10 Ways To Lower Your Heating Bill This Winter
We all want to be warm in the winter, but we don't like paying those high utility bills. Home heating is typically one of the most significant utility expenses you face as a homeowner, with heat usually making up more than 40% of a utility bill.
The good news is there are things you can do to reduce the amount of heating fuel your household uses, improve the efficiency of your heating system and save money on heat. Here are 10 ways to help reduce that heating bill, and remain cozy in your home.
1) Let The Sun In
Sunlight is a free way to warm up a room, so open drapes and blinds to let it do its thing. Once the sun goes down, make sure to close the drapes to help retain the heat collected during the day.
2) Turn Down Your Water Heater
Turning down your water heater’s temperature to 120°F (down from the typical 140) can save you up to 11 percent in water heating costs.
3) Close Off Vents In Unused Rooms
If you have rooms in your home that you hardly ever use, then close any heat vents in those rooms. This will prevent the warm air from your furnace to travel to these ducts.
4) Replace Your Furnace Filters
Changing furnace filters isn’t just about clean air: Clogged material can force your unit to work harder, raising energy costs.
5) Maintain Your Doors And Windows
Peeling weather-stripping and ill-fitting doors and windows can let in drafts, allowing your home’s heat to drift outdoors. Replace weather-stripping as needed and adjust thresholds so no cold air is getting in through gaps. You can also use plastic window kits to help insulate from leaks.
6) Turn Down Your Thermostat
You’d be surprised at how comfortable you can be with your furnace set at 68 degrees as opposed 70 or 71. Try sleeping with the temperature set around 63 degrees, and don't forget to turn it down when you go to work.
7) Turn On Your Ceiling Fan
In the winter ceiling fans running clockwise will push the warm air that’s collected near the ceiling back into the room. This is a great way to keep rooms feeling warmer.
8) Cook or Bake At Home
Cooking meals at home will not only help you save on restaurant bills, it will also help you lower your heating bill. The heat from the stove or oven will help warm up your kitchen. When you are finished baking, switch off the oven and leave the door open slightly, so that the warm air can escape and heat your kitchen.
9) Turn Your Bathroom Fan Off
After taking a hot shower, don’t be so quick to reach for the exhaust fan switch. The humid air from the steam will likely migrate to neighboring areas, warming the air in the process.
10. Rearrange Your Furniture
Moving furniture around can help improve the airflow in a room, meaning the heat from the vents is distributed better. If you have couches, beds or bookcases placed in front of the heating vents in a room, the furniture pieces are blocking the flow of air. Move furniture away from vents so that the heat can travel freely. It is a good idea to keep furniture at least a few feet away from any vents.