Purdue college experts demonstrate us one great method to lower 50% of winter home heating costs.

Researchers at Purdue University are working on a new research project that promises the opportunity to reduce heating bill in half for folks who reside in very cold climates. The analysis, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, builds on previous work that began about five-years ago at Purdue's Ray W. Herrick Laboratories.

Heat pumps provide heating in winter and cooling in summer but aren't efficient in extreme cold climates. The study involves changes to the way heat pumps operate to ensure they are more effective in extreme cold temperatures.

The new technology works by modifying the standard vapor-compression cycle behind standard air conditioning and refrigeration.

The standard vapor-compression cycle has four stages:

° Refrigerant is compressed as a vapor

° Condenses into a liquid

° Expands to a mixture of liquid and vapor

° Then evaporates

The project will investigate two cooling approaches during the compression process.

In one approach, relatively large amounts of oil are injected into the compressor to absorb heat generated through the compression stage.

In the second approach, a mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant from the expansion stage is injected at various points during compression to supply cooling.

The new heat pumps can be half as expensive to operate as heating technologies now utilised in cold regions where natural gas is unavailable and residents depend on electric heaters and liquid propane.

In the meanwhile here some ways to improve you home air quality and save energy:

- Be certain your thermostat is located in a spot that's not too cold or hot.

- Install an automatic timer to keep the thermostat at 68 degrees during the day and 55 degrees during the night.

- Use storm or thermal windows in colder areas. The layer of air between the windows acts as insulation and helps maintain the heat inside the spot where you are interested.

- If you haven't already, insulate your attic and all outside walls.

- Insulate floors over unheated spaces like your basement, any crawl spaces and your garage.

- Close off the attic, garage, basement, spare bedrooms and storage areas. Heat just those rooms that you use.

- Seal gaps around any pipes, wires, vents or other openings that could transfer your heat to areas that aren't heated.

- Dust is an excellent insulator and tends to build up on radiators and baseboard heat vents.

Most people don't know that common indoor air quality practices help reduce home air heating costs too:

- Rain and high humidity can bring moisture indoors; creating dampness, mold spores -- big problems for healthy indoor air. Check your roof, foundation and basement or crawlspace annually to catch leaks or moisture problems and route water away from your home's foundation.

- Keep asthma triggers away from your home by fixing leaks and drips as soon as they start. Standing water and moist encourage the growth of dust mites, fungus -- some of the most common triggers that can worsen asthma. Utilize a dehumidifier or air conditioner when needed, and clean both regularly.

- High amounts of moisture at home increase dampness and the growth of mold, which not only damage your house but also threaten health. Install and run exhaust fans in bathrooms to remove unhealthy moisture and odors out of your home.

- Ventilate your kitchen stove directly outside or open a kitchen window when you cook. Keeping exhaust -- including cooking odors and particles -- outside of your home prevents dangerous fumes and particles from harming you or your family.

About the Author - Rosalind Dall writes for the http://www.ductlessairconditioners.org blog, her personal hobby blog related to guidelines to help people consume less energy and purify indoor air.