19 Ways to Beat the High Cost of Heating Your Home This Winter
If you’re already shivering in these cooler temperatures, we have ways to lower your heating costs so you can stay warm without breaking the bank.
Amid surging utility prices, we could all use a break. A little preventive maintenance and some other easy fixes can help keep costs down.
With that in mind, here are 19 ways to reduce your home heating costs this winter.
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19 Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill
From proper insulation to simple maintenance checks and fixes, these tips to avoid sticker shock from your heating are worth the effort.
1. Get a Free Home Energy Assessment
Many power providers offer free home energy assessments or home energy optimization kits. Xcel Energy, which serves much of the northern Midwest and mountain regions of the U.S., provides a free virtual visit with a Home Energy Squad member, followed by a free kit to optimize your residential electrical usage.
2. Seal Cracks and Leaks
When it’s cold outside, don’t let any precious warm air escape through drafty doors and leaky windows. Seal these money-draining spaces with inexpensive draft tape, often ranging from $10 to $25 on sites like Amazon.
3. Upgrade to Efficient Equipment with a Rebate
Although upgrading HVAC systems and thermostats can be pricey, many electrical companies offer rebate programs. ConEd, which serves New York City, offers rebates on smart thermostats. Check with your energy provider to see if rebates are offered in your area. This could mean more than $100 back in your pocket.
4. If You Have a Smart Thermostat, Use It
For those who already have a Nest or other programmable thermostat in your home, take the time to program it. Smart thermostats offer zonal and timed heating and cooling, which on average will save most homeowners 12% on heating bills and up to 15% on their heating bills.
5. Invest in a One-Time Duct Cleaning
A major cause of ineffective or inefficient home heating may be clogged ductwork. Over the years, debris like dust, pet hair and dander can accumulate in vents and make it difficult for air to flow smoothly throughout your space. Cleaner ducts can be a great way to lower electric bills, because you’ll be less likely to turn up the heat. HVAC system maintenance is relatively affordable, and a one-time vent cleaning will take about $200 to $300 out of your home maintenance budget.
6. Run Space Heaters in the Evening
Some electric companies charge higher rates during the day (aka peak hours) and lower rates in the evening (aka off-peak hours). If you’re wondering how to lower the electric bill, it can help save a few bucks here and there to enjoy your space heaters in the evening.
7. Insulate Hidden Areas
Any item in your house that has pipes behind it (toilets, sinks, etc.) likely is simply sitting in an open hole in the wall with no insulation. This means that in the winter, cold air could be seeping into your home while the warm air from your home could be leaking out. Consult with a professional to learn more about how adding insulation behind toilets and sinks can help make your home more energy efficient.
8. Open the Door
If you live in a multi-room home, keep doors open so warm air can flow throughout your house. Closed doors will block the airflow.
9. Only Heat The Rooms You Use
Be sure to only click the heat on in the zones you really need to. Having multiple thermostats throughout your house — zone heating — is an efficient way to reduce home heating costs.
10. Lower the Hot Water Heater Temperature
Setting a water heater to 120 degrees is perfectly fine for the majority of the population. Check to see if you have yours higher.
11. Decrease Door Drafts with a Draft Stopper
Using the aptly named draft stopper on your doors can further prevent air leaks throughout your home. That way, you can keep precious warm air circulating in your space without losing it to wasteful door leaks. Another painless way to save money.
12. Use Exhaust Fans Less
Exhaust fans are generally already built into your home, like the kind above a stove or shower. These fans do an exceptionally good job of circulating air and removing moisture and humidity from that air — but that’s not what you want in the winter. Leaving these fans off when cooking or in the shower increase the warm air in your home.
13. Go Through a Checklist
Owning or renting a home comes with all sorts of maintenance. It can be hard to keep track of what to do at what time of year in order to keep your space clean and efficient. Referring to a home checklist can ensure you’re ticking off the correct boxes to prepare your home for colder months, potentially saving you some dough on utility bills throughout the winter.
14. Rearrange Your Furniture
Go through the house and check to make sure you don’t have beds, dressers, bookcases or other furniture blocking vents. If the vents are blocked (especially by taller items like bookshelves) and heating isn’t evenly distributed, this may cause you to turn up the heat unnecessarily.
15. Seal the Chimney
If you aren’t using your fireplace, sealing off your chimney — or at least closing the damper — prevents warm air from leaking out and cold air from wafting in. There are lots of different ways to seal a chimney, from installing a chimney balloon to using plastic to cover the hearth. Consult with a professional to find out what’s right for your home.
16. Open Your Blinds
It’s no secret that sun-facing windows can cause a room — or the entire house — to heat up. In the winter, this is great. Opening your blinds during the day, especially in rooms that get lots of direct sunlight, can decrease the need to crank up the heat.
17. Timing Oven Use
Being smart about using the oven can keep your home warmer and potentially result in lower bills. Use your oven and stove during the coldest parts of the day. The same goes for your dryer.
18. Use a Humidifier
Humid air feels warmer than dry air. Consider turning on your humidifier throughout the day so you feel warm without using as much energy.
19. Dress Warmer and Change Bedding
Instead of cranking the heat, dressing in warmer clothing and changing to heavier bedding can make you feel warmer. Sub your light blanket for a thick duvet so you feel warmer when you sleep.
Kristin Jenny is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Electric Bills
We answer some of the most asked questions about electric bills and what makes them so high.
To reduce your bill, take stock of how many hours of heating you use a day. Then, look for where you can limit the amount of time that it’s on or the number of rooms you use it in. This will slowly but surely start to reduce your home heating bill.
There may be many reasons, including drafts, furniture blocking vents or infrastructure in need of repair and poor insulation. Another reason could be that you leave all your heating zones on, all the time. Poor insulation can be a huge drain on energy efficiency. If you have major cracks in your window frames, walls, baseboards and more, you are basically watching your hard-earned dollars fall through those gaps. Likewise, if doors are left open (especially the garage door or patio door), you are bleeding warm air through those areas, causing your home system to work harder.
You can lower your bill and stay comfortable at home by sealing drafts, adding better insulation, using a smart or programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature when you’re not home, and maintaining your HVAC system properly.
Also, wear layers and leave your blinds open in sunny rooms during the day.
Adam Palasciano is a personal finance-obsessed and money-savvy individual who loves to create content on all things saving and making money. His work also appears on The Smart Wallet, FinanceBuzz, Yahoo! Finance, JoyWallet, GoBankingRates.com and The Money Manual.
