Sometimes winter strikes our budget really recklessly, making us spend a fortune on heating. With these tips, it is guaranteed that you can reduce these costs and you will be happy to see the amount on your next heating bill.
1. Aluminum foils behind the radiator
Make sure you spread a great size of aluminum foil behind your heater. Do not do this with any other substances because they might catch on fire. This way the heat won’t be absorbed by the wall but reflected by the foil. This way by using a lot less energy your room will be at the same temperature!
2. Block those drafty windows with acrylic caulk
What’s the use in heating if the cold air is constantly sneaking in through little slots around the frame of the window? To check if this is the case in your home simply grab a lighter and follow along the frame. Wherever the light flickers you have some sealing to do. You can use acrylic latex caulk on those spots. Make sure you remove the old insulation leftovers. Then apply an even amount of caulk on the frames. This works with wooden and plastic frames only.
3. Use self-adhesive insulating seals
This is an another good method for eliminating the cold air flowing into your room around your door or windows. Buy self-adhesive window seals of any material and stick them on the pre-cleaned frames. Be aware that you might need to replace them sometimes as they get torn and less effective over the course of a few months.
4. An easier draft stopping method
If you don’t want to fiddle with sticking something on your frame, you may use draft stoppers or draft excluders. You can simply place them in front of the threshold and just remove them easily when spring finally arrives.
5. Setting the thermostat below 70°F
Many of us fall into the trap of turning up the heater to the maximum in order to get a quick wave of good temperature. If we can be a bit rational and patient keeping the heater at a reasonable 68° for eight hours during the day, we can get a lot better results with 15% less to pay.
6. Sockets can be the ones to blame as well
When you have done all these above mentioned methods you are on your way to pay less. But power sockets can trick you as well. You can’t imagine how much heat they let out without anyone blaming them. Power sockets, your sneaky behavior has just been busted! Use socket protectors to seal them and make them stop messing around unnoticed.
7. Ovens
When you bake something don’t waste the heat you created. Just leave the door of the oven open and let it add to the warmth of your kitchen. Apart from this the good smell coming from there is just unbeatable.
8. Cover basement windows
Buy polystyrene foam panels and just simply trim them to fit the size of your basement window. The reason why you would want to do it is that basement windows are sometimes thinner and less insulated than others.
9. Open your curtains
As soon as the broad disk of our lovely sun comes up you better open the curtains and turn off your lights. Believe it or not, they can help more by shining through your glasses than artificial lights on your ceiling.
10. Get the fireplace and chimney cleaned
If you choose to use a stove or a cozy furnace to heat up your house you better get the chimneys cleaned before the winter arrives.
11. Turning on those ceiling fans
Strange advice isn’t it? The reason why you want to turn on your fans on the ceiling for just a couple of minutes in every two or three hours is to push the heat back down to where you really need it.
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