How to Lower Your Heating Bill

Winter is on its way, which means your heater will be in use to keep your humble abode nice and warm. However, you don’t have to sacrifice your comfort for a lower heating bill. Check out these helpful tips to cut down your heating bill while still staying warm!

1. Use the Sun to Your Advantage
The sun can be your best tool to help warm up your home faster. The sun provides free heat to warm up your house and control the temperature throughout your residence. All you have to do is open the curtains to let the sun in and then close the curtains when the sung goes down, keeping the heat inside!

2. Layer Up
If you are always cold and don’t want to bump up the thermostat, then the easiest way to stay warm is to bundle up and wear layers. You don’t have to turn up the heat to stay nice and cozy. Just throw on an extra sweater or some comfy socks to stay nice and warm. You could also keep a lot of throw blankets around that you could use as well.

3. Reverse Your Ceiling Fan
Every winter and summer, you should change the direction that your ceiling fan rotates for better airflow and ventilation. In the summer, your fan should rotate counter-clockwise so that it pushes the hot air up, while in the winter the blades should run clockwise so that the hot air will be trapped inside to keep your room warmer. Just make sure to run the ceiling fan on low so that it gently pushes the hot air down without creating a breezy draft.

4. Adjust Your Thermostat Accordingly
You can save big time on your heating bill if you adjust your thermostat accordingly and turn it down 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours of the day. This can be during the day, when no one is occupying the house or during the night when everyone is sleeping. If you decide to turn the thermostat down during the night, you can invest in flannel sheets or a warmer comforter to stay warm during the cooler nights.

5. Heat the Rooms You Use, Not the Ones You Don’t
Are there rooms that you don’t typically use like guest rooms and large storage areas? You can easily save on your bill if you seal off the vents so these rooms aren’t being heated. By sealing off these rooms, you are directing the flow of air to the rooms that are used most often.

6. Keep an Eye on Your Furnace Filter
Making sure your furnace is clean and unblocked could reduce your heating bill. You’ll want to change your furnace filter monthly to reduce energy consumption and keep your furnace working properly.

7. Use a Humidifier
We all hate when it’s humid in the summer. Humidity makes it feel warmer and holds the heat better. That’s why you should invest in a humidifier for the winter months. Winter air is very dry. So when you use a humidifier it will add moisture to the air and make the room feel warmer!

8. Use a Portable Heater
Portable space heaters can help you save on your heating bill. If you buy a space heater and use it in the area that your family gathers, it will heat up the space and you can lower the thermostat. But, in order to use the portable heater you need to use electricity. If might cut into the overall savings by bumping up your electric bill, but it still saves you some of your hard earned cash!

Looking for a new home to move into? Check out Judd Builders! We’ve built many wonderful planned communities that fit the needs of today’s. There is bound to be a community that is the perfect fit for you and your family. If you have any questions or would like more information, feel free to reach out and contact us! We’d love to hear from you and answer all of your questions!