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Top 7 Easiest Energy Saving Tips
When the outside temperature drops extensively your heating system works nearly twice as hard to keep you comfortable. This means you see a huge spike on your energy bills. Sounds like an unavoidable expense right? Wrong. While your bill might rise up a little, it doesn’t have to skyrocket. There are things you can do to keep your bill from breaking the bank. Below you’ll find seven winter energy saving tips that can help you keep your bill normal, even when they weather significantly dips.
Lower the Thermostat at Night
The U.S. Department of Energy tells us that you can save around 10% per year on heating bills by turning your thermostat down somewhere between 10-15 degrees for eight hours. That might sound drastic, but during the night, when you’re bundled up with blankets that trap in your body heat, you don’t need the thermostat cranked up to its normal temperature. If you can’t lower it that drastically, that’s fine. Just do what is comfortable. If you have a programmable thermostat, simply program the heat to rise back to a comfortable level when you get up. That way you can enjoy the cozy warmth of blankets at night, and you won’t even notice the drop in temperature when you get up in the morning.
Use the Sun to Your Advantage
During those days when it’s cold outside but the sun is still shining, take advantage of the free heat. Open your curtains wide and bask in the warmth it provides. While it’s likely not enough to keep your room warm on its own, it can certainly help take some of the strain off of your heating system.
Add Moisture to the Air with a Humidifier
Have you noticed that your hair and skin is drier during the winter months? That’s because during the winter the air can become very dry. Moist air feels warmer, which is why you always feel so hot during days with high humidity. During the summer that can make you very uncomfortable, but during the winter it’s a blessing. The easiest way to increase the moisture inside your home is to use a humidifier. This will increase the comfort level in your home, allow you to lower your thermostat, and help your skin and hair to normalize a bit.
Add Insulation
So much money is wasted every year by homeowners who heat their home only to have it escape because their home isn’t properly insulated. Insulating the areas that heat can easily escape from is a key part of saving you money on your energy bill. It does no good to fill your home with warmth if it’s just going to get out. You’re throwing money away and overworking your furnace in the process.
Seal Air Leaks
Again, it does no good to add warmth to your house if it’s not going to stay inside. Check your windows and doors for cracks that need to be filled in. They’re huge money wasters, sucking your hot air out while letting the cold air into your house. Repairing any cracks or gaps in your doors and windows could save you big when it comes to your next energy bill.
Dress Warmer
The cozier your hoodie or pajamas are, the less heat you’ll need blowing through the vents in your house. Keep a few throw blankets on the couch, wear fuzzy socks or slippers, and break out the flannel pajamas. You can set your thermostat down a little lower when you create a cocoon of warmth around your body
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Don’t Waste Heat
If there are rooms in your house you don’t spend much time in, don’t waste energy heating them. Close and seal off vents to spare rooms and storage spaces and focus on keeping the rooms you frequent heated instead.