13 Tips To Keep Your Energy Bills Low This Winter

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As the temperatures drop, our energy bills often go up. But the good news is you don’t have to choose between bundling up indoors or paying sky-high heating costs. With some simple adjustments and upgrades around your home, you can increase efficiency and maintain a cozy indoor climate without draining your wallet.

Here are 13 tips to keep your energy bills low this winter. 

Let Bright Sunshine In During Daylight Hours  

Open blinds and curtains to take advantage of the sun’s free warmth. The greenhouse effect enables sunlight streaming in through windows to heat your home naturally at no cost.

Close Window Curtains and Blinds at Night

While sunlight can warm things up during the day, windows also promote heat transfer from your home once the sun goes down. Trapping that warmth inside by closing insulated curtains and blinds at night helps retain more heat.  

Program and Adjust the Thermostat 

Dialing back your thermostat 7-10°F for 8 hours daily can trim 10% off heating bills. Install a smart or programmable thermostat to regulate the temperature better according to your schedule. Program it to automatically reduce heating when asleep or away. Turning it down just a few degrees cooler than usual can also lead to added savings.

You can also upgrade to programmable models, which automatically adjust temperatures for you based on customizable schedules. Smart thermostats learn habits and preferences to optimize heating rates for comfort and savings.

Insulate Attics, Walls, and Basements 

Heat rises, meaning much of the warmth can escape through the attic. An insufficient layer of insulation in the floors and walls also enables heat transfer to cooler outdoor temperatures. As a result, up to 30% of a home’s heat can be lost due to poor insulation. Adding extra insulation in the attic, walls and basement can be a worthwhile upgrade, resulting in dramatic efficiency gains. Thoroughly seal any crevices, cracks and holes with caulk or foam sealant to prevent heat loss.

Close Off and Seal Unused Spaces  

Don’t bother heating rarely-used rooms, storage spaces or guest bedrooms during winter. Close them off and close vents to prevent wasting money warming unused areas.  

Seal Air Leaks Around Doors and Windows

One of the easiest and most effective ways to boost energy efficiency is by sealing any air leaks that allow warm indoor air to escape and invite cold outdoor air inside. Carefully check around doors and windows for potential gaps. Apply weatherstripping around movable joints to cut down on drafts. Caulk and foam sealant can also be used to plug holes, cracks and gaps in exterior walls. Reducing air infiltration can lead to a 10-20% savings on heating and cooling costs over time.

Caulk and Weatherstrip Exterior Doors

Because doors move and shift, they tend to leak more than walls. Ensure exterior doors are sealed tightly shut by installing or replacing weatherstripping around the edges and door sweeps along the bottom.

Cover Bare Floors  

Adding area rugs over cold tile and wood provides an extra insulation layer. The padding and fabric trap heat against the floor surfaces so feet stay warmer.

Use Space Heaters Strategically 

Rather than cranking up central heating to stay comfortable, use an energy-efficient space heater to directly warm your room. Turn central heating down and rely on zone heating where and when needed.

Check and Routinely Change Air Filters

Dirty air filters restrict airflow, causing HVAC systems to run less efficiently and work harder to keep your home heated. This leads to higher energy consumption and expenses over time. Check filters monthly and replace them if they appear dirty. Make changing air filters a routine maintenance every three months to support peak efficiency.

Reverse Ceiling Fan Direction in Cold Months 

Many don’t realize that ceiling fans can also be useful during winter. Set the fan to spin slowly clockwise, which pushes warm air near the ceiling down into occupied areas of the room. This helps redistribute and better circulate heat so it feels warmer inside. Just take care to turn fans off when rooms aren’t occupied.

Leave the Oven Door Open After Baking 

While you shouldn’t use the oven just for heat, leaving the door ajar after baking to release residual warmth into the kitchen can supplement central heating efforts. Bonus: It helps your house smell delicious! 

Replace Old Light Bulbs with LEDs  

Switch out inefficient incandescent bulbs with ultra-long-lasting and energy-saving LEDs. Use an outdoor LED holiday light display to decorate for the season at a fraction of the energy cost.

With a few DIY efficiency tweaks around your home, you can stay toasty warm this winter without cranking up the heat or energy costs. Visiting Energy.gov to check incentives and rebates to help finance bigger upgrades is a good idea.

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