Sponsored: Get Ready for Winter with 5 Energy-Saving Tips from the DCSEU

[sponsored_by name=”DC SEU” url=”http://dcseu.com/” logo=”https://www.popville.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/DCSEU120x60.jpg” byline=”The DC SEU saves District residents energy and money through energy-efficiency and renewable energy programs.” attribution_name=”BlankSlate” attribution_url=” attribution_url=”http://blankslate.com/advertisers”]

Worried about how to heat your home this winter? As the last leaves fall and the weather gets cooler, District residents can look to the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) for help saving money and energy, starting with these tips.

1. A great place to start lowering your energy costs is through proper maintenance of your heating system. You can find a contractor and schedule an annual tune-up to avoid any unforeseen complications with your equipment.

2. To get the most out of your system, you can also ensure that your home is properly air-sealed and insulated by scheduling an energy audit. 

3. Be sure to set your thermostat to as low as is comfortable to cut your energy use at no cost to you–the optimal temperature for efficiency is around 68 degrees.

4. Don’t wait until it’s too late to replace an old or failing heating system. Replace equipment with efficient systems to save energy and lower your heating costs.

5. Choosing the right heating system can lower your energy bill–while many older furnaces and boilers use 65% of every energy dollar, a high-efficiency ENERGY STAR-qualified furnace or boiler uses 90% or more of every energy dollar to efficiently warm your home and keep you comfortable.

While efficient systems can be more expensive to purchase up front, the difference will be paid back in time through lower energy costs. With rebates available from the DCSEU, this payback time can be even shorter for District residents. The DCSEU offers rebates of up to $850 on qualified natural gas equipment to offset the increased cost. To be eligible for this rebate, you can hire a heating or plumbing contractor licensed in the District of Columbia to perform the installation. Check out the DCSEU’s list of certified contractors.

For more information on how the DCSEU can help District businesses and residents save money and energy this winter and year-round, visit www.dcseu.com.