Prepare Your Home For Winter With Energy Saving Tips

December 15, 2022

Heating your home uses more energy and costs more money than any other system in your home, and typically makes up about 29% of your utility bill.  Regardless of what type of heating and cooling unit you have installed, proper maintenance and service are essential to keeping it running at full efficiency. Did you know that with proper equipment maintenance and upgrades, recommended insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can save about 30% on your energy bill while reducing environmental emissions? Read on to find helpful tips from the U.S. Department of Energy to prepare your home for cold winter temperatures. 

• Set your programmable thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and lower the set point when you're sleeping or away from home.
• Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as recommended.
• Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
• Eliminate trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if unsure about how to perform this task, contact a professional.
• Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing.
• During winter, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.

Buying new heating equipment?  Consider the costs of an energy-efficient model and ask your contractor for energy fact sheets on different types and models to help you compare energy usage. Find tips on efficiency standards, and how you can use a whole-house approach to further save on energy costs at energy.gov. 

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