Tips and Tricks to Save Money on Your Heating Bill this Winter
There is definitely a winter chill creeping into the air, especially in the evenings here in Lexington, KY. Avoid the urge to turn your heating system to the max just because you are cold, because you’ll get an unpleasant surprise when your heating bills arrive in the mail. Throw on a sweater, keep the thermostat on the lower end and use some smart energy saving strategies instead.
It’s all about making your home airtight and energy efficient. We’ve put together some of our best tips to help you stay warm and keep more of your money for other things this season- like the holidays. Here is what you should do.
Fill in Drafts and Gaps
Small cracks around your windows may not look like much, but those small spaces are plenty big enough for warm air to seep outside. Caulking your windows is a very low-cost, easy DIY job that yields big savings.
Inspect your windows for cracks in the casing and loose seals. Pay special attention if you feel any drafts when you are standing in front of a window. It’s also a good idea to check out your doors too because similar leaks can appear around the door frames.
Apply weather-stripping to any trouble spots. If your doors have shifted over time, make them flush with the frame to close gaps tight.
Change Your Ceiling Fan
Use the breeze from your ceiling fan to your advantage to heat your home without turning the furnace up to high.
Simply by reversing the ceiling fan’s direction to clockwise, you can create an updraft with the rising warm air and redistribute it back down into the room.
Give Your Windows Extra Insulation
Without an extra barrier in place, warm air will leak right out the tiny pores that are in your windows. One way to do that is to apply insulating window film directly on to the window.
These kits are easy to get and easy to install. You just tape the sheet of film and apply with heat (like a hair dryer) right to the window. Trim any excess off for a snug fit. It’s also effective to hang insulated drapes.
Leave them closed during the night and open them during the day to take advantage of the natural heat of the sun. This trick works in the summer as well, but you keep them shut during the day and open at night.
