11 simple steps to lower heating costs and keep you warm

11 simple steps to lower heating costs and keep you warm

While cold temperatures mean higher heating bills, don’t forget some easy steps to make your home more energy and cost-effective this winter.

Energy dollars can pour out of your living space through drafty doors and windows, as well as unused portions of the home. Vera Water and Power encourages you to make a small investment of time for big dividends in keeping your home or apartment warm and cost efficient this winter.

Costs associated with heating and cooling account about 44 percent of utility bills. Lowering the thermostat is the easiest way to save energy. Adjust the temperature 5 to 8 degrees when you are away from home or sleeping and keep it to the lowest comfortable level when at home. Consider installing a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature day and night.

Use these 11 tips to help cut costs and improve heating efficiency and safety:

1. Replace your furnace filter every month to save energy and improve heat circulation. Consider having a professional check and service your furnace system to ensure peak efficiency and safety.
2. Use sunlight’s natural heat to your best advantage. Open curtains and blinds on sunny days to let the sunlight warm your home and close them on gloomy days and at night to keep the heat inside.
3. Close your fireplace damper when you are not using the fireplace to prevent heat from escaping and cold from entering through your chimney.
4. If there is a cold air return, you can close the vent and door for rooms you do not use. Experts say without a cold air return, closing off a room can build up pressures that cause the furnace to work harder.
5. If you have older or leaky windows, consider temporary fixes, such as plastic film kits that create the effect of an interior storm window.
6. Weather stripping is relatively easy and available at your local home improvement store. Stop drafts from coming in and heat from leaking out of your home through drafty doors and windows. You could save up to 10 percent of your heating costs by eliminating those leaks.
7. Use caulk to seal gaps in the walls of your home or apartment. Wherever different building materials meet, or wiring comes out of a wall, there are gaps that may contribute to the loss of heat in your home.
8. Invest in a water heater insulation blanket. If the top of the electric water heater is warm to the touch, you are wasting energy. This means that the heater must work even harder to heat the water in your home; and, therefore, it uses more energy.
9. Use electronic timers for lamps and appliances. Timers can be used to automatically turn appliances on and off. This is especially useful for those times of the day that you are out of the home.
10. Using a microwave to cook meals uses much less energy than a conventional oven.
11. Replace incandescent light bulbs with more efficient, LED ones that use significantly less energy and last substantially longer.