Frugal Heating Tips & Preparing the Inside of Your Home for the Cold Winter

The cold winter months can mean a significant increase in anyone's electric bill. With a little work and a few quick tips, next months electric bill could be considerably lower.

Frugal Fan Tips:

Ceiling fans are a useful tool to keep the house warm. Heat Rises and the ceiling fans push the heat back down. That will produce a notable difference in the temperature as perceived in the room.

Ventilating fans: can be found in the kitchen and bathroom. Consider that in as little as one hour they can suck the majority of the heat out of your home. These fans should be used as necessary, but not kept running for any prolonged period of time.

Floors:

Placing rugs on wooden floors in winter time can help the body feel warmer. Stepping on a cold floor sends chills up the spine and no one wants that to happen. Another good purchase would be warm socks and/or slippers.

Clothes:

Wearing proper indoor clothes in order to keep the thermostat at an acceptable level is a comfort issue that should be measured by each individual's need. If one feels comfortable with a sweater, hat and warm socks, that could work as a way to reduce the heating costs. However, if it makes someone uncomfortable with all that gear around the house then they may need to focus on other aspects of frugal heating tips. Quick fact: 50% of your body heat exits through the head.

Doors:

Install weather stripping on outside doors. It is sold at most home stores and is simple to install. If, after the weather stripping is installed a little air still seeps into the home then at night tuck a blanket along the bottom frame. This will stop some of the cold air from entering or the heated air from leaving the residence.

Windows:

Install weather stripping along the windows. On the outside of the windows place plastic sheeting over the windows. The blinds are also a great controller of heat. With windows facing the south side, open the blinds during the day to let the heat warm up the rooms. As night falls closes all blinds to keep the warmth in.

Fireplace:

Close the damper to the fireplace when not in use.

Frugal Fanatic Tip:

Shop around for different utility companies at lowermybills.com. Switching providers could save a lot of money.

Preparing the Inside of Your Home for Winter

Properly preparing your home for the winter months can save hundreds of dollars on the utility bill. Sound too good to be true? Here’s a little fact for the non-believers: A 1/4” gap at the threshold of a door has the same effect on heat loss as a 4” hole in the wall. This article will focus on simple ways to prepare your home for the cold weather.

Windows:

If you can buy new windows that is great. These tips are for the rest of us with less than perfectly insulated windows.

• Block the flow of cold air into your home by installing a clear plastic film across the inside of your windows and frames. Use a blow dryer to heat the plastic. The trapped pocket of air between the plastic film and the window acts as an effective insulator. This technique can help reduce heat loss through the window by 35 percent.
• Caulk can be used in the window cracks during the winter to reduce cold air sneaking in.

Install a Programmable Thermostat:

Turning your thermostat from 72°F down to 65°F at night while you sleep can save 8-10 percent on your annual heating costs. The thermostat generally pays for itself within the first year.

Insulate Pipes:

Insulated hot water pipes keep water warmer longer. As a result, heaters will not have to work as hard.

Wall Outlets:

Outside air comes in around the openings of the wall outlets. Install foam precut pads behind the plates. Most hardware stores carry them.

Outer Doors:

• Check the seal around exterior doors. Air leaks around the doorstops and thresholds are a major source of cold air infiltration.
• The rubber insert on thresholds tends to get hard as they age which allows cold air to come inside the home. Most thresholds can simply be removed and a new rubber insert threaded in.

Seal the Ducts:

If you have small cracks or holes in your air ducts, warm air from the furnace can escape into the attic or basement before it reaches its intended destination. This makes the furnace work overtime to keep the rest of the house warm. Use duct tape to repair holes.

The Furnace:

• Have your furnace evaluated every year or two. The cleaner and more efficient they are the more energy they save. A properly adjusted furnace can save 10% in fuel consumption.
• Clean or replace filters on forced-air furnaces at least once a winter.

Water Heater:

Place a heater insulation blanket on the water tank to save 5%-8% of energy on your utility bill. Isolation kits can be found in hardware stores and usually pay for themselves in 4 months.

Frugal Fanatic Tip:

Close vents to rooms not in use. Why heat if no one is in them?