There seems to be no remedy for Winter sticker shock that comes with increased heating bills, but there are a few things you can do to conserve energy and lower your bill.
According to Mark Hanson of Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU), during the heating season alone, your furnace uses about as much energy as your car does in an entire year. Hanson says a furnace tune-up, including a new filter, helps -- so does installing a programmable thermostat that can be set back while you're sleeping or at work.
"On average, if you set it back one degree, it'll save one percent on your bill, if you're doing that over an eight hour period," says Hanson. "So depending on how far you want to set that back, you can realize some pretty good savings over the course of a heating season."
Other ways to conserve energy and lower your bill include monitoring your furnace vent and fresh-air intake to ensure they're not obstructed by snow or debris. Another tip -- if you heat with natural gas, the flame should be blue, not yellow or orange, which signals inefficiency.
For more energy-saving tips, visit www.energystar.gov.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 10:50 AM EDT2013-06-19 14:50:47 GMT
Dickinson police say there has been a confirmed sighting of a missing teen in Bismarck. 15-year-old Edward Martin Stubbs is not believed to be in danger. He moved to Dickinson from Texas to work with
Dickinson police say there has been a confirmed sighting of a missing teen in Bismarck. 15-year-old Edward Martin Stubbs is not believed to be in danger. He moved to Dickinson from Texas to work with
Tuesday, June 18 2013 10:45 PM EDT2013-06-19 02:45:13 GMT
Some history is worth repeating -- not so, when it comes to 2011 and historic water. In recent memory, the Mighty Missouri has raged -- in 2009, and again, in 2011. Both times, she unleashed her fury
Some history is worth repeating -- not so, when it comes to 2011 and historic water. In recent memory, the Mighty Missouri has raged -- in 2009, and again, in 2011. Both times, she unleashed her fury
Tuesday, June 18 2013 10:35 PM EDT2013-06-19 02:35:23 GMT
The City of Mandan took steps tonight to stop the bleeding -- when it comes to losing their employees to higher paying jobs across the River. Beginning July 1st, adjustments will be made so that minimum
The City of Mandan took steps tonight to stop the bleeding -- when it comes to losing their employees to higher paying jobs across the River. Beginning July 1st, adjustments will be made so that minimum
Tuesday, June 18 2013 10:11 PM EDT2013-06-19 02:11:08 GMT
Students and Parents are learning about Bismarck's new high school. Tonight an informational meeting is held at the Career Academy on the BSC campus, which will be the temporary location for Legacy high
Students and Parents are learning about Bismarck's new high school.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 7:51 PM EDT2013-06-18 23:51:12 GMT
It's hard to believe that mid-June, residents would need to pull out their snow shovels to clean up from a storm, but that's exactly what happened Monday night in Napoleon. The town of Napoleon is abuzz
It's hard to believe that mid-June, residents would need to pull out their snow shovels to clean up from a storm, but that's exactly what happened Monday night in Napoleon.
Evangelist Franklin Graham prayed on a sidewalk outside the Pentagon Thursday after his invitation to a prayer service inside was withdrawn because of comments that insulted people of other religions. More>>