The first thing to consider when it comes to reducing winter bills is that a little common sense goes a long way. When it comes to winter bills this translates into turning fans off when they aren't in use, turning down the thermostat, turning down the water heater, keeping the vents free of furniture, clothing, or rugs keeping warm air from blowing. Opening the curtains and allowing natural sunlight to stream into rooms will allow for less heat being used. Shut off rooms not being used, restrict use of fireplaces, and make sure all inside vents are closed. This alone will make a big difference in savings on heating bills. Simply turning down the thermostat one degree will save 3% on heating bills! Turning it down when at work or in bed can save an additional 16%! Imagine all these things combined being a problem. You could be paying far more than needed just by not employing common sense heating.
In addition to the common sense bill reducing actions, there are other practical measures that will help homeowners even further reduce the amount they are paying to heat homes. Investigate the homes for any small leaks causing cold air in, or hot air out. Do this by lighting an incense stick on a windy day and look for drafts. These generally occur in places like chimneys, around doors, and the like. Close spaces under doors, caulk windows, and apply outlet gaskets. In addition to this, homes with a duct system are particularly susceptible to losing heat. This is especially true if the home isn't well insulated, or if ducts aren't connected properly. This alone can cause up to a 60% loss of air.
For those who have heat on but can't seem to keep the house warm look in the crawl space, in the attic, and in any basement areas for disconnected ducts. Reconnect ducts if necessary. If anywhere in the duct system is releasing air wrap it with heavy metal backed tape. An aerosol seal can also be used. Protect ducts further by wrapping with duct insulation. Hire a professional for any areas near wires. Completing this will save a substantial amount on winter bills.
Wrap water heater pipes. Provide maintenance to heaters by changing filters, and ensuring it is working properly. This alone will save 3-10% on heating bills! In addition to these steps, winterize home windows, replace light bulbs, shower heads, hair dryers, or other items using more energy than is needed. An efficient shower head will use 25-50% less heat. Just with a few simple common sense changes, and providing a few winterizing measures homeowners can save significantly on winter heating bills, and have more money for holidays, saving for vacations, or enjoying a nice dinner or weekend out. This winter instead of throwing money away on wasted heat, save more money and more heat with these heat saving methods.