As temperatures drop, you might be tempted to crank up the heat to stay warm and cozy in your home. But with heating costs on the rise, this could lead to utility bill sticker shock.
This fall and winter, home heating costs are expected to go up by 10.5% on average due to colder temperatures forecasted for parts of the country, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA). Costs could be even higher depending on your home’s heat source.
Here NEADA’s predictions for heating costs this season:
- $644 for heating with natural gas (up 7.2%)
- $1,208 for heating with electricity (up 13.6%)
- $1,42 for heating with propane (up 7.3%)
- $1,963 for heating with heating oil (up 6.1%)
Those numbers may drive you to turn down the thermostat and pull out your bulky sweaters. Here are nine ways to stay toasty and to stave off the cold without breaking the bank this winter.
1
Get the right thermostat to heat up your savings.
If you install a smart thermostat, you could trim an average of 8% off your utility bills without sacrificing comfort. Smart thermostats work by using motion sensors or geofencing technology to detect when no one’s home and turn down the heat until you return.
Old-fashioned programmable thermostats also can help you save by allowing you to automatically turn down the heat when you’re away, but a smart thermostat generally is more user-friendly. Don’t want to come home to a freezing cold house? You can turn up the heat just before you head towards home. (Bonus: you might be able to get a rebate for installing a smart thermostat, and some devices have mechanisms in place to prevent your pipes from freezing in extremely cold weather.)
2
Banish drafts to keep the heat inside your home.
If you have a drafty home, you know that even blasting the heat might not be enough to keep you warm. Identifying and sealing air leaks can save you 10% or more on your heating bill this winter. You can hire a professional to perform a full energy assessment or you can do a DIY inspection for air leaks. If you go the DIY route, check for drafts coming from these areas:
- Attic hatches
- Baseboards
- Doorframes
- Dryer vent areas
- Electrical outlets
- Fireplace dampers
- Wall or window AC units
- Wiring holes for cable TV
You can check visually, feel for drafts with your hand or hold up a candle to see if the flame flickers. You can use caulk and weatherstripping to plug some leaks, and you may want to consider installing storm windows. If that’s not in your budget and you’re losing heat through drafty windows, applying shrink-to-fit plastic wrap over your windows can be an easy, affordable way to minimize drafts and keep your home toasty warm.
3
Invest in energy-efficient window coverings.
Do you have sheer curtains or flimsy shades on your windows? If you chose your window coverings based mainly on looks or cost, you might want to invest in energy-efficient window coverings to prevent heat loss this winter. There are a variety of options, including:
- Thick drapes. Substantial drapes, kept closed at night and during the day when the sun is not shining, can reduce heat loss by up to 10% and make a room feel warmer. For maximum warmth, drapery should hang as close to the window as possible and stretch from ceiling to floor. Use velcro to attach drapes to the wall for a better seal.
- Insulated cellular shades. In cold weather, tight fitting insulated cellular shades can reduce heat loss by 40% or more, which translates to savings on your heating bill. Cellular shades with side tracks, which are vertical strips on either side of a window frame, improve the insulation of the shades by sealing out drafts.
- Window quilts. Window quilts offer an affordable option for an energy-efficient window covering. Window quilts generally roll up or down and can be fitted to the window with velcro, snaps or tracks for maximum effectiveness.
Energy efficient window coverings offer an affordable way to make your home feel warmer and to cut your energy bill this season.
4
Let the sun heat your home.
Most window coverings can be opened or closed, raised or lowered. And yet 75% of window coverings in U.S. homes stay in the same position all day, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Don’t make that mistake this winter: instead, open your window coverings during the day when the forecast calls for sunny weather, then close them to keep the heat in as the sun sets.
5
Keep humidity in check.
If your home is too humid, it will feel colder in fall and winter. Indoor humidity should ideally be between 30 and 50%, on the lower end in winter. Some smart thermostats offer built-in humidity readings, or you can buy an inexpensive humidity gauge at a hardware store.
If the humidity in your home is too high, run exhaust fans when showering, cooking and running the dishwasher, and purchase a dehumidifier if necessary. As a bonus, desiccant dehumidifiers release heat while operating, making a room feel warmer.
6
Turn down the heat at night while you sleep.
One way to save on heating costs is to lower the temperature in your home at night while you’re sleeping. You can save 10% a year on heating by turning the temperature down by 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours a day, according to DOE.
Stay warm at night with cozy comforters and thick socks. Consider a blanket or comforter made of natural material such as wool or down, which provides natural insulation by trapping warm air between the blanket or comforter and your body. If you go with down, look for a high fill factor (700 or higher) to keep you warmer.
Another option is an electric blanket or a heated mattress pad. If you go this route, purchase a new blanket or pad with modern safety features, such as automatic shutoff, and check it regularly for charred, frayed or worn spots or a damaged cord. Electric blankets cause about 500 fires a year, and these are almost always blankets more than 10 years old, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation.
7
Get in the zone with heat sources.
Ever heard of supplemental zone heating? The idea is that you can turn down the thermostat in your home and use a supplemental heat source—like an electric or gas fireplace–in the room where you spend the most time.
Electric fireplaces are affordable, easy to maintain and inexpensive to operate, costing an average of $50 to $80 a year to run. If you like to spend time outdoors in the cold, consider gas patio heaters to keep you warm.
8
Get cooking to warm up your home.
In heat of summer, you may turn to salads and grilling outdoors to avoid generating heat from the oven. As winter approaches, do the reverse: Pull out your recipes for baked goods, casseroles and roasts. Cooking with your oven can be a smart and tasty way to add extra warmth to your home in winter. Need inspiration? Try these hearty winter recipes that require you to fire up the oven.
9
Run your ceiling fans clockwise.
As the weather cools down, reverse the direction of your ceiling fan from counterclockwise to clockwise. Warm air rises, and running your fan in this direction pushes that warm air near the ceiling back down toward the ground. This will help keep you and the rest of your household toasty.
As you look for ways to save money on heating your home, take the time to audit of your other bills; check to make sure you’re getting the best home insurance rates and discounts.
Do you have a clever tip for staying warm this winter without breaking the bank? Drop a comment to share your advice.