There is usually more than one reason why your utility bills are always high in the winter.
And, for every obvious reason, there could be more causes for home energy loss creating higher energy bills you don’t see.
Here are five ways to save more money on your winter utility bills.
Get an energy audit
Insufficient insulation is a common energy loss problem that homeowners deal with.
There could be small, hidden air leaks, openings, and cracks all over your house that drive up your utility bills. Solving one problem without understanding the whole picture won’t appreciably reduce your utility bills.
Get a home inspector to perform an energy audit or an exacting inspection of the energy efficiency of each room. Some utility companies offer this service for free.
Here is a Department of Energy brochure that explains how to do it yourself.
Weatherstrip your air leaks
Weatherstripping is the strategic process of sealing up small or lengthy but narrow spaces, cracks, or holes in your house. The small gaps between the floor and door or cracks in your windowsill can create huge utility bills.
These small holes, cracks, and gaps can cause up to 40% of the heated or cooled air in your home to be lost annually. These insulation openings can cause hot air to be lost in the winter and air-conditioned cool air to be lost in the summer.
Caulk your windowsills and any small air holes you find. Vinyl or magnetic weatherstripping can be placed at the bottom of your door to prevent air loss as well.
Replace old appliances now
The older your appliance, the more money you are wasting on your utility bills. If you have any major household appliance, such as a washing machine, refrigerator, or microwave, that is more than a decade old, get it replaced now.
Older model appliances are not energy efficient. And if they are damaged or working at less than their designed operational capacity due to natural wear, then they will draw more energy just to function minimally.
Make sure that every minor and major appliance in your home is a newer model and energy-efficient.
Air-dry laundry
It is a very simple solution to a very expensive problem. Depending on the size of your family, you could pay hundreds of dollars annually to wash clothes and dry them at home.
And you could probably use that energy for other purposes in the winter.
Air dry as much laundry as you can. You will then use less energy with your washing machine and dryer.
Set fans in the optimal direction
Your ceiling fan will make a room feel cooler during the summer and take some burden off your air conditioner. And they can make your home feel warmer in the winter and potentially keep thermostat settings lower.
All you must do is have the ceiling fan blades rotate in the right direction in the right season.
Have the fan blades rotate counterclockwise in summer and you will feel a breeze as they rotate. In winter, rotate the blades clockwise and you won’t feel a breeze in winter.
Your ceiling fan should have a button that controls the fan blade direction.
