While various regions of the United States remain at risk from an number of storms in winter and blizzards, one thing has become clear that you’re likely to pay an enormous heating bill this year!
Heating and cooling expenses comprise about 50 of the total cost of your home’s energy costs. That’s a substantial amount of money on its own, however when it is paired with economic or environmental factors and this sum can dramatically increase. The storms that have been raging for months are one of the factors.
However it is possible to save money on heating costs isn’t as difficult as racking them up.
How To Save On Your Heating Bills – 13 Best Ways
Here are tried and true strategies that will aid you in saving on your winter heating costs without compromising your comfort.
1. Let Your Thermostat Do the Thinking
It’s no secret that intelligent thermostats, as well as intelligent AC control systems can save you as much as 25% on expenses. Additionally, these gadgets can make sure that the heating unit will only be running at times you require them the most. It is possible to set up schedules that take away the inconvenience of changing the temperature each and every so often in addition to energy savings.
You could also utilize your phone to control your home’s heating and cooling system even when you’re not there to control heating bills. This is particularly important in the event from pipes freezing, and flooding the home. It’s easy to switch off freeze protection mode to keep from becoming a mess.
2. Adjust the Temperature
As per the US Department of Energy The US Department of Energy suggests that turning the thermostat seven degrees back every day for eight hours could help you save 10 percent on your heating bills.
If you’re not ready to make such a drastic changes to the temperature in one go You can gradually lower the temperature by one degree at a time , and then rest for a couple of days for your body to adjust to the lower temperatures.
3. Hack Your Fireplace
A lot of fireplaces are equipped with dampers can be used to shut them when they are not in use. Sealing the fireplace can reduce the loss of heat and also help save on your heating costs.
If your fireplace damper was with no labels, you can create your own tags to use to remind you of when to open or close them.
4. Use the Most Efficient Appliances
The upgrade of your appliances to most modern models will help reduce the cost of heating.
The latest technology is also energy efficient. For instance, modern boiler and furnace systems can operate on 90 % to 98.5 percent efficiency, while older models are just 60% to 70% efficient.
When you are looking to upgrade You may also be interested in furnaces that are powered by alternative energy sources. For instance electric boilers and furnaces can be extremely expensive to operate while those powered by solar energy are the better choice (more about that later!). You may also want to think about heating pumps when you live in a place with a mild climate.
5. Change Your Furnace Filters Regularly
In the event that furnace heating accounts for the largest portion of your heating bills so it is natural when it is running efficiently, your costs will be at a minimum. Alongside regular tune-ups for your furnace, it is an effort to change your filters every so often. Filters that are dirty cause furnaces more work to do than they do when they are clean. Cleaning or replacing the filter will lower heating costs.
Also Read This – Why Are Folding Beds Essential for Any House?
6. Schedule a Furnace Tune-Up
Heater equipment consumes a large amount of energy to operate and is the biggest energy cost in your home. Thus, a heating unit which is effective will reduce heating expenses by an enormous amount.
Monitoring and regularly maintaining your furnace can ensure that it is in good form and performs at the highest efficiency. Tune-ups usually require cleaning and testing of the heating system and checking for evidence of damage or corrosion. This helps to identify the parts that require replacement.
7. Run Your Ceiling Fans
It could sound like a lot of nonsense it’s true, but ceiling fans are made to function in winter seasons. Thus, the majority of ceiling fans have the counterclockwise and clockwise settings. Counter clockwise is a good setting during the summer months that allows downward airflow to cool homes. In contrast the clockwise setting pulls cool air upwards, and then pushes warmer air to fall which makes homes more relaxing during the winter seasons. To alter the setting, find the switch in the fan to adjust the setting.
8. Seal Gaps
Cracks, gaps or holes within your home could cause the air leaking that can lead to the loss of energy and decrease the comfort of your home.
For instance, leaks around the window could result in similar heat loss when a window is left open. Make sure to weatherstrip your windows, or make use of caulk to fill in gaps between your windows and doors. Also, look for leaks around the openings of pipes.
Insulate your attic walls, walls as well as the basement is yet another option to keep the heat in your home and decrease the cost of heating.
9. Let the Sunshine In
Utilize the sun’s warmth warm your home in the daytime and decrease the time it takes to use the heating system in your house. Be sure to shut the windows to trap heat within your home in the evening.
10. Cool Your Laundry Down
The hot water in your home can push your heating bills up significantly. But the cold setting of your washing machine can be just as efficient in cleaning your clothes if you choose to use high-quality detergent.
Be sure to do laundry with full loads and do not let the dryer run cool in between washing loads which can lead to it burning more energy while it heats.
11. Use Less Hot Water
Heating water is the majority of your heating expenses. Like we said earlier washing your clothes using cold water is a way to reduce the cost. Additionally, you should avoid using hot water in showers because it’s more costly and is harmful to the skin. Instead, choose moderately warm showers. You can also stay comfortable with warming your bath to provide extra luxury.
12. Insulate Your Home
The insulation of in your residence is the best way to keep warmth in the right place. A good insulation system not only keeps your home comfortable in winter months, but also keeps temperatures during summer.
Of course it is true that the nature of the insulation you choose to use and the locations you decide to insulate will have a significant impact on your overall efficiency. But be assured that an insulation-equipped home is more efficient than one that’s not.
13. Go Green With Heating
The option of using solar power is an excellent option for those who are always concerned about the high cost of heating. But, this method has a steep initial cost because you’ll have to buy an array of solar panels, a solar battery, and to set up central electric heating if you do not already have a system installed. In addition with solar power could qualify you to benefit from the tax credit of 26% that some government areas provide to encourage usage of renewable energy sources.
In Conclusion
It is not right to claim that you could reduce your heating bills to zero unless you choose for solar heating, which is a significant initial cost. However, there are other methods such as putting in insulation that is appropriate and using efficient heating equipment as well as maintaining your furnace and running ceiling fans which could significantly reduce your winter heating expenses.