As soon as the colder weather returns, the heat is on. The moment that the days get shorter and the hot, sunny days of summer become a distant memory, many homeowners may find that their home heating costs start racking up bill after bill. So how can you keep your family comfortable during the fall and winter months without spending a fortune on your heating?
Here are five expert tips for cutting heating costs in your home, without sacrificing the warm and cozy atmosphere you need to combat the colder months.
As tempting as it may be to turn the heat up, keeping the thermostat at a regular “room temperature” is one of the best ways to keep heating costs at a minimum. In some cases, maintaining a steady temperature in your home can cut costs exponentially: make sure that you have blankets and warm clothes ready, especially at nighttime.
This is a problem that’s typical for older homes, but it can happen in any home if you’re not careful. Drafty windows and sealing leaks throughout the home can be the most problematic sources of energy consumption, and can ultimately end up costing more than you may have bargained for.
This is a problem that’s typical for older homes, but it can happen in any home if you’re not careful. Drafty windows and sealing leaks throughout the home can be the most problematic sources of energy consumption, and can ultimately end up costing more than you may have bargained for.
Heating your home tends to be cheaper outside of peak hours, usually before 7 AM and after 10 PM. If you’re finding that the urge to crank up your heat is too hard to resist, you may want to wait until you’re outside of peak hours to do so. Heating your home tends to be cheaper outside of peak hours, usually before 7 AM and after 10 PM. If you’re finding that the urge to crank up your heat is too hard to resist, you may want to wait until you’re outside of peak hours to do so.
A typical home water heater will be set at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if you dial the temperature on your water heater back to 120 degrees, you may find that you can cut costs by as much as 10%, saving energy and ensuring that your water is still hot enough for a luxurious bath at the end of a long day.
Sometimes, things can slip between the cracks. This is especially true when it comes to maintaining your home’s heating system, as there are so many other tasks that you may want to tackle during the warmer months. However, ensuring that your furnace filter and ducts are clean and that the furnace itself receives any necessary adjustments is essential to preventing mounting heating costs in the winter.
We all want to turn up the heat in the fall and winter, but saving energy is an important aspect of keeping your overall home costs at a minimum. With a little attention to detail, a warm blanket, and a mug of hot chocolate in your hands, you’ll find that turning down the heat is both easier and more efficient than you may have originally thought.
