Ease Up Your Winter Heating Budget

If you are looking for ways to cut living expenses during the winter months then you need to first pay attention to your winter heating budget.  There are many things you can do to help decrease the amount of money you are putting out during the colder months, and while it will take the efforts of everyone in the house to succeed you will be pleasantly surprised with the amount of money you will save on your winter heating bill.  Here are a few tips to help you through the winter.

Tip #1: Don’t turn the thermostat up; bundle up instead

For every degree lower you set your thermostat, you can save up to 3% of your total heating bill.  This will require you to put on more clothing, such as long sleeved shirts and pants.  Obviously we don’t want you to sit in the house freezing cold with hats and gloves on, but there have been some people who do it.  Keep your feet warm and your head warm and you’ll be able to turn the temperature down and save on your heating bill.

Tip #2: Winterize any windows that are drafty

If you have windows that leak a lot of cold air then you need to take care of them as soon as possible.  If cold air is getting in, then warm air is getting out.  Caulk any cracks that are in the window and purchase plastic sheeting that can be put on the inside of the windows, the outside of the windows or both.  By eliminating the amount of cold air getting in and hot air going out, you can reduce your heating bill because your furnace won’t have to work as hard to keep the house warm.

Tip #3: Seal any doors that you are not using on a regular basis

Doors that you do not use but still let in a lot of cold air can benefit from being sealed by cleared tape around the edges.  It still allows you to access the door in the event of an emergency, but eliminates a good deal of the cold air that is seeping in.  You can also go to your local hardware store and buy a roll of weather stripping and seal the door that way if the idea of sealing it with clear tape does not appeal to you.  If you feel cold air coming in from the bottom of the door, use a draft guard to keep the air out.

Tip #4: Don’t use any ventilation fans during the winter

Ventilation fans are great at sucking out smoke from the kitchen and humidity from the bathroom but they also suck the warm air out of the house as well.  If you can avoid it, don’t use the ventilation fans in your home during the winter.  If you need to, invest in a mirror for the bathroom that is anti-fog and cook food at a lower setting to keep from burning.  Additionally, clean up any spills on the stove top right away so that it will not burn and smoke the next time you use the stove.

Tip #5:  Unused spaces should be closed off and use space heaters

Any rooms that are not used on a daily basis you should close off, including the heating vents.  If you need to use the room for any reason, heat it with a space heater before you need it and turn the space heater off when you are done.  You can also use space heaters throughout your home to supplement the heat that you have turned down.