Are you looking for ways to save money on your heating bill? Small changes can add up! By following a few simple tips, you can reduce the amount of energy used to heat your home and benefit from reduced costs. Let’s look at nine easy strategies you can use to lower your utility bills this winter.
- Seal air leaks in windows and doors
One of the primary ways to reduce your heating bill is to seal air leaks in windows and doors. Diagonal caulking on interior window frames can help avoid drafts. Use weather stripping around door and window openings as a defensive measure against cold winds that enter your home from the outside. Not sure how to find leaks? Try holding a lit candle near windows and doors to detect air movement. If you notice the flame moving, that’s a likely sign there is a leak.
- Install a programmable thermostat
A programmable thermostat makes it easy to keep your home’s temperature adjusted the way you need it. Set it to lower the temperature automatically during hours when nobody is home, or while everyone is sleeping. By not paying to heat your home when you don’t need it, you can see significant energy savings during peak heating season.
- Check and change your air filter
When your air filter is dirty, it makes the blower in your heater work harder. This leads to greater energy costs and worse indoor air quality for you and your family. Make sure to check your filter regularly and change it when necessary – typically once every three months- to keep up with a healthy balance of cost savings and cleanliness.
- Turn on your ceiling fan
Setting your ceiling fan to spin in a clockwise motion while working at the lowest setting possible can help to drive warm air downwards and create heat circulation throughout your rooms. This simple yet useful trick can help avoid stratified temperatures – when hot air rises up towards the ceiling and creates pockets of hotter and colder zones within each room.
- Check attic insulation
Inspect the insulation in your attic, walls, and ceiling to make sure there are no air leaks. If you find any, install closed-cell spray foam insulation to help keep the warm air inside your home, and the cold air out.
- Let in the sunlight
Take advantage of natural daylight to warm up your home! Make sure that window treatments are open when the sun is shining during the cold winter days – this will allow free energy from the sun to help maintain a balanced temperature inside. Just make sure to close any drapes again at night to help insulate your windows once the sun has gone down.
- Use space heaters for specific rooms
Here’s another option if you’re not using your whole home every day: Keep your home’s thermostat turned down and opt for space heaters in the rooms you are using. These have proven to be convenient, cost-efficient alternatives that save you from having to heat your entire home while still keeping certain spaces at a comfortable temperature.
- Use a humidifier
Moist air feels warmer than dry air. By using a humidifier to add moisture back into your environment, you can make your home feel several degrees warmer without having to raise the temperature on your thermostat.
These tips are just a few ways you can lower your heating bill. By making small changes, such as sealing air leaks in windows and doors, using a programmable thermostat, turning on your ceiling fan, or setting up space heaters for specific rooms, you can save money and make sure that both you and your family will stay comfortable throughout the winter season. Your home should be warm and comfy no matter the weather outside. Let the experts at Pinnacle Heating and Cooling help you keep it that way!