3 FREE ways to lower heating costs

Put the plug on drafty outlets

A poorly insulated wall outlet can let so much cold air seep into the house, it’s like having a 4" hole in the wall. To tell if yours is drafty, hold a lit candle a few inches in front of the outlet and see if the flame flickers. If so, place child-safety plug covers in unused outlets to stop the leak.

Dial down your water heater

The hot water heater is responsible for 12% of a household’s energy usage. But turning down the appliance from the manufacturer’s 140°F default to a still-toasty 120°F can slash your water-heating costs by 10%.

Warm up with curtains

Keeping drapes closed at night can cut heat loss by up to 25%. Just be sure to open them when it’s sunny—the heat from the sun’s rays will warm your home. Bonus: Adjusting curtains so they hang as close to the window as possible will up their insulating ability.