9 tips to stay warm and save money this winter
Winter officially began last month, and here in San Antonio we are feeling the chill. As temperatures drop, you turn up the heat to stay warm, sometimes forgetting there’s a cost that comes with that.
Did you know that heating your home makes up nearly 60 percent of your utility bill? According to the Department of Energy, the average person spends around $2,000 on energy costs each year.
You can still stay warm while keeping your energy use and bill in check. Try our nine simple and easy no-cost or low-cost tips. These tips aren’t “big” projects and they don’t require a lot of skill. They are cheap, easy ways to help you stay warm and keep some money in your pocket.
- First, it’s important to prevent heat from escaping. Weatherize your home through our free Casa Verde program or with these great tips from our friends at Home Depot.
2. And while at the hardware store, make sure to grab a few furnace filters. It’s important to replace or clean furnace filters monthly November through April so your furnace can run well. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make your system work harder to keep you warm.
3. One no-cost way to save money is to lower the temperature of your thermostat. Setting your thermostat between 68 and 70 degrees while at home will save you money. Go lower when not at home. Shut the heat off if you’ll be away for several days or longer.
4. Programming your thermostat is easy and can be done anywhere when you own a Wi-Fi model.
5. Running your ceiling fans in reverse also keeps you warm. Changing the air direction of your ceiling fans to counter-clockwise in the winter pushes hot air down to your level.
6. And another low-cost way to save money is to use energy-saving light bulbs.
7. Use natural light during the day by keeping blinds and drapes open. But close them at night so the heat doesn’t escape. Making small changes like these can make a big difference in your monthly bill.
8. Want to save more? Take our free home energy survey to get your home’s energy score, savings estimate and get energy-saving recommendations that offer the biggest bang for your buck.
9. Once your report is complete, we can help you take advantage of incentives and rebates.
There you have it – our nine tips for a reasonably warm winter.
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