Thrifty Mommy

Top 10 Ways to Save on Your Winter Heating Bill

by Karen on December 28th, 2006

Do you feel like the guy in this picture?  Do you feel like you’re wasting energy and throwing money out the window?  Below are some things you can try to reduce your winter heating bill.  Some of these ideas can save you 20%. 

1.  Open blinds during the winter.  This allows the heat from the sun to come in and warm up your house. Close blinds or curtains at night.

2.  Change filters every month.  Dirty filters can increase your bills by 20% each month.  Ouch!  Also, get a “tune up” for your furnace.  You will save money if it is working properly.

3.  Try to keep your furnace on 68 degrees.

4.  Make sure your fireplace damper fits properly and close it when not in use.  Leaving a damper open can suck a lot of heat out of your home.  Install a glass door fireplace screen.

5.  Put caulking and weather strips around doors and windows.  Put plastic sheeting around older windows or windows that have a draft.

6.  If you’re going away for a few days, turn your thermostat down to about 55 degrees. 

7.  Put your thermostat on a timer.  Have the temperature drop 2-3 degrees while you’re gone to work and set it to warm back up before you arrive at home.

8.  Consider replacing some things in your home that are not energy efficient.  Homeowners have until the end of 2007 to take advantage of a one time $500 energy conservation tax credit.  Check out the IRS website for more information. 

9.  Close the vents and the door to unused rooms.  We quit heating and cooling our basement.  It’s a bit chilly down there, but we’re not in the basement for very long anyway.

10.  If possible, remove window air conditioner units during the winter.  These let a lot of cold air into your home.

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POSTED IN: Top 10 lists, energy saving, frugal living, money saving idea