Money-Saving Tips: 11 Ways You Can Cut Energy Costs In Winter
Surprised?
82% of households are interested in using one or a few energy-saving practices that'll help save money.
Thankfully for homeowners, there are many ways more than one available.
Let's get right into it.
1. Draught-Proof Your Home
There is a large amount of warmth that goes away from your home through the cracks, gaps, and holes.
The minute you notice this, you can see that you are losing heat, and that means you should do everything you can to preserve the heat.
If you are looking for ways to inspect your home, then the best day to do that is when it is cold outside.
When you inspect the windows and notice they are faulty, then you need some decent replacements for them.
This is how you will improve the efficiency of your home.
In some cases, solving the insulation gaps is not always the key. Sometimes, installing whole new insulation systems is the perfect way to solve the leaking problem you have in your home.
On the other hand, one of the cheaper options is the window insulator kit, or you can even create a DIY draft stopper. All of this can be easily done.
2. Thermostat That Programs Itself
The programmable thermostat is considered to be one of the biggest godsends of all time!
Why?
Because it allows you to set your home temperature to different stages during the day and night.
This is how you will be able to find the balance between the perfect temperature at home and saving energy.
Think about it this way: If you are away from home for the entire day, why waste some precious energy keeping your home warm?
If you are interested in making a smart choice when it comes to your home, then you will definitely invest in the programmable thermostat.
It is bound to save you a lot of energy. In some cases, all you need to do is set the temperature just one degree lower than it already is.
This is a pure indication that the thermostat will save you a lot of money in the long run.
3. If You Don’t Use The Chimney, Block It
If you live in a household that appreciates a cozy warm fireplace, then you'll want to ensure you close it after the holiday season.
The chimney is known to be the source of the largest household cost in winter, so if you are done with the fire, remember to seal it.
If you want to stop the hot air from exiting the home through the chimney, there are several ways you can do that.
You can use chimney caps, chimney balloons, and top-sealing dampers. The good news here is that you can find all of these options on a budget and any of them will do you good.
4. Keep The Filter Of Your Furnace Clean
The most common type of heating system in the world is the furnace.
There are many homeowners who rely on natural gas too and this goes for those states who have a colder climate too.
Because this is considered one of the most widely used heating systems in the world, it is incredibly important to keep the filters of the furnaces as clean as possible.
The performance of the furnace is determined by the flow of air. It seems that better airflow contributes to the better performance of the furnace.
So, any dry and clogged filters should be replaced as soon as possible.
If you don’t clear the passageway, then the furnace will work twice as hard and will not achieve the wanted results.
Also, there are experts who say that people should check the state of their filters at least once a month. Clean it or replace it if it is dirty.
5. Solar Panels In Winter?
This is a tricky question, but either way, it can work better than you think. It seems that people expect solar panels to be impacted as soon as the snow falls, but that is not the case.
Naturally, the results may vary depending on which state you are living in and how many sunny days there are annually.
To make things slightly more interesting, solar panels are even able to boost their production during the winter days.
It seems that the solar panels work great because of the reflection from the white, snowy surfaces.
Nevertheless, there is still a downside to this.
As effective as they may be, they are still incredibly expensive.
So, if you are looking for this as an option and a long-term solution, then it is best to invest in them.
On the other hand, if a short-term solution is what you are looking for, then you might want to move on to something more cost-effective.
6. Think About Your Christmas Lights Twice
As the year comes to a close, there is only one thing on everyone’s mind and that is Christmas!
It is truly the most wonderful time of the year and everyone gets excited and lights up their Christmas trees and fills their houses with lights.
Indeed holiday lights look incredibly festive and are wonderful to look at, they can spend a lot of energy and result in some high electricity bills.
Thankfully, you don’t need to exclude your Christmas lights from your decorating plan if you want to save energy.
All you need to do is choose LED light strings. This can save you a lot of money in comparison with the regular lights that you have been using so far.
The best thing about LED lights is that they are much easier to install, cooler when in use, and the safer option for your home.
7. Let The Sunshine In
If you want to add something more to your winter saving plan, then it is a great option to let some sunshine in when possible.
This tip is as good as it sounds. The sun can provide you with some excellent heat in winter and help you lower your costs slightly.
If you want the most out of the sun as a free energy source, then open your curtains and let them shine through your home.
All you need to remember is to close them during the night so you can avoid the cold winter air from entering the home.
This is one of the simplest ways to make sure that your home is warm in the winter months and your electricity bill a bit lower.
8. Do You Have A Fireplace?
If you want to maximize your savings this winter, then you might want to think about your fireplace.
The fireplace can increase your energy consumption. The first thing you want to make sure of when you are putting in a new fireplace is the location.
The fireplace can act like a heater too, so it is important to put it in a location where you spend most of your time.
Another thing you might need is to make sure that the hot air is circulating around the house.
You might need a blower assembly or a fan.
The only issue you might be faced with here is that the fireplace does not have the capacity to work as hard as a furnace would.
So you might end up spending more energy than you should if the heat is not distributed properly.
9. When It Comes To Clothes
We don’t need to remind you that you should wear warmer clothes in winter, but it might come in handy to remember that layering is always a good option.
Make sure that your body is properly clothed and that you are feeling warm enough.
If you are wearing warm clothes, then you would not need to worry about setting the thermostat at a high temperature.
A degree or two lower would do just the trick.
On another note, when it comes to washing your clothes, if you do it at a lower temperature, then you might actually save on your electricity bill!
Cold water can be just as useful as hot water, and there are many detergents that work effectively at 30 degrees.
10. Switching The Direction Of Your Ceiling Fan
Ceiling fans, when used properly, can save you a lot of money during winter.
Even though they are mostly used to cool down a certain room during those hot summer days, they can also keep you warm in winter months too.
All you need to do is change the direction of the airflow, and you are good to go!
This is what will make up for a warmer room without you having to turn up the thermostat.
You will also benefit from lower electricity bills without losing comfort.
11. Be Aware Of Where Your Money Is Going
Once you start noticing how much all of your appliances are spending, you will be able to better manage how much electricity you spend.
This information can vary depending on the household, but it will give you some information on where your money is going.
If you have any questions about our article "Money-Saving Tips: 11 Ways You Can Cut Energy Costs In Winter" or energy-efficient system upgrades, feel free to call us at 416-543-0641 or chat with us in near real-time on our Facebook fan page.
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