72 THE QUEENS COURIER • AT HOME • SEPTEMBER 17, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com at home Avoid winter chills without the higher bills Every year, homeowners across the country face the expense of coping with winter - from cranking the heat to lighting your home during a season with fewer hours of daylight. However, it doesn’t take a lot of new technology to turn your house into an effi cient home, and the payoff can be big. Consider these easy tips to save money while staying warm. Prevent drafts. Drafts that come from unprotected windows and doors will increase your energy costs by 5 percent to 30 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Prevent drafts by weather stripping windows and installing inexpensive draft stoppers under doors. It’s a simple step that could save you hundreds of dollars every winter, and keep your family warmer. Perform regular furnace maintenance. If your furnace fi lters are dirty, it’s costing you money and can affect your health. Change your fi lters every month throughout the winter, and if you have an older, ineffi cient furnace consider replacing it. According to the IRS, you could qualify for federal tax credits that cover as much as 30 percent of the replacement cost to a maximum of $1,500. Have a talk with your thermostat. Every time you turn your thermostat down by just one degree, you can save about 1 percent on your energy bill, according to the DOE. That means turning your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day, when the house is empty, can save you 5 to 15 percent a year on your heating bill. Consider the switch to solar. Many Americans are investing in clean energy sources like solar panels to create more energy effi cient homes. Leasing solar panels can cost nothing to install and reduce your energy bill by 20 percent on average, according to Sunrun, the largest dedicated residential solar company in the U.S. If you haven’t already invested in a solar system, consider using the money you could save this winter. Visit www.sunrun. com to learn more. Effective solutions start with making a few small changes that can result in signifi cant savings. Don’t wait until next winter to create a warmer, more effi cient “smart” home, start today. Courtesy BPT BUNDLE A HANDFUL OF POLICIES WITHOUT LIFTING A FINGER Martin Levy 718-268-1700 103-20 Metropolitan Avenue Forest Hills martinlevy@allstate.com Call or stop by to see how much you can save. 149120 I make insurance easy. You’ve got more important things to do than juggle different insurance companies for your different policies. Bundle with Allstate and I’ll help take care of all the details, paperwork, and find you a bunch of discounts. Call me today! Subject to terms, conditions and availability. Savings will vary. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Indemnity Co., Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Co. Northbrook, IL © 2012 Allstate Insurance Co. Are Your Insurance Company’s Rate INCREASES Getting You DOWN? Call for a free competitive quote for a rewrite of your policies HOME & AUTO SPECIALISTS • Homeowners Insurance • Flood Insurance • Business Insurance • Motorcycles • Commercial Vehicles “Thanks for voting us Best of the of the 2013 Up to 20% discount on Boro!” Auto & Home Combo Policies SAME LOCATION FOR OVER 50 YEARS! Hablamos Español We also have Plates & Registration Services ROB’T PEHNKE CORP. (718) 657-4100 www.pehnke.com 137-34 Jamaica Ave Jamaica (Off Van Wyck Exp.) THE QUEENS QueensCourier.com
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