7 Energy Saving Tips to Cut Down Your Home Heating Bills in Winter

The heating bills can increase as winter approaches. It’s possible that the heating bills get out of a hand and disturb your entire budget. But, the heating bills don’t have to be too high. You need to take a trip to your house and check if any problems are causing high heating bills. There are simple practices that can help you save money while keeping the house warm and cozy.

Here are some easy tips that will keep your house warm while maintaining the heating bills in check as well.

1. Make Sure Weather-Stripping is in Good Condition

If the weather-stripping around the doors is torn then, cold air can quickly enter the house. About 7 to 12 percent of heat loss of the home happens because of the space around the doors and windows. The leaks often force the homeowners to turn up the heat so that the house is comfortable. They cause warm air to escape and the furnace has to work extra hard to maintain a warm temperature. The weather-stripping needs to be replaced after a few years so that they can efficiently stop the cold air from entering the house.

2. Avoid Having Any Drafts Around Electrical Boxes

The electrical boxes which are present in exterior walls, are drafty because their insulation is not always correctly installed in the boxes. You can stop the leaks by removing the cover plates and filling small gaps with acrylic latex caulk. If the holes are large, then you can use a foam sealant. It will help in saving a lot of money and keep your home comfortable. It is just a small investment which is going to be very profitable in the long run.

3. Fill The Gaps in Exterior Wall

The areas where the pipes, electrical cables, and gas lines enter the house have gaps around it. These holes are often filled haphazardly with some caulk. But if the caulk is not high quality, it will crack and will eventually fall off. The gaps provide a passageway to the cold air, and it enters the house. You can prevent the outside air to enter the room by filling the gaps with expanding foam. By doing so, you will see a considerable decrease in the heating bills.

4. Benefits of Having A Portable Heater

You can lower the temperature of the furnace and put a portable heater in a place where family sits together. The temperature of rest of the house will be higher, but the living room will be warm and cozy. It will help in lowering the heating cost by about three percent. You will have to buy the heater but it is not very expensive, so the initial cost is balanced by the saving you will achieve in the heating bills. You can also look to compare the rates of services on platforms such as georgia natural gas prices.

5. Lower Heat Loss with Cost-Effective Plastic Film

Windows play a significant role in the overall heat loss of the house. You can prevent it by covering the windows with plastic film. It is a very effective way of decreasing the heat loss. The plastic film is also pretty cheap, so if it gets damaged, you can easily replace it. It won’t have any adverse effect on the trim of the windows, and you can quickly take it off as winter wears off.

6. Do Not Forget to Insulate The Attic Access Door

You may have insulated the attic completely but if the access door is not covered, it will let the warm air escape. It is important to make sure that the door is also covered so that there is no escape route for the hot air to get out of the house. You can use an adhesive and attach insulation known as the fiberglass batt to seal the door properly.

7. Keep The Thermostat Up to Date

You can save a lot on heating bills by using a programmable thermostat. It can automatically turn down the temperature when you are not at home or sleep, etc. They are not too expensive, and they are responsible for cutting the bills by ten percent or more. Buying a smart thermostat is an excellent way of saving on the heating bills.

These are some of the highly efficient and affordable ways to ensure that the heating bills do not get out of a hand.

Featured photo credit: Globalnews.ca via shawglobalnews.files.wordpress.com

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Source: Lifehack.org