Tips to save money on your heating bills this winter
THE WINTER months usually see higher heating bills because oil has to be used to heat our homes. The winter heating bill can be a bit of a surprise after months of not needing to run a fire. There are ways, however, to help lower the cost of heating a home when it wis cold outside. Simple improvements to a home can make a huge difference and even lower a monthly utility bill by 25 percent or more, whether it is the winter or the summer. Follow the tips below to start saving on winter utility bills.
Insulation is probably the best way to save money on heating bills. Insulation helps keep warm air in and cold air out. Without insulations, a lot of heat is lost through the ceiling and walls. Older homes are notorious for not being insulated, or under insulated, so it is a good idea to hire someone to assess the situation and spray additional insulation into the ceiling and walls to help save on energy bills. Adding insulation to a home can be expensive, but it will make up for itself on the heating and cooling bill in the long run. Equipment can be rented from local hardware stores, but it is best to have a professional handle insulation, as it can be messy and difficult to handle.
Programmable thermostats are useful because they allow for different temperatures in different rooms. There is no need to supply heat to rooms that are never used, like storage rooms. When a space needs to be heated that is not used on a regular basis, a space heater is a better option than an energy draining boiler. It is also nice to have a programmable thermostat installed because the homeowner can set it to have warmer temperatures when people are in the house and lower it during the day when people are at work. Heat vents can also be blocked in rooms that are not used often so that the heat can go to the places where it is needed the most.
People always see a reduction in the price of their winter utility bill when they have a new, energy efficient boiler installed. Older boiler models simply were not built to use energy in the most efficient way. It is best to use a boiler in conjunction with space heaters and fireplaces. If a home boiler is not ready to be replaced. It is a good idea to get it a tune up to make sure it is running at its best. It is also important to change the boiler filter so the boiler doesn’t have to work as hard.
Just doing a few simple fixes around the home can help cut down on the heating bill.