Program and Forget the Thermostat
The easiest way to save on your heating or energy bill this winter is by simply setting your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees. Energy.gov states that you can save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling by just turn the thermostat down 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours of the day. It’s as easy as turning it down for the 8 hours you are asleep or while you are at work and then when you get home or wake up then you can turn it back up. Getting a programmable thermostat will make the process even easier.
Check your Insulation
Proper insulation can help you keep your home at a comfortable temperature year-round. Without proper insulation the air from inside your home can escape, making your HVAC system work harder, resulting in both increased energy usage and costs.
One of the most important places to have sufficient insulation is your attic. In the winter, proper attic insulation can prevent warm air from rising out of your home.
Use Rugs
Using rugs is a very simple way to trap the heat in and a great way to add a little of your own personal style to whatever you are. Adding rugs is an easy way to insulate the floors.
Reverse your ceiling fan
This is a not very well-known way of keeping your energy bill low, and it’s completely free. All you have to do is turn your ceiling fans in your home from counterclockwise to clockwise and set it to a low speed. What this will do is rather than creating airflow, your fan will push the warm air downward and circulate it around the room, making everyone in the room feel warmer.
Replace your Light bulbs
Traditional light bulbs consume a large amount of electricity and should be replaced as soon as you can, especially during the months when it is getting darker earlier and you end up using your lights much more often. Types of lights you can switch to would be halogen incandescent bulbs, compact fluorescent lights, and light-emitting diode bulbs. All of these types of light bulbs use anywhere from 25-80 percent less energy than traditional light bulbs, as a small bonus these types of light bulbs tend to last 3 to 25 times longer.
Insulate your electrical outlets
Electrical outlets and switches can be a large source of air leaks that many people don’t seem to notice. Especially now in the modern day where there will be at least 2 to 3 outlets in each room. This is an extremely easy fix, if you stop by a hardware store you can pick up some pre-made foam gaskets that should stop the large source of air leaks from the outlets. The final step would be to put some easily removable child safety plugs in less used wall outlets to stop any air leaks that may still be there.
Replace Your Old Windows
It is no secret that new replacement windows will save you energy and provide greater comfort within the house. The Environmental Protection Agency’s, EnergyStar program estimates that the average U.S. home can save $126 to $465 a year when replacing single-pane windows and $27 to $111 a year for double-panes, when you switch to a window with an EnergyStar-qualified replacement. However, this would only be for upgrading and not for new construction.
