Winter means the cold season is here, and the number one goal for anyone during the winter is to keep warm.
Keeping your home warm throughout the season often leads to an increase in heating bills. This is especially true if you have an inefficient heating system that consumes large amounts of energy.
Now, the big question is, how can you keep warm and, at the same time, save money on heating bills? Lucky for you, we’ve got some great secrets below. Check out these 14 tips to see how to save on your heating bill this season.
Top Ways to Reduce your Heating Costs this Winter
- Keep warm with heavy clothes and blankets
Feeling cold? Try to keep yourself warm with heavier clothes before heating the house. You can also stay warm at night by using heavier blankets. This allows you to lower the thermostat settings a bit since your body will already be fairly warm. Ultimately, it reduces your electric bill.
- Switch your ceiling fans on
While this sounds unlikely to help you save on your energy bills, it can. Most ceiling fans run clockwise when cooling your house. However, if yours can run anticlockwise, it can help to keep your home warm.
But how?
Warmer air is lighter than cold air and tends to rise up to the ceiling. When the heater is on, running the fans anticlockwise will draw the colder air from the room upwards and push the warmer air down.
- Keep unused rooms closed
Are there any unused rooms in your house? For example, storerooms, guestrooms, or even your child’s old room that isn’t currently in use, don’t need to be heated. Shutting the doors and closing off vents is a great way to lower heat bills during winter. Only heat the rooms that are in use.
- Adjust your thermostat by a few degrees
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save 10% on your energy bill just by turning your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day. Work on turning down your thermostat, especially at night and when you are out of the house for the day.
This can significantly reduce heating costs for your house. This said, don’t freeze trying to lower your energy bill!
- Allow the sunlight in during the day
Another easy tip on how to save on heating bills is to take advantage of free solar energy. Sunlight is a free source of heat energy so make use of it during the day.
How do you do that?
Open the curtains in the morning to allow the sun to warm your house. The energy can warm your house during the day and reduce the amount of heat needed to keep the house comfortable from your furnace. Natural sunlight can also help lower your lighting bills as well.
- Disconnect Unused Electronics
Want to learn how to lower your electric bill in winter? Simple steps like unplugging unused electronics from the sockets can go a long way. Most electronics still draw energy even when they are switched off.
These appliances include microwaves, television, desktop computers, and printers. Save money on your electricity bills by disconnecting them when they are not in use.
- Keep the curtains closed at night
Avoid cold chills entering your house by closing your curtains and blinds at night. It will also help you reduce energy loss from the house through the windows. You can also lower heating bills by investing in insulated curtains. This will increase overall energy efficiency in your house.
- Reduce the temperature of your water heater
Did you know that your water heater heats water and keeps it at the same temperature 24/7? It will heat and reheat the water whether you use the water or not.
You can reduce your heating costs by lowering the water heater by a few degrees. This can save you a lot of money on your electric bills.
- Invest in insulating pipes
Pipes delivering hot water to appliances and showers may be leaking a lot of heat energy without you knowing. This is especially true if the travel distances are long.
Insulated pipes can keep the water warmer by two to four degrees Fahrenheit compared to uninsulated pipes. This will save your heating costs by 4 to 22%. If you’re looking for an effective option for how to save on your heating bill, the insulation of these pipes works perfectly.
- Plan for a yearly heating system checkup
Add your housing heating system checkup to your list of personal medical and other checkups. This helps you to know if your system is running efficiently and effectively. It also reduces emergency breakdowns and costs.
A good furnace system uses little energy to keep the house warm. These checkups lower your heat bills by ensuring the furnace is in good shape and that the system is running efficiently.
- Place rugs on your floor
Cover your floor with rugs to keep it warm. They act as insulators by preventing heat loss and maintaining the warmth in a room. Rugs also aid in keeping your feet warm by avoiding direct contact between your feet and the cold hard floor.
- Turn off your fireplace when not in use
Although the fireplace is a source of energy to keep a house warm, it can be a source of cold air when not in use. Always remember to shut it off when not in use. If you don’t use your fireplace, you may want to seal off the chimney flue.
- Wash your laundry in bulk
Washing and drying your laundry in small amounts takes a lot of power compared to large amounts. You use a lot of water and power to run multiple cycles. To lower your electric bill in the winter, contemplate running your washer and dryer fewer times with laundry batches.
- Install temporary insulators on windows and doors
Some energy is lost through the windows and doors even though they are well covered with curtains. Save that energy by insulating your windows temporarily with clear plastic films. This will help prevent cold drafts from entering your house or warm air from escaping outdoors.
Takeaway
Winter always comes around. While you want to keep warm, there are smart ways to save on heating bills during winter and even during the warmer seasons. Contact a qualified technician to plan an evaluation of your heating system so you can know how to save your money on heating bills this season.