5 Tricks to Reduce Heating Costs This Winter

Heating costs in the winter can increase energy and fuel bills by a significant amount. Costs can rise whenever there is energy loss in the home. Costs also rise when different factors prevent heat from being distributed properly throughout the house.  That being said, you can drastically reduce your energy bills this winter without sacrificing comfort. Here are five tricks will help to reduce heating costs this winter.

Turn on Ceiling Fans in Reverse

Reversing the direction of ceiling fans and running them at the slowest speed possible will lower heating costs. Hot air rises towards the ceilings in the home. Ceiling fans running in reverse will gently move this warm air back towards the center of the room. This makes the rooms feel much warmer much faster. The heating system will not have to run as much to keep the house comfortable.

Insulate Electrical Outlets

The interior areas of walls are not always insulated. Cold air can pour into the spaces inside of the walls and then exit through electrical outlets. This can create a low draft that makes the home feel colder. The solution is to place a cut piece of foam insulation behind the plate covering the outlet. It can also help to use covers for the actual holes where a plug would fit. This will reduce heating costs and keep the home warmer.

Have the Heating System Cleaned and Serviced

A heating system that has not been cleaned and serviced will operate inefficiently. Every part of the system will have to work harder to generate heat and maintain warm temperatures. Dirty ductwork can restrict airflow. One way to solve this is to call professional heating services to inspect and clean the system. The service can make repairs to parts that improve the energy efficiency of the system. Cleaning the ductwork and registers will increase airflow. The result is lower heating bills and better performance.

Keep Curtains Open When It Is Sunny

The sun shining through a window can increase the temperature of a room by a noticeable amount during the day. Curtains should be kept wide open when the sun is shining. The few degrees of extra heat will allow the furnace to stop running for a time. The curtains should then be closed when it starts to become dark to provide extra insulation around the windows.

Dress in Warm Clothes

The final tip is to start dressing in warm clothes while inside the house. Wearing an extra shirt, sweater or pair of socks will conserve body heat. This increases the perceived temperature in the home. If everyone feels warmer due to the extra clothes, then heating bills will drop because the thermostat can be lowered.

While there are other strategies you can implement to reduce your energy expenses this winter, these five are all easy and within the reach of any homeowner.

Author Bio

Karleia is a freelance blogger and author. Away from the office she enjoys spending time her with her two young daughters.

 

Category: Family Finances, Saving Money