It may be tempting to keep your home nice and tropical during the frigid winter months…but goodness knows that can wreak havoc on your pocketbook. Here are a few things you can do to reduce your energy bills this season:
- You have windows…use them! Take advantage of the sunlight as often as you can. The sun provides a natural form of heat during the day, so you can drop the temperature down a few degrees without freezing. Then pull the blinds down at night to trap that warmth in and stay nice and toasty while you sleep.
- One of the easiest ways to save yourself money this winter is by lowering the temperature in your home. Before you go to bed, drop the thermostat down about 5-8°. If you have a programmable thermostat, even better—set the heat to kick back on around the time you wake up. The lower you can stand the temperature, the less your heating system has to work, which saves you money and energy while you sleep. Just make sure to curl up in warm pjs and add a few extra blankets to your bed.
- Don’t heat unused rooms. If you have guest rooms or other spaces not being lived in, there’s no need to spend your money heating them. Seal and close a couple of vents in those rooms and shut the door behind you.
- Replace your furnace filter. Over time, filters become dirty and clogged. This makes your HVAC system work harder to circulate air through your home, causing you to use more energy…and spend more money. Thankfully this is an easy fix. Simply replace your filter on a regular basis.
- Invest in insulation. A poorly insulated house is a drafty house—warm air escapes, making for a colder home and a more expensive energy bill. Luckily, insulating your home can be fairly inexpensive. Call a professional to make an assessment and get you sealed up, or visit your local home improvement store to find out how to do it yourself.
- And of course, with winter comes the holiday season. If you’ve ever decorated your home with those festive, twinkly lights, you know it can take a toll on your holiday energy bills! This year, consider switching to LED bulbs, and you could end up with a little extra Christmas cash in your wallet.