The dread that comes from seeing a heating bill in your mailbox is a feeling most people can relate to. However, there are easy ways to avoid that sickening feeling you have as you paid those despised heating bills. Instead of immediately expecting the worst, learn how to lower your heating bill by trying out some of these simple hacks.
If you’re trying to keep your home warmer this winter–without spending the big bucks doing so–you’ll be surprised as to how much you can do without spending a dime.
1. Don’t Block the Vents
This may sound simple, but as you clean and organize your home for the winter, your heating vents may get blocked. When the vents can’t breathe it impacts the flow of hot air. Your system may work overtime to try to get heat spread throughout your home, making your heating bill skyrocket. If you want to lower that heating bill, clearing your vents may help.
2. Get New Furnace Filters
Many new homeowners–or even building owners–often forget about these little things called furnace filters. When they aren’t changed regularly, they can easily become clogged and make your furnace work harder than necessary to heat your space. Set an alarm every winter to replace those filters or have your furnace looked at before the cold takes over.
3. Use a Door Draft Guard
Cold air can sneak in easily in the tiniest crack beneath or alongside a door. Pushing a door draft guard against the bottom of the doors that let in the most cold air is an easy way to prevent your heating bill from increasing. You can even make door draft guards yourself by placing rice or sand into a long, thin bag–or sock–and pushing it up against the bottom of your door.
4. Take Your Window AC Units Out
Many people keep their AC units in their windows year-round because they’re annoying to move. Even though they can stay in the windows through the winter, they are known for letting in lots of sneaky cold air. If you’re looking for one easy way to lower your heating bill, taking those window AC units out is a great first step.
5. Seal Windows and Doors
Using bubble wrap or plastic film around windows and door frames is an easy, budget-friendly way to insulate your home. There are insulation kits at almost every major retailer–and you can probably even borrow some from a friend who has extra laying around. You easily cut the material to size, tape it around the door or window, and use a heating device–such as a hairdryer–to seal it on.
6. Use an Electric Blanket
If you tend to be a colder person year-round and want to lessen what you pay for heating this winter, invest in a heated, electric blanket. An electric blanket is a great way to save on your heating bill because you can bring the blanket with you once it is charged and ready for use! If you get cold in the car, bring your blanket. If you work in a chilly office, the blanket can help. An electric blanket is a heat saver that you can bring wherever you go.
7. Reverse Your Ceiling Fan
This is a trick that will leave many people in awe–while also saving on the heating bill! Fans often turn in a clockwise motion to suck the warm air up and out during the summer. Changing the way the fan turns pushes warm air down, helping circulate heat through the home. Switching your ceiling fan so it runs in a counterclockwise motion could be a huge money-saver this winter!