As the temperatures plummet, the only things that are rising seem to be heating costs. Shoo away those winter chills with a few frugal tips to help keep your heating bills down and the temperature inside your home at a comfortable level. Here are 25+ easy ways to cut heating costs and save you some cash.
25+ Easy Ways to Cut Heating Costs
Lately, as you walk through various rooms in your home, you may have noticed drafty cold spots. Perhaps near an older door that you may not use very often or windows that you haven’t gotten around to replacing.
1 Clear Tape works wonders in sealing around the edges of unused Doors and doorways, (such as an extra bedroom no longer in use, etc.) The tape removes quickly in the spring, prevents cold air from blowing in and is virtually invisible.
Keep in mind when you turn on your bathroom fan that you are mostly sucking the heat right out of your home. If you don’t like your bathroom mirror steamed up after a shower, just turn a hairdryer on for a minute or two and “dry” your mirror.
It will dry the steam streak-free, avoiding unnecessary heat loss from the fan. The extra moisture in the air from the shower will help add some humidity.
2 Window Covering Kits work wonders for sealing out the drafty air. If you’re unsure whether your windows need additional covering, light a candle and hold it near the edge of the window, if the flame flickers or goes out, chances are you need to cover the window with plastic.
If you don’t have the extra money for window covering kits, use repurposed bubble wrap.
3 While heavy curtains are helpful during the evening and at night, allowing the sunshine in during the day will warm your home.
4 Electrical outlets in your home frequently allow in cold drafts of air. A great inexpensive way to block this cold air in un-used receptacles is to plug in child safety plugs.
5 Electrical outlet covers can be removed and insulated with a piece of thin foam (much like the foam craft sheets) called a socket sealer to prevent cold air from coming in around the edges. If you don’t think the outlets let cold air in, I challenge you to hold your hand over one on a chilly day!
6 If your home has ceiling fans, be sure to set them in the “Up” (or clockwise) position during the winter months. Doing so allows the warm air that has collected to push to the outside walls, distributing the heat down evenly.
7 Switch to flannel sheets and bedding. You could also invest in an electric blanket. These often costs just a few pennies to run and allow you to reduce the thermostat without feeling the effects.
8 Preheat your bed before jumping in at night by creating a Rice Heating Pad. Just warm your heating pad in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, toss in your bed and wait 5 minutes before climbing in.
9 Cover those drains! Have you ever accidentally stepped over the drain in your shower in the middle of winter, only to feel like you stepped in a snowbank? When your sink, tub and shower drains are not in use keep them covered. For about $2 you can purchase a rubber drain cover at the hardware store.
Small Changes = Big Savings
10 Change your furnace filter monthly. Low-cost filters are available at the hardware store.
Dirty filters restrict airflow causing the furnace to work harder than it should which leads to higher energy bills. You will significantly increase the heater’s efficiency by creating proper airflow.
Also, to make your home smell delicious, you can add a couple of drops of essential oil such as peppermint, clove, cinnamon, etc. to the filter. Each time the furnace kicks on the whole house will have the scent you applied to the screen.
11 Remember to turn back your thermostat at night. By turning your thermostat back 8º for 8 hours each night, you will reduce your annual heating bill by 10%. You can further save money by installing a programmable thermostat, so you don’t have to remember to do anything.
12 Another way to easily reduce heating costs is to contact your Heating Fuel company and ask them if they offer any discounts- some offer senior citizens discounts, good customer discounts (if you pay on time), Large Tank fill discounts and more. It never hurts to ask.
13 Find a Fuel Co-Op in your Area– many areas offer a fuel co-op to gain access to majorly discounted oil rates, so for a $20-$25 upfront fee, you could save upwards of 20% off your annual heating expenses.
14 By using a humidifier, you’ll notice the increase in humidity will automatically make the air feel warmer in the room.
15 Use a can of expanding foam to fill in cut areas around pipes, like under your sink where the plumbing comes in, sealing off all of the gaps you possibly can. Don’t waste your money with caulking; it will fall apart and crack, use the expanding foam, that’s it’s intended use.
Bonus- it blocks spots where mice could come in. Also, if you’ve had a rodent issue in the past, shred a piece of steel wool and stuff it into the hole just prior to adding the foam, the mice will NOT chew through it.
16 Check the ductwork in your home; they may be crushed, dented, flattened, torn, etc. Be sure that the cracks and crevices at the joints are properly sealed, ensuring that the heat is not spilling out into your attic or walls.
17 If you have central heating or heating vents, make sure they are completely unobstructed by furniture or other objects.
Rearranging the furniture can help improve the airflow, allowing the heat to evenly distribute throughout the home. Ensure that large pieces of furniture such as couches, recliners, and bookcases aren’t covering heating vents.
18 Dirty vents should be vacuumed regularly to keep them free of dust, hair and other debris.
19 If your clothes dryer is vented outside, don’t forget to make sure that a dryer vent seal is installed correctly to prevent cold air from blowing in the duct, into your home. (This will also help avoid unwanted rodent problems!)
20 If you have a basement, be sure it is insulated from cracks and crevices. While it may seem expensive to buy a roll or two of insulation, you will save hundreds of dollars per year on the investment.
Get in those hard to reach places with a can of expanding insulation foam
21 If you don’t have a basement or if you have a slab foundation, insulate around the base of your home with bales of hay or garbage bags full of leaves (an excellent use for the fall bounty that falls on your lawn each year).
If you choose to use bales of hay or bags of leaves for additional insulation, be sure to add mothballs or other rodent repellent.
This extra barrier will help keep the wind from penetrating under your home and help fight off the winter cold. If hay or leaves are not available to you and you already have snow, shovel it up against the base of your home to create a layer of insulation.
22 Bundle up! A new research study found that people who wear layers while they’re at home can cut their heating bills by up to 30%. To reduce this expense, bundle-up! Consider wearing long sleeve clothing, socks or slippers and dress in a combination of loose fitting garments with fewer seams for added warmth.
23 Close off unused rooms. You might have some extra rooms in your home that you hardly or never use. There’s no need to heat these unused areas, thus a simple way to cut heating costs!
24 Let the sun provide natural warmth. Open shades and curtains on bright sunny days to allow the natural warmth of the sun warm the main rooms of your home. Be sure to close the curtains as the sun goes down to block out the cold.
25 Incorporate wind breaks in your landscaping outdoors. A windbreak is a swathe of trees and shrubs that are strategically placed to block wind and snow drifts from reaching your home.
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