15 Tips For Lowering Your Energy Bill This Winter

More electricity is being used during winter because people want to take a warm shower and feel warm using electric blankets and heaters. The more electricity is consumed, the higher your electricity bill will be. Winter break also means children are on vacation and home from school. Families spend more time indoors in wintertime and watch TV, use lights, and other gadgets to keep them warm and entertained.

In this article, you will learn important tips to lower your energy bill during winter. 

1. Close Curtains And Blinds At Sunset

To keep your home warm, stop heat from escaping your home as the sun goes down. Windows allow more than 40 percent of the warm air leak out of your home. During the day, you can open up the curtains and blinds to let the sunshine in. 

2. Invest InThermal Blinds

Thermal blinds are energy-efficient which can help you reduce your energy bill. This type of blind has dense fabrics which can be blackout or thermal lining. 

Here’s how thermal blinds work:

1. It traps heat inside the home in cold winter months. Thermal blinds effectively prevent heat loss because of its insulating properties. 
2. During summer, thermal blinds block the heat coming from the outside to keep your home cool.
3. Thermal blinds or blackout roman blinds have a white backing, controlling thermal radiation called solar reflective blinds. It reflects light away to keep your home cooler.

3. Upgrade And Lower Your Thermostat

Invest in a programmable thermostat so you can customize your heating schedule. This way, you can save more money on your electricity bill. A smart thermostat provides more energy-saving options so you can control your HVAC system using your smartphone wherever you are.

As a rule, set your thermostat at a temperature that feels comfortable for everyone. Don’t forget that by reducing the temperature inside your home by about one or two degrees, you can already save a great amount of money on heating bills.

4. Check The Parts

Maintain proper airflow of your HVAC system by cleaning or changing your filters. Make sure that you’re using the right filters compatible with your system. Also, make sure that the vents are not blocked by furniture to ensure proper circulation of warm air. 

5. Don’t Heat Uninsulated Rooms

Uninsulated places, like crawlspaces and garages, should not be heated anymore to lower your energy bill. Also, it’s a good idea to only heat the areas you are using. Close the doors of unused rooms to reduce the heated area.

6. Call An HVAC Professional 

Regular HVAC maintenance is a must to assess the health of your HVAC system. Choose an experienced HVAC professional with a physical address to make sure you’re dealing with a legitimate HVAC company. Here’s how an HVAC professional can help you:

• Conduct professional HVAC assessment.
• Repair your HVAC system.
• Replace HVAC components.
• Provide expert advice on HVAC management.Recharge Gadgets At Night

7. Recharge Gadgets At Night

Recharging your gadgets, like your tablets, smartphones, and laptops, at night will save you more money because electricity usage is lower during off-peak periods.

8. Ensure Good Insulation 

Good insulation will help you stay comfortable all year-round. Make sure that your attic has enough floor insulation to prevent warm air from escaping from the house. Check also for cracks, holes, or damages in your insulation.

9. Schedule Usage Of Large Appliances 

Using large appliances can be energy-consuming, so it is best to schedule usage to monitor and control electricity expenditure to lower your electricity bill. Also, make sure that your large appliances are also regularly maintained. It will help you save money on costly repairs or component replacement.

10. Use Smart Lighting

It is best to use light-emitting diode or LED bulbs than incandescent bulbs because they use 75 percent less energy. Also, it’s a good habit to turn off the lights whenever you leave a room. For appliances, like televisions, being on standby mode still uses energy. It is best to switch the plug off the socket to save on your electricity bill.

11. Seal Windows And Doors

Windows and doors may cause a draft inside the home. Install weather stripping and replace the seals. One trick you can do to assess the seals is placing a dollar bill between the window or door, and close it. Being able to easily pull the paper bill out means you have to replace the seal.

12. Keep Showers Brief

Hot water usage makes up a significant amount of your total energy bill. As much as possible, shorter showers result in bigger savings over time.

13. Use A Laptop Rather Than A Desktop

Instead of using a desktop, using a laptop is more energy-efficient. Desktops tend to consume more energy as compared to laptops because desktops must be permanently plugged in. On the other hand, laptops have a battery. A larger screen desktop monitor is more costly to operate so smaller screen monitors save more energy.  

14. Use Appliances At Their Full Capacity 

Operate appliances when they’re at full capacity. For instance, fully load your dishwasher or washing machine to save on power and water costs. It would be a good practice to buy energy-saving appliances with a higher energy rating. For instance, inverter heating appliances come with an auto thermostat regulator. Once your desired temperature is attained, the appliance will stop cycling, thus reducing your energy expenditure.

15. Keep Yourself Aware Of Your Energy Expenditure

Consciously monitoring your energy expenditure is a must to help save on energy bills. Teach your loved ones to do the same. It’s a good idea to compute your average winter energy consumption using an electricity calculator. You can find one available online via electric provider websites. 

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many ways to lower your energy bill during winter. Make sure to keep your doors, windows, and attics well sealed and insulated. Check your HVAC system’s filters, vents, and other important components to find out if they are functioning properly. If not, contact an HVAC professional to repair or replace the parts of your HVAC system.