With family budgets getting tighter by the second, there are certain things that have to be planned for regardless of the economy. One of these things is keeping warm in winter, and failure to do so can cause more than mere discomfort to your family. That said, there are measures that you can take to save money while heating your home at the same time. Keep reading to see four practical tips that you can put to use so that you don’t compromise your family’s health and comfort in the name of saving some money.
1. Install a Smart Thermostat
Technology continues to change our lives for the better, and this is true in the case of keeping the house warm in winter. To leverage technology towards this end, you can start by installing a smart thermostat. This is a thermostat that you can control remotely through a web interface or mobile app. As such, it’s possible to control your home’s temperatures from anywhere and therefore save money on energy.
With one, you don’t have to heat the house the whole day, even while you’re out, just so that you can come back home to a warm house. You can simply turn it on a few minutes before you get home and enjoy the coziness without the crazy energy expenditure. Note that ENERGY STAR approximates that homeowners who use programmable thermostats properly can make savings of about $180 each year.
2. Use Your Fireplace
Another way for you to heat your home up on the cheap is by using your fireplace and giving the air conditioner a much-deserved break. It’s easy enough to get firewood as it’s a renewable resource. To make things even more efficient for you, you can gather firewood before winter arrives so that you have easy access to it when you need it.
Keep in mind that firewood that’s stored properly can be used for up to four years before it has to be replaced, according to Chimney Safe Institute of America. This is a long time, and it shows just how flexible things can be for you if you turn to firewood. Remember to clean your chimney regularly and use a fireplace inters to improve the heating efficiency of your home and save even more.
3. Get a Fence and Plant Trees Around Your House
When the wind hits your home’s walls directly, it causes a loss of interior heat, increasing your energy use. This means that you can make considerable savings by adding a solid fence around your home this winter. As a long-term solution, plant trees around your home so that you can enjoy a greener environment and also get the best of nature in terms of both wind-breaking and sun-shading. This is backed by the fact that trees that are placed around a building properly can reduce the need for air conditioning by 30%. They can also save between 20% and 50% of the energy that’s used for heating a home.
4. Double-Check Your Home’s Insulation
Finally, if your home isn’t properly insulated, you might be losing a good part of the air that you spend precious energy to heat. To avoid doing this, you should ensure that your home is properly insulated. Inspect the entire house, from the attic to the basement, sealing any gaps in insulation that you find.
Check areas such as the door and window frames for gaps and spaces as well. If you find any, seal them with caulk, which you can find in a local hardware store. This is the best way for you to make sure that the treated air inside your home stays indoors and doesn’t escape only to be replaced by cold drafts.
These tips should help you keep your house warmer this winter while using less money. By making them your regular habits, you can enjoy savings year-round. Work on them as soon as you can so that winter doesn’t catch you unprepared.