People may not always agree on whether winter is their favorite season of the year or not, but one thing everyone seems to concede is that they don’t like paying higher heating costs when the weather does get cooler.
To help you beat the cold weather home heating blues, here are a few tips on how to stay warm this winter without burning through a lot of money in the process.
The most effective way to save on heating costs (and cooling costs in the summer, for that matter) is to make sure your windows and doors don’t have any gaps that allow outside air in and that your home is properly insulated. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website (www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/insulation.html) offers a number of tips to help you decide how much insulation is needed in various parts of your home.
If you can’t afford all new energy-efficient windows and doors, or a professionally installed extra layer of insulation in your attic, there are still a number of things you can do to stay warm and still save energy.
For gaps and cracks around existing window or door frames, you can purchase expanding foam at almost any local hardware store. Expanding foam is an inexpensive and easy way to insulated these areas, and any amount of reduction in the cold air blowing in and warm air leaking out will be a big bonus for your wallet.
Once you’ve got your home “sealed up,” the next step is to set your thermostat to a comfortable level while you are at home and then turning it down while you are away and before you go to bed. Many experts agree that most central-system furnaces operate most efficiency when set between 68 and 72 degrees.
Important tip: If you have a central, forced-heat system, DO NOT close registers in unused rooms, as this could cause damage to your heating ducts and could actually put an additional strain on your furnace. Instead, if you want to lower the thermostat and get some radiant heat units to put in rooms that you occupy more frequently, you can effectively accomplish the same thing without damaging your heating system.
As for the heating system itself, it’s also a good practice to properly maintain the system by changing your air filters monthly and having the system inspected and cleaned yearly by a professional—to make sure that it is operating at peak efficiency. This not only aids in a smoother function and flow of air, it removes the risk of fire that can be caused by dust building around the air vents.
Additional tips to help keep you warm this winter:
• Get throw rugs for bare floors. The rugs will not only insulate against cold coming up from the floor, they’ll help keep your feet warmer.
• Dress in layers so you can remove clothing as you warm up.
• Drink warm beverages throughout the day.
• If you find that you are still constantly cold, wear a hat. You head acts somewhat like a chimney. By wearing a warm hat, you’re effectively keeping body heat from escaping.
