In Massachusetts, heating bills often come with sticker shock. And the colder it gets, the more you can expect to pay. The Energy Information Administration suggests that when winter temps drop below normal, households that use electric heat could see a 15% rise in already high heating expenses.
You’re probably already doing the basics, like turning your thermostat down at night or when you’re away on vacation. It’s time to get creative. Here are 5 ingenious ways to lower your heating cost in the winter.
1. Upgrade to Energy-Saving Window Treatments
Your home’s windows are one of the main sources of heat loss and the biggest culprit of too-high energy bills. So, what you use to cover them matters.
While nearly any covering can help block cold air from seeping in (and heat from going out), insulated cellular shades have a clear advantage. In fact, the Department of Energy estimates that these specific shades can cut heat loss through your windows by more than 40%. This ultimately shaves off about 10% of your annual heating costs.
They’re also helpful in the summer when your cooling system is in use. Cellular shades do even more heavy lifting in the summer, reducing the amount of solar heat your windows generate by a massive 60%.
2. Forget the Fireplace
Did you know that using a fireplace for heating can actually make your home colder?!
That’s because fireplaces and wood stoves typically have poor heat distribution, leaving rooms near the stove too hot and rooms farther away chilly and uncomfortable. If you’re using a fireplace to supplement a central or ductless heating system, this difference in temperature could cause it to work harder than normal to try to even out the temperature.
Instead, consider leaving your fireplace or cute wood stove as decoration this year.
3. Rearrange Your Furniture
It’s no surprise that if your favorite chair or loveseat is next to a drafty window that you’ll start to feel cold when you sit down. This often leads to an uncomfortable game of musical chairs, where you’re constantly getting up to adjust the thermostat. Then, when you go somewhere else in your house, it’s too warm and you bump the temperature back down.
Think about rearranging your furniture so that your favorite spots are in the center of the house, or at least away from windows and doors that could be making the isolated space around you too chilly.
4. Move Your Thermostat
If you’re feeling cold by your windows and doors, you can guarantee that your thermostat is too. This means it’s measuring the wrong temperature and operating your heating system based on incorrect readings.
At best, you’ll find it difficult to keep your home comfortable throughout the entire space. At worst, the extra wear and tear on your system will break it down faster.
Moving your thermostat to the center of your home too can ensure that the device is sensing the average temperature of your space, where people spend the most time. This helps even out hot and cold spots and create consistent comfort between rooms.
5. Install Smart Controls
Smart controls do double duty, working to increase your comfort and reel in the savings. Different devices have their own unique capabilities, and you can find thermostats that offer multiple different features to suit your specific needs.
For example, programmable thermostats allow you to set a schedule for your heating to go up or down based on when you’re home or not.
Remote control thermostats let you change your system settings from anywhere you’re at using just your mobile device. This can come in handy if you’re going to be late getting home from work and you want to delay your heat kicking back up until it’s closer to your new arrival time.
Some models even go so far as to use motion-sensing and infrared technology to determine where people are in a space. Then, the temperature and airflow is increased or decreased based on room occupancy. Vents may also automatically move to provide direct heating to the area where people are actively sitting or standing.
N.E.T.R., Inc. – Your Partner In Cost-Effective Heating Service
Your heating system plays an essential role in your home comfort. At N.E.T.R., Inc., we provide comprehensive heating repair, service, and installation so you can stay comfortable all winter long. Contact us today to learn how we can help lower your heating costs.
