Vermont winters can be cold & hard to keep energy costs down. Here are some tips to help save money this winter.
1. Use Exhaust Fans Sparingly
Exhaust fans in your bathroom or kitchen area will pull the warm air out of your home or apartment. By using them less and remembering to shut them off when your done will save money on heating your home.
2. Get a Humidifier
During the winter your home can get very dry. Moist air will feel warmer and holds the heat much better. A humidifier will help you feel more comfortable even if your thermostat is set at a lower temperature, which will help save money on heating costs.
3. Heat the Rooms you Use
Do you have rooms in your house you don't use regularly? Consider closing off the heat vents and closing the doors to these rooms. Energy bills run, on average, $183 per month. By using a space heater in the rooms where you need it and setting the thermostat to 62 degrees, you can save approximately $200 each year.
4. Invest in Insulation
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs are lost each year due to escaping heat and cold air in homes without proper insulation. Get some inexpensive insulation from your home improvement store or have a local company install it for you, and cover up all those areas where heat might escape. Start with foam weather stripping for your doors and windows; it's cheap and is extremely easy to apply. You can also find expanding insulation foam to re-seal the edges of your windows if you have gaps or cold air coming in.
Check out how Cellulose Insulation and Tanguay Homes in Newport, VT can help insulate your home.
5. Use the Sun for Free Heat & Get Insulated Curtains
Open the curtains on your south-facing windows during winter days to bring free heat into your home. Close your window coverings when the sun goes down to keep the heat inside. Consider getting insulated curtains for your windows to keep the cold out at night or on those dreary days.
6. Bundle Up!
This is one of the easiest ways to save on your heating bill. Instead of turning the heat up, put on a cozy winter sweater and warm socks. Keep throw blankets on your couch, and add an area rug to insulate the floor. By keeping your feet warm you will feel a lot warmer as well, so grab those slippers!
7. Adjust the Thermostat at Night
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save about 10 percent per year on your heating bills by turning your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours. Consider investing in flannel sheets and a warm comforter for your bed and keeping your apartment cooler when you sleep. You can also install automatically controlled thermostats that are programmable to adjust the heat while you are away from home or sleeping which will help you save money on heating bills.
8. Leave the Oven Door Open after Baking
After baking cookies or making dinner in the oven, leave the door open a crack. There’s a lot of heat in that oven, so letting it escape puts the heat to good use by warming up the kitchen and surrounding rooms.
9. Use Your Ceiling Fans
Homes that have better ventilation and airflow can be more energy efficient in the winter months. If you have ceiling fans in your home, you have more control over ventilation. Ceiling fans can be used strategically to achieve better airflow: counter-clockwise will push hot air up in the summer and clockwise will trap heat inside to keep your rooms warmer during winter months.
10. Keep your Furnace Clean
Keeping your furnace and vents properly maintained will reduce energy consumption and help you save money. Check your furnace filter monthly, and replace it when it gets dirty.
11. Plastic Cover the Windows
Not all doors are used in the winter, nor are the windows, so plastic up the windows and doors that are going to go unused. There are window kits for sale for about $5 per window. These can help to eliminate drafts to keep in the heat! Can’t afford the kits or plastic sheeting? Hang up blankets to help insulate!
12. Insulate Your Attic
Cover up the attic entry with plastic, pieces of insulation, old blankets, weather stripping, saran wrap, painter drop cloth, or even a few old shirts. Any of it will help to slow, if not, stop, the drafts and warm air from floating away through your roof. Heat rises and may be getting pulled right up through the attic so you may not notice a cold draft even though your expensive hot air is floating away.
Check out how Cellulose Insulation and Tanguay Homes in Newport, VT can help insulate your attic.
