Everyone who has to pay the bills knows that winter time brings higher costs. In an effort to help everyone save a little bit of money, here are 10 ways you can save money with your heating costs this winter:
- Turn down the thermostat and wear warmer clothes
- Use sunlight
- Check for air leaks
- Cover up windows
- Clean all the vents and filters
- Start cooking more
- Run ceiling fans in clockwise direction
- Don’t block heating sources
- Shut doors in unused rooms
- Negotiate for better energy rates
Let’s go in depth about them.
1.) Turn down the thermostat and wear warmer clothes
Many websites state that whether you’re at home or about to leave, it’s a good idea to turn down the heat. When you’re at home you can layer up in long sleeves and sweatpants. When you’re about to leave, make sure to turn down the heat.
2.) Use sunlight
If you have a lot of windows or slider doors, you can strategically open and close the blinds. Open them when there is sunlight to let a little bit of that heat in, and close them when the sun goes down to keep the heat in. Ramsey Solutions also mentions that if the room is warm enough naturally then the heat won’t need to turn on.
3.) Check for air leaks
Sometimes air will leak from windows and doors in your house. Ramsey Solutions suggests one way you can check for these air leaks is by lighting a candle and putting it by the windows. If you see the flame flicker often or move a lot when near a certain area, then heat may be escaping from there. You can put a rolled up blanket across the spot or buy draft stoppers on Amazon too.
4.) Cover up windows
On the topic of windows, buying some black out curtains can help keep some heat in. Black out curtains are thought of for keeping heat out during the summer, but they can also keep the heat in and the cold out.
5.) Clean all vents and filters
If your house has a furnace or any fan really, then you should be sure to get the filters to those cleaned. Sometimes the debris that builds up over the year can inhibit how effective the fan works. The Spruce and Ramsey Solutions recommend regular filter changes to help save you money on heating.
6.) Start cooking more
If you need to make dinner or want to bake a sweet treat, use the residual heat from the oven to help heat the home. The Spruce suggests trying not to turn on any fans too as they will suck the heat out of the air. When you’re done cooking, you can also leave the oven door cracked open to let some heat out.
7.) Run ceiling fans in clockwise direction
Almost all ceiling fans have a switch on them that will change the direction of the motor. When they run clockwise at a low speed, this will help push down any heat that might be floating at the top of the room, said The Spruce.
8.) Don’t block heating sources
If you have a couch or table, or you like to sit in front of the heater, try not to do that. When an object sits in front of your heating source the heat won’t reach the entire room, and it will turn off sooner. So make sure to keep the space in front of those heaters clear.
9.) Shut doors in unused rooms
Ramsey Solutions says when you close the doors to the rooms you aren’t in, it creates a space that isn’t as big for the heaters to warm up. Another idea you can use is having space heaters. Space heaters will use electricity because they need to be plugged in, and they will give you the heat you want in the room you are in.
10.) Negotiate for better energy rates
It’s not widely known that you can call your local PUD department and ask if there are any ways to lower the cost of your bills. Oftentimes there is some kind of low income, or plan, that they can offer. Sometimes there’s even specific winter plans they offer to help combat the higher costs that come with the winter season.
Overall, it takes all the little things to add up in order to help save money, but even just following one of these tips can help!
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