided some food (Halloween candy?) for thought as the weather gets colder and you prepare to save energy and money. But don't worry if you're still working on your winter energy saving plan; we still have more winter topics to cover and you still have time before winter officially starts. Be sure to visit the Stay Warm, Save Money site at EnergySavers.gov for more winter energy saving tips. We will continue to blog regularly here about energy topics of interest to consumers; starting next week, you can expect to see 1-2 blog posts per week. So stick with us—don't stop increasing your energy awareness just because Energy Awareness Month is over! And as always, if you have feedback or ideas about what topics we should cover, let us know in the ... [More]

Yesterday, we wrote about the energy tax credits that were included in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. Do you plan to take advantage of the energy tax credits? Each Thursday, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a question about energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.

With all of the news this month about the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, you may have heard about the energy tax incentives that were included for both consumers and for business, utilities, and governments. If you are already preparing for winter and working to make your home more efficient, this is good news. The federal tax credits can help you save energy, stay warm, and save money this winter and beyond. Combined with other sources of financial help that we've already discussed on this blog, you may be able to save significantly on your improvements. How Do They Work? Federal incentives for consumers come in the form of tax credits. Tax credits are different from tax deductions, which reduce the amount of income that is taxed. A tax credit directly reduces the amount of tax owed (or increases the amount of the federal tax refund). So while you won't immediately see a check in the mail, you will see the savings (or a larger tax return) come tax time in... [More]

O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind? - Percy Bysshe Shelley, Poet A cooling draft of air across your cheek can be a pleasant experience on a warm day in August, but that same cooling draft is less enjoyable when experienced inside your home during winter months. Our rural home was built 40 years ago, and like many old homes has its share of old inefficient windows. Old Man Winter sneaks through those windows on windy days, so when Mom comes to visit in the winter, she invariably heads straight for the warmth of the comfy recliner next to our propane fireplace. Nor is she alone. Seniors can be especially susceptible to even moderately colder temperatures even while indoors. To help reduce the potential for hypothermia (PDF 919 KB, Download Adobe Reader), the National Institutes of Health recommends that seniors set their thermostats for at least 68 to 70 degrees in the winter. For seniors on fixed incomes, however, the energy costs associated with maintaining a home at th... [More]

Growing up in Wisconsin and New Jersey, my family homes always had a fireplace.  They were perfect for cold winter nights, for "indoors camping" or just for sitting near and watching TV. There's very little like the crackle and heat of an open fire. That said, while your fireplace may be decorative, enjoyable, even functional, it's also one other thing: a great big hole going to the outdoors. Many families have glass doors across their fireplaces. That's a good start, but there's something else you should remember to do, and that is keep the chimney closed. It's more than just a good idea; hot air rises, after all, and the money you spend heating your home could literally be going up the chute. You don't want Santa's doorway being a money-Grinch, do you? Here's what you do. Clean out your chimney early. Burning wood leaves deposits of soot and creosote in the chimney flue; these deposits, accumulating over time, can catch and result in a household fire. For safety, a chimney shoul... [More]

With energy costs looming as winter approaches, saving money is on everyone's minds these days. Fortunately, improving your vehicle's fuel economy is both economically and environmentally smart.  In the winter, one of the easiest ways to decrease gasoline consumption is to warm up your engine for no more than 30 seconds, as Elizabeth pointed out last week. Driving conservatively and buying a fuel efficient car can make even more of an impact. The 2009 Fuel Economy Guide, released on October 15, can help you choose the most fuel efficient car for your needs, both new and used.  Whether you are in the market for a compact car or minivan, the Guide provides the miles per gallon and annual fuel cost for every passenger vehicle available this year. The Guide’s Web site, FuelEconomy.gov, and its companion mobile site FuelEconomy.gov/m, provide a number of special features in addition to the basic statistics. To talk about the new DOE / EPA Fuel Economy Guide and how drivers c... [More]