Your Second Home -- A Few Simple Steps to Reduce Energy Costs

You buy a cabin in the beautiful North Georgia mountains to escape from the stresses and worries of your life in the city. There are some simple steps you can take to make sure that your cabin is one step closer to being worry-free by cutting down on needlessly high energy costs. And almost all of them are easy enough that you can tackle them yourself in a weekend. 

One of the biggest -- and simplest -- steps you can take is to invest in a programmable thermostat. You can set the thermostat so that the heat and air conditioning maintain minimum temperatures during the week, and then automatically  adjust to the temperature you're most comfortable with at, say, 7 p.m. on Friday. You should easily be able to recoup your initial investment on a $100 Energy Star programmable thermostat within the first year. 

The next step is a little more labor intensive, but still easy enough. Feel for drafts around windows and doors and replace any caulking and weatherstripping around them that is cracked or broken. Also, be sure to check all ductwork, and plan on having your heating and cooling systems serviced once a year. 

For those that have true log cabins,  you will also want to check the caulking around the logs, as natural shifting takes place that can open up tiny cracks. This may be a project you choose to contract out. 

A fireplace is an almost universal feature in a second home. If it is a wood-burning one, make sure that you close the flue when the fireplace is not in use, and most certainly before you leave the cabin for the week.  Also, make sure to have it inspected and cleaned at the start of each season. This not only can help save energy, but is also important for safety reasons -- a fire is lovely in the fireplace, and in the fireplace only! 

Next, turn the thermostat on your water heater down to 130, or ideally, 120, which is still hot enough for that nice hot shower. 

Make sure to check the air filters for your heating and cooling system and replace them as needed. 

The last -- and simplest -- step is to unplug stuff. Most appliances still use a considerable amount of energy on stand-by mode -- that's how they got the sinister nickname "vampire devices." By unplugging your TV, DVR, stereo and microwave before you leave the cabin for the week you can save a considerable amount of energy over the course of the year. 

There you have it...A weekend's worth of work, and you've saved a bundle. I know, I know...the point of the cabin is so you don't have to work, but do this little bit and you won't have to work as hard at your 'day job' to pay for your energy bills. It'll be worth it.

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