Different seasons require different strategies to save money and reduce your energy waste! Stay cozy all winter long with these energy-saving tips.
- Lower the thermostat when you’re not at home. According to Energy.gov, you can save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling by turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting.
- Prevent cold from seeping into your home through your windows by installing weather stripping, using caulk, or cover windows in a thin sheet of film to keep the heat in.
- Make sure heat is circulating properly through your house by assuring that furniture and other items are not blocking heating vents.
- Space heaters are not always the most efficient machines when it comes to electrical use. You could consider upgrading yours to a newer, more energy-efficient model. Better yet, opt for more layers and lots of blankets instead of turning on a space heater.
- If you haven’t already, add insulation to your attic to reduce cold air leaks and loss of heat.
- Tune up your HVAC unit! Not only will this ensure that it’s running at peak performance, but it will help you to get more use out of your system and save you money.
- Lowering the temperature on your water heater to 120°F can cut down your heat costs by as much as 10%, and can prevent scalding. Also, turn your heater down to the lowest setting when you’ll be away from home for several days.
- Insulate your hot water pipes so that your water heater doesn’t have to work so hard!
- Did you know most ceiling fans have two rotation settings? Set your ceiling fan on a clockwise rotation to push the warm air back down!
- Pull back the shades on windows that our south-facing to soak up as much of the heat from the sun as possible! Just don’t forget to draw the curtains once night falls.
- Use exhaust fans sparingly. Your bathroom fans and oven hoods can replace the air with colder air from the outside.
- Switch your old incandescent light bulbs with LED ones. They use 75% less energy than traditional ones!
- Have a fireplace? Keep the damper closed unless a fire is going. If you never use the fireplace, plug and seal the flue.
- If you’re big into holiday decorations each year, invest in LED string lights to reduce the cost of powering them.
- Change your furnace filters once a month or more. Dirty filters lower the efficiency of your unit by making them work harder and run longer.
If you have a bigger project like new windows or insulation – come talk to our team at United Financial CU and they can help you with financing options.