During the colder months, heating costs account for a major chunk of your energy bill; if you are like the average person, you are probably spending more than necessary to keep your house warm. Using energy more efficiently is not only good for your wallet but the planet too. Here are some tips to slash your heating bills without sacrificing that toasty warmth.
Invest in a Programmable Thermostat
Your heating needs will vary throughout the course of the day and a programmable thermostat will allow you to automatically set the temperature for different times, such as while you are out of the house or during the night while you are asleep. They are inexpensive—usually between 30 and 100 dollars. This set-it-and-forget-it strategy can trim 10 percent off your heating bill.
Seal it Up
One of the simplest, yet most effective ways to cut heating bills is to seal up any leaks that let the cold air in and the hot air out. You can use caulk or weather stripping to plug these openings and prevent significant heat loss. You can purchase removable forms of these products if you want to take them off during the summer.
Check Insulation in Your Attic
Proper insulation in the attic can reduce your heating needs by 30 percent. This is no small reduction and this strategy is inexpensive—it should set you back only a few hundred dollars. You should have at least a foot of insulation in the rafters to properly protect against heat loss.
While drafts are usually associated with energy waste, the attic is the one place where they are welcome. Without proper ventilation in the attic, insulation becomes damp from condensation and even slight dampness can reduce insulating ability by 30 percent.
Proper Heating System Maintenance
A poorly maintained heating system is an inefficient heating system. Annual servicing will ensure that everything necessary to run at peak efficiency, such as cleaning combustion deposits, has been tended to. Air filters should be replaced monthly; dirty filters restrict air flow, which means your system has to work harder to heat the house—the longer it takes to heat, the more energy you are unnecessarily using.
Check ducts for leaks; do not use duct tape to seal them however. You need to purchase UL 181 tape, which resembles silver foil. If you have an older furnace, it might be time to consider investing in a newer, more energy-efficient model. The initial expense may be large but the resulting savings in your heating bill will help you recoup this cost.
Make Good Use of Ceiling Fans
We usually associate the use of ceiling fans with getting a nice breeze in the warmer months, but they can also be used as a tool to lower your heating bills in the winter by taking advantage of the fact that heat rises. In the summer, the blades run counterclockwise, which helps cool things down.
In the winter, changing the blade rotation to clockwise helps push warm air down near the ceiling into your living space.
Drapes
Opening drapes on the south-facing windows during the day can let in loads of warming sunshine that can continue to warm the house long after the sun goes down. Black-out curtains are another option to consider for keeping heat in and cold air out.
These curtains are relatively inexpensive but if your budget is a major concern and you are handy with a sewing machine, you can purchase the black-out material on your own and sew them into existing curtains yourself.