As the temperature starts dropping and the winter season inches closer, it’s time to start winterizing your home. You can do this without breaking the bank, without a handy man and by making a few minor adjustments.
First and foremost, change your furnace filters. It’s easy to forget this step, but it’s important to clean or replace them every month because dirty filters restrict airflow and ramp up your energy bill. If you don’t want to worry about replacing them every month, consider switching to a permanent one to reduce waste and hassle. You should check your furnace filters monthly, especially in the winter.
Giving your heating system a tune-up while you’re checking your furnace can also ensure the heat in your house is working properly and efficiently. If your furnace is properly maintained and kept clean, you save up to five percent of your heating costs.
Another tip to keep warm is to switch the direction of the blades on your ceiling fan. While this may seem unusual, counterclockwise rotation produces cooling breezes, but switching over to clockwise rotation makes it warmer. In doing so, you can cut your heating costs by ten percent and make sure that air is circulating back into the living space.
Before you turn your air conditioning system off this winter, drain any hoses and air conditioner pipes to ensure excess water isn’t pooling into the equipment. If you have an air conditioning system that has a water shut off valve, you can easily turn that off to avoid this. This will prevent any damage from happening to your system.
While turning your air conditioning system off may make you think there’s no cold air in your home, you should check for drafts coming in from cracks near doors and windows. Drafts can easily be sealed by putting towels or blankets near the bottom of any entry ways. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafts can waste five to 30 percent of your energy use. These small winds can also give your thermostat a false reading.
If you want to go the extra mile, adding storm doors and windows can even further prevent drafts from entering your home. By installing a storm door, you can increase energy efficiency by 45 percent which reduces the airflow in your living space.
To conserve heat and energy, turn down the heat on your thermostat before leaving your home. A household can easily use half or more of their energy budget on heating and cooling their homes. For every degree you lower your thermostat during the winter, you can save one to three percent on your heating bill.
If you’re someone who likes to take hot showers in the winter time, you should turn down your water heater to help save money on your heating bill. Water heaters are typically set to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, but most households do not need that much steam. Turning down the temperature to one 120 degrees Fahrenheit can reduce your costs six to ten percent.
Implementing these tips around your household can save you money while keeping your family warm. Not only will your heating bill decrease, but you’ll be using energy efficiently. These steps will help you become a thoughtful consumer and a smart spender.