During winter, we need to use a lot more energy than the rest of the year to keep our house warm and cozy. Therefore energy bills tend to skyrocket during this time. But guess what? You can keep your energy costs low if you practice these useful tips!
1. Upgrade your thermostat and keep it low
A thermostat that’s programmable will allow you to customize a heating schedule so you can save money by only having heat when you really need it. A smart thermostat is even more effective when it comes to saving both money and energy because it has a lot more options, not to mention you can control it from your smartphone. If you don’t have one of these, the best thing to do is upgrade. When you have it, make sure to keep it low. Set your temperature back 7 to 10 degrees, and during winter, make sure you set it at 68 degrees when you’re not home and when you’re sleeping.
2. Keep your filters clean
The filters on your HVAC system need to be properly maintained if you want it to work efficiently and help you save money and energy during winter. You need to make sure they’re clean and check them regularly to see if they need to be changed. Also, make sure you always use the correct filters for your specific system .
3. Don’t heat uninsulated areas
Rooms and areas that haven’t been insulated lose heat very quickly, which means they’ll drain your energy quite a lot. Therefore it’s not a good idea to heat areas such as garages and crawlspaces. And if there’s an area in your house where you spend a lot of time and it’s not insulated, you should definitely consider the investment.
4. Check your home’s insulation
Speaking of insulation, it’s very important that you keep an eye on it. Good insulation will keep your home comfortable during the entire year. One of the areas that really need to be insulated is the attic because heat rises and if it’s not insulated correctly, during winter, the warm air will escape from your house and that’s not at all what we want.
5. Change your light bulbs
If you’re smart about the kind of light bulbs you use, you’ll save a lot of energy. LED bulbs, for example, need 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and they last about 25 times longer. This means they’re a great investment not only because they will help you keep your energy costs low, but because you won’t have to replace them as often. Also, practice good habits. If you leave a room, turn off the light. If you’re not watching the TV, turn it off. These changes will allow you to save quite a bit of energy and therefore money.
It truly doesn’t take much to save energy during the winter, all you need to do is make sure you use your resources more efficiently.
