Every time our heating bill arrives, I tell myself that this month we’ll do better. We’ll cut down on our energy costs. Of course, with spring coming, that’s quite easy. But when winter returns again, I still want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to reduce our heating costs. Here’s what I’ve learned about saving money on heating bills.
1. Keep the Vents Open
It can be tempting to close a vent to an unused room that doesn’t need to be heated. My girls seem to like cold bedrooms, as they often close their own vents. However, this can actually make your heating system work harder. Letting air flow freely through your home helps keep the temperature steady, which helps your heating system run more efficiently.
2. Avoid Thermostat Wars
My husband is a stocky man who likes wearing wool socks and long-sleeve shirts. I’m a slender woman who prefers bare feet and T-shirts. It’s pretty much a given that we don’t feel comfortable at the same temperature, whether we’re in the car or in the house. However, each us of adjusting the thermostat can cause our heating bill to go up, along with our tempers.
It’s much easier to talk about the thermostat first. A simple question like, “Does the house feel warm to you?” can help us both determine whether the thermostat needs to be adjusted or something else needs to be fixed.
3. Take Care of Your Heating System
Like cars and computers, your heating system runs better with regular TLC. A dirty filter or clogged ducts can make your furnace run harder in its attempts to heat your home. Changing filters and having your furnace serviced regularly help you avoid expensive repair bills and cut down on utility costs.
4. Reduce Drafts
Check for drafts around doors and windows, and seal if necessary. In our previous home, most of the weather-stripping around the front door was missing. The door also had a mail slot, which often let cold air into the house. I thought about stopping the mail slot with newspaper and tape and asking our landlord to fix the weather-stripping. Doing that could have lowered our heating costs. Get your kids to help you find the drafts to start a conversation about how you can keep your home warm while saving money.
5. Put on a Sweater
Putting on an extra layer of clothing is cheaper than paying for your furnace to run more often. My mom wears a hoodie and socks around her house, and she keeps the temperature several degrees lower than I do. When we visited, I had to adjust and pull out my own sweaters. However, I’m sure I could also adjust to her lower energy bill. Lowering your thermostat even a couple degrees can make a difference on your bill, but see tip two above before touching the thermostat.
With energy prices constantly rising, it’s good to be aware of little things that will help in saving money on heating bills. I hope these ideas make a difference in your home. If you have more ideas, let me know!
I received compensation for this post; all opinions expressed are my own.
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