Winter is a lovely time of the year that brings along with it so many festivities. There are Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and of course New Year celebrations. We usually look forward to the winter season for spending some quality time cozying up in our homes with family and friends, celebrating the holiday spirit.
It’s no doubt that this season is one of the most beautiful ones of the year, and the first sight of snow is always absolutely amazing. But there is another side to this festive season, which is that it is also cold, it can get gloomy at times, and there is always a spike in our electrical and gas bills due to the constant need for heating.
To make sure that you stay excited in the winter season and your bills on the other hand don’t get too over-excited, here are some home heating hacks that are likely to cut back on your utility bills, and also save you from the hassle of having to get home heating repairs done.
These are 5 energy-saving heating hacks that will keep your home comfortable and at the same time won’t put a dent in your budget, at least by a significant amount.
1. Change Your Air Filters Regularly
When it comes to in-home heating repair hacks, changing your air filter regularly is the most useful and one of the least known tactics. To keep your home warmer your home heating and ventilation systems work extra hard in winter, collecting dust, pollution, and other particles that are present in the air, which end up clogging the filter. This reduces their efficiency which is why it is recommended that changing them once a month will make the air quality better, reducing indoor pollution and providing your home with proper heating.
2. Turn on the Fan
A simple but another less known home heating repair hack is to let your fan stay on. Yes, you read that right! Fans do not produce cool air but make use of existing air to create currents hence we feel colder in the summer season when our air conditioners are turned on as well. For the winter season, you can flip the blades so that airflow is directed upward so that it can help dispel the warm air that is collected on the ceiling.
3. Set Your Thermostat 10 Degrees Cooler
This is a hack for those times when you are stepping out and don’t want to come back to a cold home, so you make sure to leave the heating on as you head out every time. For this, we suggest you lower the temperature of your thermostat to 10 degrees lower than what you usually set it at. The change in the degrees will lower the per-unit power consumption, and eventually lower your monthly bill too while you still enjoy the benefit of returning to a cozy and warm home.
4. Lower the Water Heater
When you are in the shower have you ever had to switch to the cold side when the water is suddenly too hot? Well, the water heating system in your house works the same way. Most water heaters are installed at a usual setting of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. To make maximum use of its heating capacity, while simultaneously having to pay less, and also saving yourself from getting scaled while in the shower, we suggest you lower the temperature to 120 degrees. The water will still be plenty warm and it will also lower your heating bill at the same time.
5. Make Use of Your Oven
The oven is another great way of warming up your kitchen at least, if not the house, without paying anything extra. The hack is simple, crack open your oven’s door after you have used the appliance and switched it off. The heat from it will release into your kitchen and probably into your house too. This will not only make your oven cool down more quickly, but also warm up the kitchen area, so you can even enjoy the aroma of any freshly baked goodies too.
However, keep in mind that the oven must be switched off if you resort to this method – whether it is an electrical one or a gas oven. There are some dangers that are associated with this particular hack so it’s best not to resort to it if you’re in the middle of other chores or if there are kids around.
While the winter season is already here, you probably already see the increased heating bills coming in. These hacks are here to provide you with warmth in the easiest and let’s be honest, the cheapest ways possible. There are other heating systems that you can use of course, like space heaters for example, or boilers and thermostats if you already have any of these in your homes – but of course with the downside of getting higher bills at the end of the month. Try these hacks out instead and see what works for you!