On average, American household spends the largest chunk of their utility bill costs on heating bills. There are a range of simple changes you can make to your home that will make a big difference to your heating bills and even the more costly changes will save you money in the long time.
Simple Changes
The simplest and easiest way, to save money on your heating bill, is to think twice before you put the heating on; is it really that cold or will a jumper and a pair of fluffy socks do the trick. It might be a little trickier if you have children at home, but there is an increasingly wide range of onesies that children will love to wear in the evenings, and the adult ones are pretty cool too.
You can make your house or apartment feel warmer by having blinds and drapes open during the day; especially on south facing windows on sunny days. Closing the drapes again before or as it gets dark will help keep the warmth in your home.
Checks and Changes Around the Home
First thing you need to do ideally before the weather starts to get cold is check your heating system and your boiler and make sure they are in good working order for the winter ahead. In rented apartments, this might be included in your contract; it is worth checking as it could save you some money.
No matter how new your home is there are likely to be some cracks or holes where cold air can get in and spoil all your good work. Window and door frames are the two biggest culprits, and it is inexpensive and relatively quick to fit draft excluder around the edges of the frames; most hardware stores will stock rolls draft excluder and will usually have someone on hand who can advice you on what is right for you and the best way to fit it properly.
Fitting kitchen exhaust covers is another way to stop cold air from coming into your home. Again these can be sourced from hardware stores and most models come with magnetic catches so they are easy to put in place and remove when you need to use the exhaust.
Changing your drapes can have a huge impact on your heating bills. You need heavy, thick drapes in the winter that are a good fit to you windows; ideally they should fall below the bottom of the window and cover each edge. If new drapes are too expensive then you can buy backing material that can be sewn onto the back of your existing drapes; if sewing really isn’t your thing then you can buy webbing that can be ironed on and will hold the backing in place.
Slightly More Complex Changes
The first change only comes under this category because it can be very fiddly and you need to wait until your radiators are cold. When they are you can fit heat-resistant radiator reflectors between the radiator and the exterior walls; this will help trap the heat and bring it into the room rather than it being lost through the wall.
Having a programmable thermostat fitted will give you greater control over the temperature that your home is set to reach and times of the day that your heating comes on and goes off. Having this level of control means that you can have the heating off while you are in bed, but, then have coming on before you get up to go to work or organize the school run. It also saves you from heating a whole house during the day when the only one reaping the reward is the family pet who has his or her own central heating system permanently attached to them.
Insulation is one of the biggest ways in which you can save money. Insulation can be fitted into wall cavities, under floors and in attic spaces to keep the heat in and help you to save money. When looking for a tradesperson to fit your insulation, check them out with the Better Business Bureau, to make sure that you get the best for the job that needs to be done.
Saving Money
With heating bills sitting at 31% of your overall bill and energy prices being on the increase, the amount you can save shouldn’t be taken lightly, and anything you can do to make that percentage fall has to be worth the time and effort. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the options presented, to help you save money in the face of rising energy prices then step back, take a deep breath and choose just one thing that you can do. Start with the simple things; if you start with the onesy, a nice animal one with a hood and a face, you can save even more money. Amount of laughs for the whole family will provide you with so much heat that you will be able to adjust easily to slightly lower household temperatures, while having pleasant and fun family evenings.
