As the weather begins to cool, it becomes harder and more costly to stay warm. With people becoming more dormant and choosing to stay inside more often, you are likely to start using more electricity than usual. Unfortunately, during this winter season, you may see your electricity rates begin to rise. Even with a great energy plan, you may see a spike in your electricity bills as the temperature drops. Fortunately for you, there are several ways for you to save money while staying warm.
Lower Your Temperature
This might be an obvious one, but you will use less money on your electricity if you are using less heat. While you may want to crank up the heater the second the temperature drops, keeping your home a few degrees cooler can go a long way. You will likely not notice your home being a bit cooler, but it will make a major difference in your energy bill. You can also use blankets and sweaters to bundle up.
Don’t Heat Uninsulated Rooms
You will end up losing heat if you use your energy to heat up rooms that are not insulated. The heat will just go right out the door (literally) as well as the money you spent on it. If there are uninsulated rooms in your home that you feel the need to heat, be sure to insulate them before doing so. If it is not necessary, just leave the rooms unheated.
Seal Windows and Doors
If your windows and doors are not fully sealed, you will end up letting heat escape your house and lose money as a result. You may not even realize that the heat is escaping your house. Be sure to check your windows and doors to make sure they are fully insulated as the weather begins to drop.
Use the Sun’s Heat
If you want to spend less on heating your house this year, be sure to take advantage of the natural heat that comes from the sun. Open the blinds on your windows if the sun is shining into your house. This will heat your house for you, so you can turn your heat down a bit.
Close the Chimney Damper
Another way to conserve heat is to take advantage of your fireplace (if you have one). When you start a fire, be sure to close your chimney damper. This way, the heat from the fire will stay in your home and keep you warm rather than escape through your chimney.
Use a Ceiling Fan
Using a ceiling fan to stay warm may seem counterproductive, but if you use it right, you can use it to keep yourself warm. A lot of fans will allow you to switch the direction of the airflow to counter-clockwise. If your fan allows you to do this, take advantage of it. Having your fan blow counter-clockwise will push the warm air down. This is an easy and cheap way to help you stay warm this winter.
