When the cold of winter sets in, it’s time to get creative to cut heating costs!
Keep Yourself Warm and Lower Your Heating Bill With These Tips
Everyone wants to save on their heating bill, so here are ten ways to cut heating costs and keep your home warmer in the cold season!
During the chilly months of late fall and winter, no matter what heat source you use—oil, gas, electricity, or wood—you can cut costs by adopting temporary measures to keep the thermostat turned down. Here are some money-saving tips for cutting the cost of cold snaps.
Note: Some of these tips are only appropriate for above-freezing cold snaps and are not advised for subfreezing temperatures.
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Keeping Down Heating Costs
- Keep doors and vents open in each room to keep air circulating properly in your home at the correct pressure. When heating your home, keeping doors and vents open is better. Closing them can make your heating system work harder and less efficiently and cause ductwork leaks or other issues. Move furniture back from the heating vents to get all the heat you’re paying for!
- Hang blankets over the windows at night. Get insulated curtains in your windows to trap heat.
Or, just tape or thumbtack the sides and bottom of blankets to the walls or windowsills to maximize the insulation value. (Press the tacks or tape under the bottom of the sill and over the top of the frame to hide any damage to the finish.) Remove the coverings on the south side of the house during the day to let in the warming sunlight. - Cover cracks around doors and windowsills with rugs, newspaper, towels, or other insulation. Window-sealing kits can be bought at hardware stores, too.
- Use energy-efficient electric space heaters in living or work areas. These are more efficient than the furnace for localized heating, allowing you to lower the thermostat for the whole house. Always be sure to use space heaters in open areas only.
- Put on layers. The real trick to staying warm is to dress in layers, so get a few pairs of long underwear and long-sleeve undershirts that you can wear in addition to your regular lounge clothes.
Don’t underestimate the heating power of a wool sweater! Don’t forget about the slippers! And if you’re really chilly, wear a cap or hat! - Add layers to your furniture. Don’t forget to add warm blankets to your sofa, flannel sheets on your bed, and even extra floor rugs (especially in the bathroom)!
- Change your furnace filter. A dirty filter increases your heating bill. It’s worthwhile to change your filter every month if needed! It goes without saying that the annual furnace tune-up is well worth the money saved.
- Lower the thermostat. For many heating systems, if you are home during the day, it is best to keep to the lowest comfortable temperature; an often recommended setting is 68°F. It makes sense (and cents) to lower the thermostat by about 8 to 10 degrees when you are asleep or away for several hours.
Tip: will make the adjustments for you. (Note: If you have a heat pump, a more moderate, constant setting works best, or use a programmable thermostat specifically designed for heat pumps.)
During extreme cold snaps, set your thermostat to a reasonable temperature that your furnace can handle (the furnace will work better at lower temperatures), and keep it at that temperature both day and night. (Remember that setting the thermostat higher than your goal won’t make the home heat faster.) If you plan to be away for a few days, set your thermostat no lower than 55°F, to help prevent water pipes from freezing during cold weather. - Check the damper. Shut the damper when the fireplace is not in use. Check the seals around the damper to make sure that they are tight.
- Drink a warm drink. Though consuming the hot liquid will only warm you marginally, holding a warm mug in your hands can really help! We love a mug of Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows!
See some great tips from ÃÛÌÒÁµÈË readers in the comments below.
Learn More
Get tips on keeping pipes from freezing in subfreezing temperatures, explore more ideas for staying warm in winter, and catch up on your winter weather terms so you know when storms are coming!
How do you save money on heat in your house during the winter? Comment and let us know!
Catherine Boeckmann
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Hi Gina, at one time we use to have our dryer in the cellar as well. I remember we would use a nylon stocking on the end of the hose. That way all of the lint would blow into the stocking and not everywhere, and you would still get the heat as well.
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i put an old pair of my wife panty hose over the end of the duct hose to catch the lint just be sure to clean on a regular basis
How did you get this setup? I've heard of it from other people as well, and it would be an amazing use of the heat already produced by the dryer.
Lowes.
I do this too. I bought a 'diverter' some years ago. It is a small box that inserts between your duct and the outside connection. It has a movable piece so you can change the air from going outside to going inside. Do not use with a gas dryer. I either sent away for it or got it at a home center; sorry can't remember which. Works great.
I put bubble rap on the windows. just spray a mist on the window and the rap will stay on all winter.
YES!!!!!!!! I've used bubble wrap for 3 years now. Here in the high desert of Arizona, with true autumn, winter, early spring weather colder than most people imagine. With single pane windows that wouldn't make sense in southern California. The bubble wrap is easy and worth it. I just covered 11 windows (maybe 3 hours total time) and a set of sliding glass doors for $9 (roll of bubble wrap on sale at an office supply place).
You can find instructions on youtube.
I used foam board in the windows. I draped fabric over the front ant the back to look like curtains on the inside and out; worked beautifully
Something my mother always did (and I continue to do) on cold days is - when baking/roasting something, leave the oven ajar after it's finished and shut off.
The excess heat seems to come more directly into the kitchen than if you leave it shut when you're done.
I remove the screens from my windows and wrap plastic sheeting around them and then re-install the screens. This creates a translucent "second window" with an insulating air gap between the glass pane and the screen. It also seals the window better since the plastic around the screen's frame makes it a tight fit and very little air flows around it. I know it is effective because the condensation I used to have on the windows, and resulting mold, has completely ceased to occur. My electric bill went down noticeably. I also installed good quality storm doors on my front and rear entrances.
