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The winter season is a fun and exciting time filled with glittering snow, bright holiday lights, and warm comfort food. However, each of these can also run up your electricity and energy bills. As you want to balance your holiday fun with smart energy uses, it’s important to learn how to do so in a cost-effective way. These tips and tricks from Technolamp will help you save money and energy while keeping that holiday spirit throughout the chilly season.
Block Out Drafts
This winter, prepare to block out the freezing cold drafts to ensure your home stays warm by making a few simple and inexpensive changes. Consider installing some blackout drapes as they are made with a heavier material that can help keep drafts from escaping from the windows. They come in a wide variety of colors to suit your home decor needs. Similarly, add floor-length drapes called portieres between each of your rooms and walking areas in order to keep the warmth within each space. Outside of the house, try planting tall hedges to help reduce the strong winds from hitting your house.
Cook More Efficiently
The winter season is the perfect time for hot soups and special holiday meals. However, according to Direct Energy, much of the energy that is used in a home is due to cooking, refrigeration, hot water heating, and dishwashing. There are ways to cut down on these costs, such as not opening the oven to check on your food, as this can release heat out of the appliance; adjusting the oven to a lower temperature or turning it off the last few minutes of cooking; and making sure that your pans touch the stove top for direct contact (and throwing out the ones that are warped). Instead of always using an oven or stove, try cooking in your crock pot or Instant Pot as they use less energy.
Replace Your Furnace
Make sure your furnace is performing up to speed. If it’s not, it could be costing you a lot more money than necessary. You may need to buy a new one if it’s over fifteen years old, it makes a lot of noise, the temperature across rooms is significantly different, or your energy bills are consistently increasing. Consider replacing it to keep those bills low.
Make Small Home Changes
While big projects can help you save money, don’t overlook the smaller ones. Replace your old light bulbs with LEDs--including even your holiday lights--as they can use 75 percent less energy than regular light bulbs. Another simple trick includes switching your ceiling fan’s blade rotation as it can push the warm air from the ceiling back down towards the ground.
Dusting can actually help lower energy costs if you focus on cleaning the coils underneath your refrigerator. The more dust collected, the harder your refrigerator has to work. Finally, replace filters to keep your air-conditioning and heating units from working hard. A few simple and affordable switches can keep your house warm and your units from breaking down.
Be sure to check for leaks and other plumbing issues. Leaky pipes, toilets that don’t stop properly, and dripping faucets waste water, which drives up your water bill, so finding a reliable plumber makes sense. Finding someone with a good reputation is a must, so check websites like Angi and search “plumber near me” for the best results.
As the winter season comes at a glacial pace, keep these tips in mind to be ready for the cold weather. By focusing on key preparations now, you will keep your home warm and your wallet well-padded all season long.
Alice Robertson