Five Ways to Stay Warm and Cut Your Heating Bills

Heating costs add up quickly, and controlling them by remaining chilly isn’t an appealing option. But with a little preparation and thought, it’s possible to be comfortable without driving up the energy bills by using these tips.

Bundle Up

Wear layers when you can to trap the warmest air where you need it. As you warm up, you can always remove a layer to remain comfortable.

Although cotton is a natural and comfortable fabric, use care wearing it when you expect to get it wet. It’s cold until it dries. Better choices are wool and wool blends, which stay warm when wet. Down is another material to use cautiously when you’re exposing it to water. It dries slowly and loses its insulating properties when it’s soaked.

Seal the Drafts

Go through your home carefully looking for the air leaks that let cold air in and warm air out. A professional HVAC contractor or licensed energy auditor can conduct an energy audit that will find the leaks for you quickly. You can also conduct your own audit by closing all the exterior doors and windows and turning on the exhaust fans in the bathroom and kitchen. Walk around the exterior with a burning incense stick and note where the smoke flutters, which indicates an air leak. Mark those areas on a drawing of your floor plan and seal them with caulk or expanding foam later. You can apply fresh weather stripping to the windows and door frames.

Use Supplemental Heat

An electric space heater will warm a space comfortably without having to turn up the heat for the rest of the home. Space heaters are useful in places that are colder than others and where you don’t need heat constantly. An electric heater puts out clean, consistent and safe heat with a minimal investment in equipment and fuel.

It makes a lot of sense to use supplemental space heating instead of enlarging the size of your HVAC system to heat rooms you seldom use. It’s hard on HVAC systems to block off registers because it alters the air pressure inside the ductwork and the system. Between the ductwork leaks, the higher air pressure created and the mechanical problems inside the HVAC system, it’s more sensible to use a supplemental electric heater.

Keep the Floors Warm

If your home has hard surface floors, you may notice that they’re cooler than carpeted floors. There are several ways you can increase their comfort. You can put throw rugs down to retain heat, which makes it more comfortable for small children and your pets. The second way to increase comfort and save energy is to insulate the basement ceiling so that cold air won’t penetrate into the floor above.

Cook at Home

Soups and stews take a minimal amount of attention and their gentle simmering on the stove for hours adds heat to the house and extra humidity. More water vapor in the air makes the air feel warmer, which increases your comfort. You’ll also save a good deal of money by cooking your own food instead of eating takeout or prepared food. Home cooked food is generally healthier and once you’ve got the hang of it, better tasting. If you’re a total novice, you can take classes, watch online videos and use cookbooks to get started. If you’re lucky, you may find a cooking coach near you who offers classes.

Bottom Line

Saving money and energy isn’t hard and sacrificing your comfort doesn’t have to be part of the solution. Making your home more energy efficient and using power wisely will save energy and keep you warmer at the same time.