Cold temperatures have hit the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area in full force. Here are some tips to shave dollars off your energy bill this winter, while still being able to keep the temperature of your home warm and cozy.

Take Advantage Of “Free” Heat

Having a warm and toasty house doesn’t mean you have to run the heating system around the clock. Open the curtains or blinds on your sun-facing windows during the day. This allows natural sunlight and heat to come into the home, and can create quite a large temperature difference on a sunny day.

Be sure to close those same blinds and curtains at night once the sun goes down to reduce any chill from the windows and help keep the warmth in through the night (1).

Check The State Of Your Windows And Doors

If your windows or walls feel drafty, check for air leaks. Air leaks can occur around windows and doors. You can use caulk or weather stripping to seal air leaks and keep more of your warm air in, while keeping that brisk winter air out. Other places to check for leaks include holes where wires and cables enter your house, or around electrical outlets.

Additionally, you can install tight-fitting, insulating drapes or shades on your windows to lessen the amount of cold that can pass through the glass (1, 2, 3).

Add Insulation

The addition of insulation to outer walls can improve your warmth without leaving the heater running. Insulation works by keeping the cold out and the warm in. Start by checking the insulation levels in your attic. Improving the amount of insulation here will lessen the heat lost through the top of your house.

Air ducts are another structure that benefit from added insulation, especially if they travel through unheated spaces, such as the attic or basement, before reaching the outlet vent. Reducing air leaks and adding insulation can save you up to 10%, and in some cases more, on your heating bill (2).

Change Your Lighting

LED lightbulbs continue to become more affordable, and are now available in nearly any size or shape you could need. These lights still provide the same or better quality and performance for your lighting needs, but emit that light much more efficiently. This means less wasted energy, and less wasted money on your bill.

Energy Star certified LED bulbs can help you realize big energy savings. If you use energy-efficient lighting, it is one of the fastest ways to reduce your monthly energy bills, which is a plus! These bulbs last over 12 years, and use less energy the whole time they are installed and in use.

Case in point: if you replace your family’s five most frequently used bulbs with Energy Star models, it can save you around $75 per year, according to Energy.Gov. Imagine if you replaced the entire house. These same LED benefits can be extended to your holiday decorations as well: look for LED holiday light strings on sale to use for next year (2, 4)!

Don’t Forget About Those Filters

Check your air filter monthly. It could need changing this often, but should at least be changed when it becomes dirty. Not only will this keep you breathing cleaner air, clean filters allow the flow of air to move through your heating system more easily, meaning the warmed air reaches the vents and rooms of your house more easily. Clean filters also reduce the strain on your furnace itself, extending its useable life (3).

Maintenance Is Important

We’re here for your regular service and maintenance needs. Routine check-ups each year on your system allow us to find problems early and keep your unit functioning as efficiently as possible. Better efficiency means less cost to you. Give us a call at 859-491-4915.

Sources:

1. https://energy.gov/energysaver/fall-and-winter-energy-saving-tips
2. https://www.energystar.gov/products/heating_cooling/warm_energy_star_season
3. https://cashmoneylife.com/save-on-heating-bills/
4. https://energy.gov/energysaver/save-electricity-and-fuel/lighting-choices-save-you-money