When it’s cold enough for snow to be mentioned in the forecast, you know your home heating bill is going to be higher than normal.
But your home energy budget doesn’t have to take a big hit just because the temperature dropped. There are simple steps you can take to stay warm and comfortable without driving your energy bill through the roof.
“We heat our homes to make ourselves warmer, it’s not like we’re trying to make the furniture feel more comfortable,” Energy Services Supervisor DuWayne Dunham said. “With that in mind, skip the thermostat next time you’re feeling cold and reach for something that holds the heat close to you.”
Floors, especially those that aren’t carpeted, are often the coldest surfaces you’ll touch in the whole house. Cold feet can leave the rest of you with a chill that’s hard to shake. Keep the cold at bay by always wearing at least a pair of socks around the house. If you’re concerned about slipping, or just want some extra comfort, a warm and cozy pair of slippers are very affordable.
When you’re relaxing around the house, put on warm and soft clothes such as fleece pants or sweats and a sweater to be as warm and comfortable as possible. Now that you’re warm on the outside, warm your hands and your belly with a mug of your favorite hot drink.
Nighttime is a great time to turn your thermostat down to reduce your energy expenses. In fact, lowering the thermostat by 10 degrees at night can save as much as 10 percent on your annual heating bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. But you don’t have to freeze to get that savings. Before you go to bed, toss an extra blanket on your mattress. The extra weight may even help you get a better night’s rest.
If your home has zonal heating, like wall heaters, baseboard or cable ceiling heaters, don’t heat the rooms you’re not occupying. To those ends, keep the doors closed on the rooms you aren’t heating to avoid unnecessarily heating unoccupied space.
“Space heaters are great tools—especially in homes with central air heating systems, because rather than warming up the entire house you can focus on one particular room,” Dunham said. “But remember the only way they save energy is if they turned the central heating system down.”
You can also take steps to keep the cold air out and the warm air in.
Hang heavy drapes on your home’s windows and keep them shut. On days when it’s sunny out, open the curtains on the west and southern facing windows of your home to allow the radiant heat in, be sure to close them at the end of the day.
If you feel a draft by your exterior doors, put a rolled up towel down along the threshold to help hold the warm air in. Also be careful about how long you run exhaust fans in your home. Always use them when you’re cooking, doing laundry, or showering, but don’t let them run too long otherwise they’ll pull the heat from your home.
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
