13 Ways To Spend Less On Heat In The Winter

Energy and fuel costs continue to rise to unbearable heights in many parts of the world. This means keeping your home warm in the winter is more expensive than ever. Whether you use electricity, oil, gas, or other sources to heat your home, winter energy bills can be as costly as it is cold and dark. If you are sick of paying hundreds of dollars each month just to stay warm, then you should try to find ways to start saving money on your heating bill.

To spend less money on heat in the winter, you should use your wood fireplace if you have one. Invest in a smart thermostat, so you can program it to use less energy. Use thick drapes and seal any cracks or holes in your home to keep drafts out. Let the sun in during the day, and use a space heater if you only need to heat one room.

If you are sick of a huge heating bill each month, it’s time to do something about it. Luckily there are many ways to help lower your winter heating costs. Below is a list of 13 effective ways to lower your heating bill, and many of these methods are easier than you might think.

13 Great Ways To Lower Your Heating Costs This Winter

1. Light Up Your Wood Fireplace

One of the best ways to lower your heating costs this winter is to use your wood fireplace on cold days. A fireplace is not just great for setting the mood, but it can also effectively heat your home.

If you have a wood fireplace, secure cheap firewood before the winter hits. Shop around for the cheapest quality cords of wood you can locate, or see if any free firewood is available. By lighting a fire on colder days, you will use significantly less energy, which will help shrink your heating bill.

2. Install Thick Drapes

One way that cold sneaks into many homes is through windows. Unless you have new high-quality windows that trap heat, there is bound to be some heat loss around your windows. To mitigate this issue, use thick drapes. 

Drapes can prevent the cold from entering your home, and act as a final line of defense against the outside air. Close the drapes in the evening to help conserve the heat in your home, so your furnace doesn’t need to work as hard overnight.

3. Seal Up All Cracks In The Home Before Winter

You must keep your house sealed up tight. This means you need to plug up any cracks in your walls. Not only does this help keep bugs out of your home in the summer, but it helps keep cold drafts from entering your home in the winter.

Check vulnerable areas of your home, including around windows and door frames. Seal any cracks and holes before the coldest weather comes. It is significantly harder to work with caulk and sealants when temperatures are very low.

4. Block Gaps Under The Doors

If there are small gaps underneath your doors, especially the doors that lead to the outside, then you must find a way to close these gaps. There are all sorts of devices you can install, like door sweeps, draft excluders, and more.

The key is to identify any door that has a draft underneath it, and then seal it accordingly. Ensure the method you use to stop a cold draft does not inhibit the door from opening or cause damage to your floor.

5. Invest In A Smart Thermostat 

One great way to lower your heating costs in the winter is to use a smart thermostat. Having complete control over your furnace is the best way to manage it. A smart thermostat has all sorts of benefits that can help you save money.

For one, you can program your thermostat to go on and off at certain times, which means you can lower it when you aren’t home, and increase it just before you arrive. With some thermostats, you can even adjust the temperature when you aren’t home, allowing you to make any further adjustments and savings when you need to.

6. Conserve Your Hot Water

Hot water is a form of heating we don’t always consider when we look at our energy bill in the winter. Hot water can be costlier in the winter and should be conserved as much as possible. Try to take shorter showers, and only use hot water to wash clothes when necessary. Make sure there are no leaks in your faucet as well.

7. Ensure Your Walls Are Properly Insulated

Insulation is the best way to keep heat inside your home. Without it, your furnace will have to be working constantly to keep your home warm. Therefore, you must ensure your whole home is properly insulated. 

If you live in an old home or recently renovated any walls, you should ensure the insulation is up to date. This is a task you should perform at the end of the fall to ensure your heating bill doesn't skyrocket in the winter due to poor insulation.

8. Add More Throw Blankets In Common Rooms

The wintertime often involves a lot of snuggling and lounging in the living room. If you become a bit of a homebody in the winter, consider lowering the thermostat a bit and increasing the number of blankets you use on the couch.

Dressing a bit warmer and bundling up a bit is a great way to lower your electric bill. By strategically placing blankets and lowering your thermostat a few degrees you can cut your heat costs by a noticeable amount.

9. Reverse Ceiling Fans

If you have ceiling fans in your home, you can reverse their direction to help make your home feel warmer. This will cause your blades to rotate clockwise. This forces air downwards. The air closer to your ceiling is hot, as hot air rises.

In turn, you will push the warmer air downward, and feel this warmer air on your skin. This is a great way to circulate the hot air in your home in the winter months.

10. Use Space Heaters 

If you find yourself occupying only one or two rooms in your home for large portions of the day, then you should consider lowering the heat in your home and instead just use a space heater in the room you occupy. 

Using a space heater in your bedroom or office is much cheaper than heating your entire house for the day. Using an energy-efficient space heater can slash your heating costs if you are diligent about lowering the heat when you use it.

11. Swap Out Your Old Furnace Filters For New Ones

Check your furnace filters before the start of the winter. Make sure they are fresh and not blocked. Blocked filters force your furnace to work extra hard every time you use the heat. 

In turn, heating your home will cost more with dirty filters, even though your home won’t feel any warmer. It’s best to swap out old filters for new ones each fall before you turn your heat on for the winter.

12. Let In The Sunlight During The Day

Even though daylight hours are shorter in the winter and the sun isn’t as strong, you must remember the sun still provides free heat. In the daylight hours, open all your curtains and let the sunshine flow in.

Not only is the sunlight great for your indoor plants, but it can help increase the temperature in your home. Just remember to close your curtains and drapes at night to keep the cold out.

13. Turn The Heat Down When You’re On Vacation

Lastly, remember that when you go on vacation in the winter, you should ensure you aren’t spending a penny more than you need to on heat and electricity. Set your thermostat to the lowest safe temperature (this is often around 45 degrees, but can vary based on your home and location). 

Lowering your thermostat when you are on vacation can save you tons of money, especially if you are taking a longer trip.

Final Notes On How To Spend Less Money On Heat This Winter

Energy costs are higher than ever, but this doesn’t mean your heating bill has to increase. There are many ways you can spend less money on heating your home this winter. Look for cheap wood to burn in your fireplace, and install drapes to block cold air coming in from the windows.

Seal up the cracks in your home and ensure your walls are insulated. Reverse the direction of your ceiling fans, program your smart thermostat to use less heat, and use a space heater when you are only occupying one room in the home.

Related Guides:

• How To Keep A Poorly Insulated House Warm
• Do Thermal Curtains Work?
• How Many Watts Does A Space Heater Use?