5 ways to keep your home from freezing and reduce your heating bills

Ah, winter is back again. I live in a place that has real winters, including significant amounts of snow and sub-zero temperatures. And since I don’t like spending money on utility bills, I have a few tricks to help keep the costs in my checking account as minimal as possible. Here are 5 tips to reduce heating costs.

1. Check your heating system

Since we’re already well into winter, you can still take that first step, but it’s a good idea to go ahead and add it to your fall to-do list for the future. Call an HVAC technician to perform a complete inspection of your system. If there seems to be a problem, you can fix it before the coldest winter arrives.

In the meantime, buy a new furnace filter and throw away the old one. Depending on the exact nature of your particular heater, you may need to replace the filter monthly or seasonally. Ask your technician for recommendations. Furnace filters are not that expensive. I found multipacks of various sizes selling for about $30 at Home Depot. Replacing your furnace filter regularly can improve system performance and help heat your home more efficiently, while also preventing you from inhaling pollen, dust, and other debris that circulates inside your home through heating ducts and vents. .

2. Register budget claim

If you want a more predictable winter heating bill and have established a billing history at your current residence, consider opting for budget billing through your utility company. It works by averaging your usage from previous years, and you’ll be billed a set amount based on that. I signed up last year and the company still checks my meter and every few months the amount I pay changes (based on estimated and actual usage and energy costs).

These measures won’t reduce the amount you’ll have to pay, but they will make it much more predictable, making it easier to budget for those heating bills. And since the changes are reflected over time, you won’t see big spikes in your bill. Before I signed up, they would charge me a normal rate in the fall as the weather gets colder, but once winter started they increased significantly. If you’re dreading opening your heating bill each month, it may be reducing your budget bills. Some of your anxiety.

3. Invest in a heater

I love space heaters, and since electricity is cheaper than gas where I live, I’m actually saving money by using them (and keeping them at 64 degrees). The secret to space heaters is to remember their limitations and play to their strengths. Works best in a single room. If you have a large open living and dining room, a small electric heater will have a hard time warming that much space appreciably.

So if you’re lucky enough to work from home, have one in your bedroom or home office instead. On a cold winter day, I closed my office door and turned on the heater. The cats appreciated that too and it didn’t take long for them to show up when the heater was turned on.

Some important safety tips for space heaters:

• Protect the device from falling.
• Don’t run it when you’re not in the room.
• Connect directly to the wall and not to an extension cord.
• Supervise pets and children closely.

4. Visit a hardware store

If you feel cold winter winds inside your home, your windows and doors may be leaking. If you own a home, you may want to set a goal to replace it (this is very useful for leveraging a home equity loan or line of credit). However, you still have options if you rent. Head to your favorite hardware store and invest in new door seals and weather strips to reduce or eliminate drafts, keeping cold air out and warm air in (which you’re paying for).

It is recommended that windows be sealed with plastic sheets. No, it won’t look good. But instead of chilling you to the bone, you’ll feel better when you hear the winter wind hitting the plastic. You can buy a kit containing pre-cut plastic and a roll of double-sided tape for less than $10 at Home Depot. Measure your windows in advance.

5. Organize your winter wardrobe

I certainly understand the urge to run around in shorts and a t-shirt when you’re at home, but winter is not the time to resort to this. Rather, I’d like to give dads some classic advice: Do not turn up the heating. Go wear a sweater.

Better yet, buy some fleece pajamas and cozy sweatshirts from your favorite department store for your holiday organizing. You can prevent freezing while you relax at home without paying big heating bills.

Winter heating costs can be a strain on your personal finances, but if you’re strategic, you can keep costs down by not having to install a bin in your living room. Stay warm and remember. There are only a few months left until spring.

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