Washington winters can drive heating costs up fast, but there are simple, low-cost ways homeowners and renters can reduce wasted heat and lower their winter heating bills. If your home is not being heated efficiently, you are essentially letting your hard earned dollars escape into the air as wasted energy.
What are some simple and inexpensive ways that you can cut down your heating expenses this winter and save yourself some money?
If you work from home and are spending eight hours of the day sitting in your home office, there is no need to keep the rest of the house toasty warm. If you have heaters that you can turn on and off for each room, you can direct the heat to the room that you are using.
If you have a spare bedroom, you don’t even have to heat it at all unless a guest is coming to stay over.
Rather than heating your home throughout the day and wasting heat and energy when you don’t really need it, turn down the temperature when you’re not home all day at work. If you install a programmable thermostat, you can program it to turn the temperature back up about a half hour before you get home so the interior is nice and cozy. You can save plenty of energy and money with smart gadgets like these.
If the air filter on your furnace is old, dirty, or clogged, it can block airflow and make your heating system work harder than it should. That wastes energy, can raise your utility bill, and may put extra wear on the furnace over time.
A basic filter change is usually a simple, low-cost maintenance task. Check whether the filter looks dusty or clogged and clean or replace it on a regular basis based on your system’s needs. If airflow still seems weak after changing the filter, or if your furnace is making unusual noises, cycling oddly, or not heating properly, it is best to stop troubleshooting and have it inspected by a professional.
You might think that turning on your ceiling fans in order to save money on heating makes no sense, but hear me out on this one. When you turn on your fans in reverse, they will actually draw the warm air throughout the house – helping to circulate it and keep it warmer. This can take a load off your furnace.
You can heat up your interior as much as you want, but if there are leaks in doors and windows, a lot of that heated air will be lost. Make sure you seal up any leaks or cracks that could be allowing heated air to escape and cold air to get in.
If you live in a cold climate and you can walk around your house in a t-shirt and shorts comfortably, you’re wasting money! If you wear warm clothing indoors during the winter, you will be able to keep your thermostat several degrees cooler and you will save yourself a lot of money over the winter.
Some heating-bill problems are safe and practical to handle yourself, such as adjusting your thermostat schedule, sealing small window or door drafts, dressing warmer indoors, or replacing a basic furnace filter. These are good first steps for both homeowners and renters.
If the furnace is not heating properly, airflow stays poor after a filter change, the system is making unusual sounds, or you suspect a larger repair issue, it is time to call an HVAC professional. If you rent, contact your landlord or property manager rather than trying to repair the heating system yourself.
These are just a few simple ways that you can reduce the heating costs for your property this winter. For more helpful tips and advice, feel free to contact your trusted mortgage professional.
For our last blog post on home tips, check out “How To Build An Outdoor Fire Pit” and continue making improvements and smart choices for your home!
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Simple ways to cut winter heating costs include only heating the rooms you are using, using a programmable thermostat, checking and replacing a dirty furnace filter, sealing air leaks around windows and doors, running a ceiling fan in reverse to circulate warm air, and dressing warmer indoors so you can keep the thermostat lower.
Yes. Renters can usually use practical low-cost steps such as adjusting the thermostat schedule, heating only the rooms they use when possible, sealing small drafts, using a ceiling fan in reverse, and dressing warmer indoors. If there is a problem with the heating system itself, renters should contact the landlord or property manager instead of trying to repair it themselves.
Winter electric bills can rise when a home is being heated inefficiently and heat is being wasted. Common causes mentioned here include heating rooms that are not being used, running the heat when nobody is home, losing warm air through leaky windows and doors, and reduced furnace efficiency from a dirty or clogged filter.
A high winter gas bill can happen when the heating system has to work harder than necessary. Heating unused rooms, leaving the temperature up all day, poor airflow from a dirty furnace filter, and warm air escaping through gaps around windows and doors can all increase heating costs.
One of the cheapest approaches is to reduce wasted heat rather than trying to generate more of it. Heating only the rooms you use, lowering the thermostat when you are away, sealing drafts, maintaining the furnace filter, and wearing warmer clothing indoors can all help lower heating costs without major upgrades.
Yes. Running a ceiling fan in reverse can help draw and circulate warm air through the house. That can help rooms feel more evenly heated and may reduce some of the workload on the furnace.
The filter should be checked regularly and cleaned or replaced based on what your system needs. If the filter looks dusty or clogged, it should be addressed because restricted airflow can waste energy, raise utility bills, and put extra wear on the furnace.
A low-cost way to reduce heat loss is to seal leaks or cracks around windows and doors. This helps keep warm air inside and cold air out, which can reduce how hard the heating system has to work.
DIY steps are generally appropriate for things like adjusting the thermostat schedule, sealing small drafts, dressing warmer, or replacing a basic furnace filter. If the furnace is not heating properly, airflow is still poor after a filter change, the system is making unusual noises, cycling oddly, or you suspect a larger repair issue, it is time to call an HVAC professional.
Yes. A programmable thermostat can help reduce wasted heat by lowering the temperature when nobody is home and bringing it back up before people return. That makes it easier to stay comfortable while using less energy during the day.
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