The average American homeowner spends more than $2,000 every year on utilities. During the wintertime, that includes about $150 to $200 every month for heating.
If you’re tired of spending a small fortune on your heating bill throughout the winter, there are some simple steps you can take to keep your heating costs low. You can save a lot of money by taking advantage of these cost-cutting measures.
Here are four ways you can save money on your heating bill this winter.
Turn Your Thermostat Down One or Two Degrees
Do you have your thermostat set to keep your home at around 70 degrees all winter long? Think about turning it down a couple of degrees.
There’s a good chance you won’t notice a huge difference between 70 degrees and 68 degrees. But it’ll make a big difference when it comes to your heating bill.
Get into the habit of layering up in your home and keeping the temperature a tiny bit lower to cut your heating costs.
Move Furniture Away From Your Home’s Vents
Are there couches, chairs, beds, and other pieces of furniture blocking some of the vents in your home? This could be taking more of a toll on your heating bill than you realize.
When the warm air produced by your HVAC system isn’t able to enter rooms because furniture is in the way, it’ll force your HVAC system to stay on longer to heat these rooms up. That’ll send your heating bill skyrocketing in a hurry.
Allow the Sun to Shine Into Your Home During the Day
You might not love sitting and looking out your home’s windows in the wintertime when it’s snowy and cold outside. But that doesn’t mean you should keep your blinds closed all winter.
Try to open your window treatments on sunny days in the winter to use the sun to heat your home up. The sun might not feel warm on your skin in the winter, but it’ll still deliver warmth to your home when you let it shine into your house.
Use Your Fireplace to Heat Your Home
If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace in your home, use it to its full potential once the temperatures drop in the winter!
Light your fire every night when you get home from school or work and use it to heat up your home. Unless you have a huge house, one fireplace can provide your home with almost all of the heat it needs.
Just make sure you have a chimney sweep clean your fireplace and chimney prior to the start of the winter season. It’ll ensure your fireplace is safe to use.
Don’t Get Stuck With a Huge Heating Bill This Winter
Surveys have shown that most people consider winter to be their least favorite season. They hate the freezing-cold temperatures, the snow, and everything else that comes along with winter weather.
They also hate the huge heating bill that they seem to face every month. It forces them to overspend to stay comfortable once winter begins.
Use the tips listed here to keep your heating costs to a minimum this winter. Check out our blog for more money-saving tips.