With mercury levels dropping as we approach the chill months of winter, thousands of home dwellers are getting ready to bring out their heaters or switch their HVAC temperatures upwards. Unfortunately, we have to do so sparingly since heating costs are quite hefty these days.
That’s why the question of “how to save energy in winter” always looms over our heads when it comes to this. And the answer to that lies in this article.
Here are some of the most foolproof winter energy-saving tips that will make your Winters less financially burdensome:
Best Winter Energy Saving Tips
1. Open Your Windows and Let the Sun in During Daytime
One of the ways in which you can save energy in winter is to let the rays of the Sun pass through your house. You can do this by opening up your windows, curtains, and blinds. You can use this greenhouse effect to turn up the temperature in your humble abode to fend off the burry temperatures of winter. Now you have your very own natural heater that won’t push up your energy bills even a little.
2. Cover Your Windows if It’s Too Drafty
During the cooler hours in the evening and night, and to retain the heat you collected during the day by following the previous step, we advise you to use clear, heavy-duty plastic sheets and place them on the frame. Or, you can tape your window frames from the inside with clear plastic film. Just make sure that the plastic is sealed tightly to your window frame to reduce any possible chances of any cool winds infiltrating your house.
If you still feel a draft after weatherizing, then we suggest installing tight-fitting insulating shades or drapes on your windows.
3. Adjust the HVAC’s Thermostat
When you’re wide awake and aren’t home, make sure to set the temperature of your HVAC to low. But when you’re out of your house or asleep, you can adjust the thermostat back to 15 or 10 degrees for about 8 hours and save at least 10% annually on your cooling and heating bills. For every degree you drop on your thermostat between 60 to 70 degrees, you can save up to 5% of your energy bills.
By having an automated or smart thermostat, the temperatures will adjust on their own and allow you to save more than you would with a regular thermostat. And if you have a heat pump with you, configure its setting to moderate, or you can get yourself a programmable thermostat to be used especially with your heat pump.
If you live somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona, and want to know about the average electric bill when summer comes around, check this article out.
4. Clean Out Your Air Ducts
A messy air duct will force your HVAC system to work even harder to try and keep your household warm, thereby increasing the price of your utility bills. That’s why the only way around it is to clean out your air ducts.
5. Seal Away Any Air Leaks
Another phenomenon that could force your HVAC system to work harder and heat your house is when there are leaking out of windows, doors, or service entrances.
6. Locate and Seal Off Any Leaks
Look for any air leaks around pipes, gaps around chimneys, and any other spaces behind closets and cupboards. Add weatherstripping or caulk to seal any air leaks around leaky windows and doors.
7. Install Storm Windows
Although they’ve been around for a while, the storm windows available today come with low-emissive coatings that prevent valuable loss of heat. Even if your window has a low-e coating, you can still use low-e versions.
The Department of Energy states that nearly half of all U.S. homes have only single-pane windows. It should be known that windows serve as cute sources of heat loss. However, installing low-e storm windows can help dispel that loss by at least 50%.
8. Wrap Yourself in Warm Clothes and Blankets
Staying warm by wearing thick clothing and blankets is one of the best energy tips for winter. Apart from keeping the thermostat low, you can save up more on those energy bills by wearing a lovely sweater and some warm socks while you’re in the house. With that in mind, wearing a nice thick blanket, duvet cover, or comforter around you as you sip your hot chocolate near a cozy comfy fireplace sounds like a royal treat.
9. Purchase a Reusable Furnace Filter
Despite costing you more, reusable filters will not only last you longer and provide more value for your hard-earned investment. Just make sure that you wash the filter at the start of every heating season before you get comfy.
10. Buy Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
Get rid of your regular incandescent light bulbs by using energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) that can last you about six times more and reduce your electricity usage by 75%.
11. Use Space Heaters
If you only want to heat a certain area of your house, you don’t need anything more than a space heater. These heaters are conveniently energy efficient as there’s no loss of heat through combustion or ducts.
Space heaters are ideal to be used in closed-off spaces in areas of your house that are only occupied for a little while, such as the bathroom and garage, that for some reason, are typically cooler than other rooms in your house. However, if you’re expecting it to heat up your whole house, we’re sorry to say that it won’t fare any better than a heat pump or a natural gas furnace.
