Top 8 Ways To Save Energy Over The Winter

1. Take the heat down a notch

Each degree you lower your thermostat for a period of at least eight hours (say, when you are asleep or at work) can make your heating bill 1 percent cheaper, the Energy Department estimates. This doesn’t mean you have to freeze at night. Try throwing on warmer pajamas or snuggling under an extra blanket.

2. Reduce drafts

You can save as much as 30 percent on energy bills by covering up drafty windows and doors and sealing air leaks, according to the Department of Energy. A rolled-up towel is an easy and cheap way to stop a draft. You can also fill a scrap of fabric or an old necktie with sand to create a sturdier seal. Temporarily cover up windows with insulating plastic, which helps keep heat in. Drafts can affect the thermostat reading, too, so these simple fixes may solve more than one winter energy challenge.

3. Install storm doors and windows

This is a more permanent way to cut down on drafts that enter the house through inefficient doors and windows. The home improvement site Improve Net alleges this project can increase your home’s efficiency by 45 percent and lay out the costs, pros, and cons.

4. Run fans in reverse

Did you know that changing the direction of a ceiling fan could save as much as 10 percent OFF your heating bill? Good Housekeeping explains that flipping a switch on the fan turns the traditional counterclockwise rotation that produces a cool breeze to a clockwise rotation that pushes the warm air back into circulation.

5. Turn down the water heater

The Simple Dollar points out that the standard setting for a hot water heater is 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and you can lower energy costs 6 to 10 percent by lowering the temperature to 120 degrees, which is still plenty warm. Other options, such as the tank-less or solar water heater, can reduce the cost of heating water even more, but require an initial investment of at least several hundred dollars.

6. Keep maintenance in mind

Just like any other major appliance, a furnace needs regular tune-ups. Keeping it clean and properly adjusted helps it run efficiently and prolongs its lifespan. Check with your utility company or furnace manufacturer – many offer free annual inspections. And plan ahead, because you won’t be the only one calling for a technician as the weather turns colder.

7. Use caulk and weather stripping

Windows and doors aren’t the only spots where warm air leaks out of the house. Keep an eye out for places where two types of building materials meet – corners, chimneys, and around pipes and wires. These energy suckers can be plugged up with caulk and weather stripping. To test for leaks, wave a stick of incense around the house and not the areas where the smoke wafts. You can also have someone walk around the outside of your home with a hair dryer near trouble areas such as windows. If a lit candle on the inside flickers or is extinguished, you have a leak.

8. Seal the ducts

The Energy Department warns that about 20 percent of heated air can escape from the ductwork in a house. Get your ducts evaluated by a professional to determine if sealing or any other improvement is necessary. Although there’s a cost to these repairs, you can save upward of $120 annually. Properly sealed ductwork also better protects against dust and mold. Note that sealing ducts is not the same as cleaning them. In fact, many studies have shown that cleaning the ductwork is unnecessary unless there is an air quality issue.