Now that the cooler temperatures are with us, the fear of an increased heating bill is real. Though every year you may do your best to cut your heating bill as much as possible, sometimes the best efforts don’t have the biggest impact. Luckily, isure has done the hard work for you and has culminated some of the most efficient ways you can reduce your home’s heating costs. Some of these tips are wholly practical, while others may have never even occurred to you. Here are our top seven tips to cut your heating bill:
1. Bubble wrap your windows
Some may or may not already know of the plastic film that can be installed over windows to help insulate them during the winter. Amazingly, bubble wrap can do even more to keep the cold out. With its little pockets of air, it can trap cold air that will usually go through your windows and into your home. Working in combination with plastic film, you will keep your home warmer! The only downside is you may not have an easy time looking out at the beautiful snowfalls that occur each year.
2. Drop the thermostat
Everybody knows that if you accept a colder temperature inside your house, it will result in savings. However, this doesn’t mean you have to turn your home into an igloo. You can drop the temperature significantly at night and when you leave for work or to run errands. Each degree you drop your thermostat, you will save roughly 1% every 8 hours.
If you’d like to go the extra mile with your thermostat, you can invest in a Smart Thermostat. These devices are super useful when it comes to saving money to the point where they practically pay for themselves in just under a year! These smart thermostats adjust themselves automatically depending on the time of day, time of year and temperature. For example, you can wake up to a warm house in the winter and when you leave for work, the Smart Thermostat will turn down the heat, saving you money. It also turns itself back on so that you come home to a warm home! All of this is done without touching your thermostat at all during the day. Not only does this make things easier and stress-free, but you’ll save money, as well!
3. Re-caulk where necessary
Giving your windows a re-caulking before the weather drops is an incredible way to cut costs on your heating bill and is surprisingly affordable! You have likely read the importance of making sure your doors and windows are caulked before, but we are here to reiterate! This is one of the best things you can do to save money on your heating bill as well as seal the warm air in and keep that cold air out.
4. Check your weatherstripping
An annoying draft is one of the most noticeable causes of heat loss in a home, particularly due to failed weatherstripping. Replacing your weatherstripping before the cold weather hits is a super simple task that will result in immediate improvements to your heating bill. Some doors have weatherstripping slots built right into them, allowing you to easily swap them out without hassle! However, if your door does not have them, self-adhesive strips are especially useful around the edges and the doorframe. Luckily, these are also super easy to install, so there’s no reason to wait on replacing your weatherstripping.
5. Insulate electrical boxes
Many people may not know, but your electrical box can be a big source of drafty cold air that exists behind your drywall. While the overall impact might not be massive at first, the cost to fix them is very minor. Some simple insulating pads can help you keep the cold air behind the walls.
6. Put more green in your home
A huge reason why a home feels colder in the winter is due to low humidity levels. To make your home feel warmer in the colder months without having to touch your thermostat, simply purchase more houseplants. If you have a higher amount of houseplants in your home, they will generate some humidity. This won’t cut the cost of your heating bill directly, but it will help you turn it down a degree or two! On top of this, any room with more houseplants is always more inviting.
7. Use your ceiling fan
Something many people may be unaware of when it comes to keeping your house warm is that you can make do with what you already have. If you have a ceiling fan in your home, change the rotational direction of it so that it spins clockwise. This pulls up more cold air, which causes it to mix in with hot air near the ceiling. When this happens, warm air gets pushed down to the centre of the room, making it feel warmer.
While you are doing these simple home upgrades to cut your heating bill, consider other ways you can be saving money. This includes bundling your home and auto policies! It’s entirely possible that you have been overpaying, so get a quote from us today.
