Winter is here again and it’s time to prepare your home for the cold weather. With the extra costs for heating, winter electric bills can be a nightmare. But, with a few simple upgrades and preparations you can prevent expensive bills and make it through the winter without a huge dent in your wallet.
Winter means different things in different places. For example, here in Miami, Florida winter is a time to open the windows and enjoy the cool air from outside! In most places, though, that’s not feasible. If you live in a snowy region where it’s likely to be very cold throughout the entire season, you should keep your heating system running throughout the day on the lowest possible setting you can tolerate, and turn it up when you’re home in the evening. Setting your thermostat in the high 60s to mid 70s can still feel comfortable while not breaking the bank on heating costs.
If you also have a fireplace in your home, it’s likely more for fashion than for function. While it seems like a fireplace would keep your home warm without needing to turn on the heater, in most cases that isn’t so. Use the fireplace when you want to add some extra coziness to the atmosphere but not solely for the purpose of heating your home. Also, make sure that you close the damper completely when the fireplace isn’t in use to prevent cold air seeping in through the chimney, or warm air from getting out!
Insulation is key to preventing wasted electric costs on heating your home. Why pay money warm up your home, only to have the warm air leak out through inefficient windows and cracks in your home? Make sure that any rickety windows, gaps between baseboards and floors or spaces around the attic door are properly sealed up.
Another simple tip you can use to improve insulation and prevent cold air from getting in to your home is to install a small piece of foam behind the plates on your power outlets. The foam seals up the crack in the wall and keeps cold air from getting inside.
Of course, sealing up your windows is an old standby that can save you quite a lot! And, if you haven’t done one, it would be wise to perform (or have performed) an energy audit on your home to get an idea of things that should be repaired or fixed to provide extra energy savings.
Check out the infographic below for more energy saving tips and don’t forget to look at all of our energy-saving products here at electricsaver1200.com!