Is your budget still recovering from all the money you spent during this past holiday season? If so, you could benefit from learning ways to lower your heating costs for the remainder of the winter season. The good news is that you don’t have to sacrifice your family’s comfort! Check out these tips for saving some green this heating season.
Dress warmly
While you may be dreaming of the warm spring days ahead, you could benefit from dressing a little warmer this time of year. Wear slippers and socks to keep your feet protected from the cold floors, and put on layers so you can take off what you need if you get warm. When you’re staying warmer with your clothes, you won’t need to keep your thermostat set as high.
Change your bedding
Use a thicker comforter on your bed than what you’d normally use during the spring or summer. This will help to keep you warm on the chilliest nights. And flannel sheets can provide extra warmth and comfort.
Decorate for warmth
Decorative, insulated curtains and throw rugs won’t just add more character and charm to your home, they’ll also help you feel warmer and prevent that horrible, drafty feeling at night. Rugs will also act as a layer of insulation and trap cool air to prevent it from making your room cold.
Make use of solar energy
On sunny winter days, open your curtains to let in the natural sunlight. You’d be surprised by how effective sunlight will be at warming up the inside of your home. Just be sure to close the curtains again at night to keep warm air from escaping.
Change your furnace filter
Be sure you are routinely changing your furnace filter. A dirty, dusty filter makes it much harder for your furnace to move warm air out through your home. The extra strain on your heating system could cause the unit to work overtime and raise your energy bills.
Turn the thermostat down
When you’re away for the day, turn your thermostat down by a few degrees. This small adjustment could help you save on your energy bill. If you have a smart thermostat, you will be able to make these adjustments on the fly, and even turn the system up to a higher temperature when you’re on your way home so your home can be warm when you get there!
Add more insulation
Adding extra insulating material to your attic, basement, floors, and walls could make your home much more energy efficient. The insulation can prevent heat loss and stop your heating system from having to work so hard to keep your home comfortable.
Schedule an energy audit
An energy professional can conduct an audit to help you determine if there are areas of air loss in your home. These areas are where heated air can escape, and in turn, cause your furnace to work overtime when it doesn’t need to. Often, energy audits can be performed by your local utility company for free or a nominal fee.
Schedule furnace maintenance
Be sure to keep your heating system properly maintained. A system that isn’t tuned up on a regular basis won’t be as efficient or last as long as a unit that is checked and cleaned each year. At Pivotal Home Solutions, we offer an affordable Heating Maintenance plan, a great way to have a system check.
More cold weather is on the way!
While you may be thinking that these tips would have been more useful at the beginning of the heating season, there are still many cold days ahead before spring. Making these small changes now, even mid-heating season, could help you save money on your utility bills.