I am fairly certain that no one likes to pay a high electric bill. And with the epic cold temperatures we have had recently, I am sure that there are going to be some sad faces when the bills roll in next month. *Sniff* But all is not lost. National Cut Your Energy Costs Day was this month {January 10th}, so, I have put together this list of ways to help you save money on heating this winter.
Tips To Save Money On Heating This Winter
Turn down the thermostat – One fast way to save money on heating is to turn down the thermostat in the winter to the lowest comfortable setting. You can even save more cash if you bump the thermostat down a few more degrees when you leave home. Just remember to turn it back up when you come home or invest in a programmable thermostat.
Put extra covers on the bed – This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you put extra covers on the bed, you won’t need the thermostat on as high at night.
Turn on your ceiling fan – Running your ceiling fan in the summer cools you off, but running it in the opposite direction can help warm the room up, by pushing warm air down into the room.
Open your curtains – Letting in sunlight can help warm your home naturally. Plus, it might help you get some extra Vitamin D, which can help alleviate the winter blues.
Change air filters regularly – If your heating system isn’t working properly, it has to work harder – which can add to your monthly cost of running it. One easy way to ensure it runs properly is to change the air filters per manufacturers directions.
Heat only the rooms you need to – I have lived in old houses and they can be drafty. Sometimes, it’s best to close off one room or section of the house to the rest to save money on heating. Then you can concentrate your heat in the area that you will be spending the most time in. You can put blankets up over doorways to help stop the heat from escaping. Also, if you live in an older home, you can put blankets over doorways in the rest of the home as well as roll them up at the bottom of the doors to help prevent heat escape.
Pay attention to fireplaces – If you are not using your fireplace as a means of heat, make sure that it is closed off well. Also, if you are using it, make sure that you have it cleaned and checked out by a professional to make sure that it is safe to use. You can also invest in an electric fireplace to save money on heating costs. Many of these are very energy efficient and can help take the load off of your other forms of heat. I recommend one of the many electric fireplaces offered by Classic Flame, many of which can easily heat up to 1,000 square feet.
Check the seal on doors and windows – Feel around your doors and windows to see if air is coming in. It’s hard to save money on heating if all of your money is going out the door. Perhaps you need to put plastic over windows or you might need to buy items at the hardware store to help stop drafts. You can also get a professional to come in and assess this for you.
Snuggle up – Don’t sleep alone. If you have a significant other, great. Snuggling is definitely a way to help keep warm. No significant other? You can always snuggle pets – if they will let you, haha. And you can also snuggle pillows and stuffed animals. Yes, this sounds silly, but it really works.
Eat at home – Hang out in the kitchen while you cook. It generally gets nice and warm, and since you have to eat, it really doesn’t add any unnecessary charge to your energy bill.
Invest in a space heater – I think this is a great idea to save money on heating costs at night. You can turn your thermostat down further and still sleep in a warm room thanks to a space heater that uses less energy. I recommend the Duraflame Fire Cube, which can heat up to a 400 square foot area. If you use a space heater, be sure to always read the manufacturers directions and keep it a safe distance from other items in the room. You want to be toasty while you sleep, but you also want to be safe.
Learn how to prepare in case of a power outage.
View Comments (78)
We use almost all of these tips to stay warm without spending a fortune on our heating bill!
Is this your house? i LOVe the porch!!
also be sure your roof is not due for repair or replacement- a lot of heat can escape that way and waste money.
No, sadly I have no porch. I do have a deck, though. :)
And you are right about the roof. Heat rises, so you want to make sure you have a nice, sealed roof, to keep that heat in. Staying on the highest levels of the home during the winter might help, too - especially if it's well insulated.
Don't laugh too loud, but I never thought about the benefits of running your ceiling fans in the opposite direction to push the heat down into the room. I'm not very scientifically minded, obviously. lol Thanks for the tips...headed to turn my ceiling fans on right now! :)
Our heating bills are brutal. Any tips are appreciated!
we just switched the fans blades to push heat down!
Yay! I hope that helps you save some money!
Great tips to remember at this time of year to keep those bills as low as possible!
Those are some good tips. My husband started out in heating and air so we pretty much have the bases covered.We do a pretty good job. It gets expensive when we need to fill the boiler tank. Our emergency heat. Luckily that's only every few years.
Great tips! Living in Alaska, we do a lot of these already.
It's not that pretty, but we hang blankets on curtain rods over our doors. Some day I'll get lined drapes to replace the blankets! It's made a major difference in keeping the heat in.
Oh I have been there and done that - especially when I lived in older houses. You have to do what you have to do to stay warm. :)
GREAT tips! Never thought about turning the ceiling fans on, but you are right - we have a switch to have the fans go in the opposite direction and we have skylights which are great when the sun is shining.