5 Ways to Cut Your Heating Costs

“The colder weather is starting to show up and it’s time to consider how you will control your heating bills.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Winter doesn’t have to mean higher heating bills. Here are a few simple home improvement tips you can use to help keep your house warm and your bills under control.

home mattersPhoto by: iStock

Following these easy tips and tricks can help keep your bill from skyrocketing as temperatures plummet.

1. It’s the mantra of dads worldwide – don’t turn up the heat, put on a sweater. By maintaining a steady air temperature and changing your body temperature, you’ll nix bill spikes. For every degree you lower your heat in the 60 – 70 degree range, you can save up to 5% on heating costs.

2. Installing plastic film over your windows is an extremely affordable do-it-yourself project. Cutting down on the drafts from windows can save you about 14% on your monthly bill.

3. Another source of drafts is your front door. A simple door sweep will keep the heat in and cold out while likely costing you less than $10 at a home or hardware store.

4. Opening shades on west- and south-facing windows will allow sunlight in during the day. Conversely, closing these shades at night will help keep your heat in.

5. Make sure that you don’t have furniture blocking your heating vents. If you have a bed or sofa in front of a vent, your HVAC will work harder than necessary to maintain your desired room temperature.

These five tips should be a simple way to help out with your heating costs.

Originally appearing on AmericanHomeShield.com