Conserving heat in your home during the winter will help you save money on your utility bills. If you’re ready to conserve heat in your home, so you can cut down on your heating costs, there are some things you can do.
Most people will admit that their electric or gas bill is one of their three biggest bills during the winter. These heat conserving tips and tricks will help you save money throughout the cold winter months – even if you live in an area that experiences extreme temperature shifts. None of these things are difficult to do either.
Get Free Heat From the Sun
Allow the sun to control your home’s temperature. Simply open the curtains when the sun is shining through them and close them once the sun starts setting. This is one of the easiest ways you can conserve heat.
Use Your Ceiling Fan
When your home has good ventilation and airflow, it’s better equipped to conserve heat. Strategically use your ceiling fans by flipping their switch, so they rotate clockwise throughout the winter months and leave it on. This will force warm air down into your home, which will cut down on your heating costs.
Get a Programmable Thermostat
Set your thermostat, so that it reduces the temperature in your home by 10 – 15 degrees while you’re at work or asleep. Doing so will cut down on your heating costs by about 10%. If you’re cold at night, get a set of flannel sheets or a warm comforter on your bed.
Only Heat the Rooms You Use
Close and seal off the vents to large rooms you don’t use (e.g. guest rooms, large storage areas). This is more energy-efficient, because it forces warm air into those rooms you’re actually using.
Use a Space Heater
A typical utility bill during the wintertime is about $183 per month. When you turn your thermostat off and use a space heater you’ll drastically reduce your heating costs, saving about $200 per year.
Maintain Your Furnace
By keeping your furnace and vents clean and unblocked you conserve heat. This is why monthly furnace maintenance is so important.
Use a Humidifier
Humidifiers add moisture to the air so it’s not so dry. Moist air feels warmer since it conserves heat better. When running one in your home you can conserve heat by lowering your thermostat.
Invest in Insulation
Each year people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in heating their home, because air escapes from homes that aren’t properly insulated. Inexpensive insulation is available from local hardware stores. Use it to cover any area through which heat might escape. While you’re at it, add some foam weather-stripping around your doors and windows. These are great ways to easily cut down on your heating costs.
Only use Exhaust Fans When Necessary
Located in both your kitchen and your bathroom, these pull hot air out of your home. During the wintertime when you want to conserve heat in your home you should use them sparingly.
Adjust Door Thresholds
Look at the bottom of your home’s front door, what do you see? If there’s light coming in, there’s air going out. You need to adjust the door’s threshold so you no longer have a gap here. You don’t want the door to drag either, because while you will conserve heat you’ll wear your door out quickly.
Eliminate Drafts Around Electrical Boxes
The electrical boxes in your home’s exterior walls are notoriously drafty. This means outdoor air can quickly get into your home. If you want to cut down on your heating costs you’ll need to add insulation to them. Pipes, gas lines, and electrical cables that also enter your home in a similar way are other areas of concern here.
Cover Windows and Patio Doors with Plastic Film
About 25% of the heat lost by your home goes out through your windows and patio doors. Covering them with clear plastic will cut down on this heat loss and save you about 14% on your heating bills.
Keep Warm Air from Escaping Through Your Chimney
While fireplaces are nice, when you’re not using them, cold air is escaping from your home through them – even if you close the flue. An inflatable chimney balloon can cut down on your heating costs by about $100 per year.
Insulate the Attic Access Door
Even if your attic is well-insulated, your access door probably isn’t properly insulated (especially if it doesn’t lie flat) which means warm air can escape through it. You should use adhesive to attach fiberglass batt insulation to it and a latch bolt system to close it tight.
Seal Air Leaks in Ductwork
Look at the ductwork in your basement and attic to see if there are any places where they pulled apart at the seams or corners. Your home loses about 20% – 30% heat through leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts. Seal these leaks with metal tape to conserve heat in your home.
Lock Your Door and Windows
A really simple way to cut down on your heating costs is by simply locking your doors and windows. This is because they push together tightly against the weather-stripping, stopping the air outside from infiltrating your home. This in turn helps you stay warmer.
These are some simple ways in which you can easily conserve heat in your home. By taking the time and investing a little money in these steps you can drastically reduce your heating costs. There’s no reason you shouldn’t start conserving heat in your home this winter.
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