Improving Energy Efficiency in your Home

Winter is on its way and energy costs have never been higher. While you can certainly don a few extra layers and a pair of mittens, no one wants to walk around their own home bundled up in a snowsuit to stay warm. Heating and cooling your home accounts for nearly 56 percent of the energy you use in your home, so finding ways to make your home more energy efficient can go a long way toward saving you money while maintaining a comfortable temperature.

If the cold winter weather and high energy costs have you concerned, Electric Fireplaces Direct may have exactly what you have been looking for. Instead of suffering through cold winter nights that leave you feeling chilled to the bone, or running your energy bill quite literally through the roof, you can enjoy the efficient and attractive heat provided by electric fireplaces, including Amish fireplaces or a Dimplex electric fireplace.

Keep the Heat Where it Belongs

You can take many steps this winter to keep your home more energy efficient while maintaining a comfortable temperature. The sun's heat, what little there may be in winter, can be collected and stored within the structure and furnishings of your home by simply leaving the curtains and drapes in any south facing windows open during the day and closing all window treatments at night. As the sunlight enters your windows, the walls, floor and furnishings within your home will absorb its heat. As the night temperature drops outside, this heat is released into the rooms of your home, reducing the need for supplemental heat.

You can also save a significant amount of money on your heating bill by keeping the thermostat at the lowest possible temperature. If you have a programmable thermostat, you can set it to maintain a cooler temperature while no one is at home or while everyone is asleep. This action alone has been shown to decrease your heating bill by 10 percent.

There is no sense heating your home if the warm air leaks out through your doors and windows. Caulking and weather-stripping are inexpensive and simple ways to increase your home's energy efficiency without requiring the services of a contractor. You should also check the insulation in your attic, basement and crawl spaces. Efficient airflow within your heating system is also crucial to saving money on your heating bill, which is why replacing your furnace or heat systems filters regularly can make a big difference.

Once you have ensured that your home is well insulated, has no leaks and that your current heating system is operating efficiently, you can add electric fireplaces to your home for an inexpensive and attractive source of supplemental heat. Portable electric fireplaces generate supplemental heat for up to 400 square feet for only pennies a day.

Room by Room Heating Efficiency

There is no sense heating rooms that you are not using. You can keep your thermostat at a much lower setting by using electric fireplaces, including Roll Away fireplaces or a Dimplex electric fireplace. These freestanding electric fireplaces provide immediate and quiet heat for surprisingly little. While electricity rates vary by location, the efficiency of various heat sources can range to the extreme. Gas fireplaces generally operate at a cost of 17 to 24¢ per hour, but electric fireplaces provide realistic looking, patented flame technology for about 3¢ per hour and flame with heat for around 8 to 12¢ an hour.

A Dimplex electric fireplace or Amish fireplaces plug into any standard electrical outlet and fit easily into any size apartment, condo, loft or home. You also get the advantage of being able to move your Amish fireplaces from room to room, depending solely upon where you are and what you are doing. While many models of a Dimplex electric fireplace are portable, some are fireplace mantel packages designed to occupy a permanent space. Instead of heating your entire home, you can pick and choose exactly which rooms you want to maintain at a higher temperature simply by using Amish fireplaces or a Dimplex electric fireplace.

Comfort with Style and Savings

These attractive electric fireplace heaters come in a variety types and styles that are sure to match whatever décor you currently have in your home. You can opt for a traditional, firebox and furniture quality mantel combination or, if you prefer, you can order units specifically designed to fit in the corner of any room in your home. The fireboxes and mantels have all the elegance of traditional masonry fireplaces without any of the mess, fire hazards, or smoke problems. Obviously, you won't have to find a place to store all that bug-infested wood either!

Electric Fireplaces Direct has a wide variety of models and styles of electric fireplace heaters to choose from. The high quality craftsmanship that goes into creating energy and money saving Amish fireplaces or each Dimplex electric fireplace is sure to please even the most discerning shopper. Electric fireplace heaters will pay for themselves over time with the reduced energy bills you will face for many years to come.