Ways to Save on Heating Costs This Winter
Come winter and your home heating bills soar.
Small changes in your home can however make a significant difference in your energy bills.
Energy efficiency is easy to achieve with a few home improvements.
For example, purchasing a programmable thermostat or installing double pane windows will help you conserve heat and lower your bills.
In fact, you can lower your monthly bill by almost 25% or more with such changes.
The following tips can help you save big on bills this coming winter.
Invest in a programmable thermostat A programmable thermostat is useful as it allows you to set the temperature at different levels in different rooms of the house.
Rooms that are not in use, such as storage rooms and attics will not require heat supply.
When there are rooms within the house that do not require heating on a frequent basis, then it is a better idea to invest in a space heater than in a furnace.
Another advantage of a programmable thermostat is that the temperature can be set lower when family members are at work and warmer when everyone is at home.
It also helps to block heat vents in rooms, which are not used frequently to allow the heat to spread to areas of the house where it is most needed.
Simple home improvements Clean the air ducts and furnace filters.
Get the furnace inspected and tuned by a professional to make sure that it is working perfectly.
This ensures that the airflow is optimum and brings down operational costs.
Simple home improvements to enhance heating efficiency include sealing up cracks and gaps around the doors and windows of your home.
Using a little caulk to seal gaps around door moldings, sills will not allow the cold air from outside to leak into the house.
Larger cracks and gaps can be fixed using expanding spray foam.
Caulking tubes and spray foam are cheap to buy.
Insulating the ceilings and walls of your home is a great way to keep energy costs down.
It ensures that the warm air does not escape out and prevents cold air from entering inside the house.
In a poorly insulated home, a significant amount of heat is lost through the walls and ceilings.
Older homes especially are under-insulated and it is a good idea to hire a professional to evaluate the situation and suggest ways of improving home insulation.
While adding insulation can be quite expensive, the long-term benefits of lower heating and cooling bills make the investment worthwhile.
Engage the services of a professional to do the job instead of treating it as a DIY project.
Buy double pane windows One way of insulating your home is to install double pane windows.
They keep the home warm by preventing heat to escape while keeping cold air out.
Older windows may have air leaks.
If you cannot afford to replace the windows, then as suggested before, you can seal the air leaks using some caulk.
Cracks in doors can be fixed by using weather stripping material.
These are simple yet effective ways to lower heating bills.
Small changes in your home can however make a significant difference in your energy bills.
Energy efficiency is easy to achieve with a few home improvements.
For example, purchasing a programmable thermostat or installing double pane windows will help you conserve heat and lower your bills.
In fact, you can lower your monthly bill by almost 25% or more with such changes.
The following tips can help you save big on bills this coming winter.
Invest in a programmable thermostat A programmable thermostat is useful as it allows you to set the temperature at different levels in different rooms of the house.
Rooms that are not in use, such as storage rooms and attics will not require heat supply.
When there are rooms within the house that do not require heating on a frequent basis, then it is a better idea to invest in a space heater than in a furnace.
Another advantage of a programmable thermostat is that the temperature can be set lower when family members are at work and warmer when everyone is at home.
It also helps to block heat vents in rooms, which are not used frequently to allow the heat to spread to areas of the house where it is most needed.
Simple home improvements Clean the air ducts and furnace filters.
Get the furnace inspected and tuned by a professional to make sure that it is working perfectly.
This ensures that the airflow is optimum and brings down operational costs.
Simple home improvements to enhance heating efficiency include sealing up cracks and gaps around the doors and windows of your home.
Using a little caulk to seal gaps around door moldings, sills will not allow the cold air from outside to leak into the house.
Larger cracks and gaps can be fixed using expanding spray foam.
Caulking tubes and spray foam are cheap to buy.
Insulating the ceilings and walls of your home is a great way to keep energy costs down.
It ensures that the warm air does not escape out and prevents cold air from entering inside the house.
In a poorly insulated home, a significant amount of heat is lost through the walls and ceilings.
Older homes especially are under-insulated and it is a good idea to hire a professional to evaluate the situation and suggest ways of improving home insulation.
While adding insulation can be quite expensive, the long-term benefits of lower heating and cooling bills make the investment worthwhile.
Engage the services of a professional to do the job instead of treating it as a DIY project.
Buy double pane windows One way of insulating your home is to install double pane windows.
They keep the home warm by preventing heat to escape while keeping cold air out.
Older windows may have air leaks.
If you cannot afford to replace the windows, then as suggested before, you can seal the air leaks using some caulk.
Cracks in doors can be fixed by using weather stripping material.
These are simple yet effective ways to lower heating bills.
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