We all love a warm and cozy home during the winter, but that comes at a cost! Heating your home during the winter months can make your gas or electric bill soar! There are several different ways to keep the costs down during the winter months. The most important thing is to come up with a plan and stick to it! Implementing some of these tips will help you save some money this winter.
Turn Down The Heat At Night
During the late evening hours the temperatures outside dramatically drop, making it the most expensive time to run your heater. However, even with the colder temperatures outside you can still get away with turning down the heat. Make sure every bed in the home has heavy blankets and the kids are wearing their warm pajamas. The human body makes its own heat while sleeping, so you will be able to stay warm without the heat cranked up.
Run Ceiling Fans
Using ceiling fans is often recommended during the summer months but they can also keep the house warm during the winter. During the winter months you will want to run the fan in reverse so that warm air doesn’t get trapped at the top of your ceilings. Running the fan in reverse will push the warm air down. If you have a home with high ceilings, this tip will really help you save money this winter!
Have Your Heater Serviced
Every year before winter hits, you should have your heating system serviced. Getting your heater serviced is typically very affordable and can save you a nice chunk of change! If your heater is not running efficiently, it will work hard to warm your home and cost you a lot more money!
Let The Sun Shine
Start every morning off by opening up the curtains or pulling up the blinds. Allowing some sunlight to shine in will keep you from turning on lights and help warm up the home. Staring your morning off with some sunshine will also help wake you up and lift your spirits!
Use Your Fireplace
If you have a wood burning stove or fireplace in your home, take advantage of it! Purchasing a cord of wood is normally less expensive than running the heater. You will want to make sure that your fireplace or wood burning stove has been cleaned and is in good working order. Running a fire in the morning and evening will help keep your home warm throughout the day and evening.
Program Your Thermostat
If you have a programmable thermostat make sure to use it! If you do not have a programmable thermostat you should consider purchasing one. These types of thermostats are very affordable and easy to install. A programmable thermostat will come in handy during the winter and the summer months.
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When using a programmable thermostat you allow to set the exact temperature you want your home. Some thermostats will even allow you to set a time to completely turn off no matter what the temperature is. If you have a large home you might want to consider zone heating. Zone heating will allow you to only heat certain areas of your home.