Wednesday marked the first official day of Winter, which is leading many people (myself included) to think about how they can keep their homes warm while also saving a few bucks in the process. The average heating tab for homes in places that need heating is $2,200, which isn’t a small sum to most people.
It can be difficult to keep a home harm, especially if it’s older and is lacking in good insulation. By utilizing the below tips, you’ll save money (while also making sure you’re warm and comfortable all winter long).
Install a Programmable Thermostat
Instead of having to manually fiddle with your thermostat every time you leave the house or every time you come back home, you might want to consider installing a programmable thermostat. This will keep your energy bill low while also maximizing efficiency. Keep your thermostat at around 68 degrees most of the time, while lowering it to 60 degrees between 9am and 5:30pm to maintain temperature without boosting cost- just be sure to adjust based on what’s comfortable for you.
Let Sunlight in During the Day
Once the sun is up, don’t let its precious energy go to waste! The heat given off by the sun is free, so even on cold days, open up your curtains and let the sun shine in. If there are sections of your house that have windows where there’s no sunshine, however, don’t feel the need to open the curtains.
Keep Curtains Closed at Night
Once the sun goes down, closing the drapes in your home will keep heat from leaving through the windows. If you live in a particularly cold geographical area, consider getting insulated curtains for winter use, which will prevent some of the warmth in your home from escaping. Putting up temporary curtains (or even sheets or rugs) over doors to the outside while you’re sleeping will help as well.
Check Your Fireplace
While a burning fire can be very romantic on a chilly evening, lighting a fire is terribly inefficient for the rest of your home. For all of the heat being exhausted up through the fireplace, cold air is being pulled into the house elsewhere. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t light fires in your fireplace, however, but be sure to buy/use a glass front for your fireplace to prevent some of the heated air in your home from escaping up the chimney. Be sure to also keep the flue closed when the fireplace isn’t in use.
Look at Your Ceiling Fans
If you have ceiling fans in your home, they might be sitting dormant during the winter months. Many modern fans have a winter setting, which reverses the fan so that heat is being pushed back down into your rooms (versus being trapped up at the ceilings). If you have high or sloped ceilings, it’s especially important that you reverse the direction of your ceiling fan in the wintertime and try it out on a low speed.
Source: The Art of Manliness