When it comes to winter expenses, heating costs almost always top the list. Fortunately, there are some ways you can save some money on your heating bill this winter season that are not difficult or cause you to freeze in your own home. Here are some ideas to consider:
Keep the Thermostat Low
Keeping your thermostat low does not mean you need to freeze everyone in your home. Some people believe that keeping the thermostat at a higher temperature will get your home warmer faster. This is not the case. Heat moves throughout a room at the same speed, no matter how hot it is. You can keep your thermostat at 76, and it will warm you home just as quickly if it were at 80. By keeping your thermostat set lower and not touching it, you can save money on your heating bill because the heat will not constantly be cycling on, which is what contributes to a high heating bill.
If you know you will be away from home and you want to turn the thermostat down while you are away, consider setting it to return to normal about an hour before you are scheduled to get home. This way your home will be comfortable and you will not be tempted to raise the temperature really high.
Change the Thermostat
Speaking of programming a thermostat, if your current thermostat does not have a programming feature, consider an upgrade. There are so many benefits to a programmable thermostat. You can even invest in a smart thermostat that you can control through your smart device. You can more easily control the home's temperature and keep your bills lower.
Check Your Home's Humidity Levels
Depending on your climate, you may need to add more humidity to your air. Humidity is moisture, and it can help carry warm air further and keep it in a room longer. A home with dry air will not hold heat as well. You can add humidity by adding humidifiers to different rooms. If you want to humidify the entire house, you can install a whole-home humidifier. While this is an investment, it will pay for itself in energy savings.
Humid air is also better for your health. Dry air is more apt to carry contaminates through your home. This can have a negative impact on your respiratory health. Humidity is good for a variety of reasons, and saving extra money is a great bonus.
Speak to an HVAC contractor to learn more about heating.
Share23 December 2019
Every summer, I agonized over energy bills that would shoot into the stratosphere as a result of my efforts to keep cool in the heat. Every time I turned the temperature down, my bills increased. This summer, I decided to take some of the control over my energy bill back. I installed reflective film on my windows that reduced the amount of light and heat coming into the house. I started serving more cold meals or asking my husband to barbecue outside, so that my air conditioner didn't have to compete with the hot stove, and I started doing laundry at night to reduce appliance heat in the house at peak times. I also had ceiling fans installed. So far, the difference in my bill has been tremendous. This blog is a way for me to explore other ways to reduce energy drain during the summer months.