It pays to investigate strategies to minimize your home heating expenditures now that energy costs are greater than they have ever been. I’ve compiled a list of simple, low-cost strategies that will all add up to considerable savings on your home heating expenses! You also don’t have to be Bob Villa to use this strategy successfully. Some are completed in under a minute. Simple adjustments can save you a lot of money over the course of the long winter.
The following are the ten best ways I’ve found to reduce my house heating expenses:
- Go to the basement and lower your hot water thermostat’s temperature by roughly ten degrees. In my opinion, you should not dip below 115 degrees Fahrenheit. The water tank’s adjustment dial is usually a red knob towards the bottom.
- While you’re downstairs, check to see if your central heating unit’s filters are clean. If your filter is dirty and clogged, your furnace will have to work harder and stay on longer to heat your home since it has to fight to push new air through the blocked filter.
- If you find a leak or a disconnect in your air ducts, fix it immediately. It’s possible that your heating expenses might be up to 25% higher if your ducting has leaks or disconnects. Hire a professional if you can’t do it yourself. For even greater efficiency, get your ducts professionally cleaned by this professional.
- Reduce the temperature in your home by a few degrees. This adds up fast, believe me. If it doesn’t seem like much, wait until your monthly bill drops, and you’ll see the difference!
- In the meanwhile, if your thermostat isn’t programmable, you might want to think about upgrading. As a result, you may reduce your home’s temperature at night compared to during the day while you are awake by setting your thermostat lower. You may even configure it to start heating the house a little bit before you get home if you are gone to work during the day. These don’t cost a lot of money and are simple to set up.
- Install attic insulation. Isn’t it true that heat rises? You’ll lose all of your home’s heat (as well as money) if the insulation in your attic is inadequate. Literally! Even though it will take some work on your side, using this strategy will save you a significant sum of money in the long run. Calculate your attic’s square footage and purchase rolls of insulation with an R-value greater than 13 but not greater than 30. When working with insulation, use a mask and gloves to protect your skin from irritation.
- Look for any cracks or leaks! You could probably make a tiny window out of all the minor cracks and holes in your home, which would let cold air in and hot air out in equal measure. Spend some time looking for cracks in your house’s structure, such as those in windows, doors, pipes, electrical and phone lines, and even your dryer’s vent. Wrap your doors and windows in weatherstripping. In order to fill in small areas, you can purchase insulating foam in a container with a straw on top. Because of its expansive nature, it can fill even the tiniest of crannies. Finding and plugging in these holes all throughout the house was the most enjoyable chore of them all.
- In rooms that aren’t being used, shut the vents. One room in my house is now unoccupied. To minimize energy loss, I sealed the windows and doors and closed the hot air ducts. Why spend money on heating space in your home you won’t be using?
- During the day, leave curtains and shades open on all of your windows to allow the sun to heat your house. Pull them back up at night for additional insulation. What a powerful heater straight sunshine is.
- Depending on how you use it, a fireplace may help or hurt your heating budget. Close the damper on your fireplace if you’re not using it. Close the damper and check to see if any chilly air is escaping. If you’re going to use your fireplace, turn down or turn off the heat elsewhere in the home.
- By putting these suggestions into practice, you’ll see a significant reduction in your heating costs. Most of them may be completed in a single day, but the benefits will endure for the duration of your stay! After implementing each of these suggestions, my winter utility expenses dropped by around 25%, saving me about $100 a month! So get your hands dirty, follow these suggestions, and you’ll soon see savings on your heating bills!
