The months between Christmas and spring are pretty miserable – it’s wet, it’s dark, and it’s absolutely freezing. As well as feeling the pinch from Christmas, many of us will also receive a hair raising gas bill in January, too, where we’ve cranked up the heating in a bid to stay warm. However, it doesn’t have to be this way, and if you’re fed up with forking out huge amounts of money to your energy suppliers every winter, there are ways that you can cut costs.
Before we take a look at some pro tips, remember to get your heating system checked by a professional first. A malfunctioning system could be what is increasing your bill. Schedule an appointment with a Greensboro heating and air contractor or a well referenced professional in your area. Now, let’s get to it:
Set Your Heating on a Timer:
Instead of letting your heating run all day, it’s far more energy efficient (and cheaper for you) to put it on a timer. Set it to come on for an hour in the morning as you’re getting ready for work and a couple of hours in the evening. It has been suggested that leaving your heating on low all day is cheaper than having it come on and off but this is a myth. This is especially true when you consider that if your system is in need of a service it may not be entirely accurate on it’s output. Using a timer system is a great way to ensure that you don’t bake the house in heat all day, it is important however to ensure that your timing systems work properly in conjunction with your heating system so that you don’t come home to a cold house! Using a reputable servicer such as Snows Fuel Co. or another in your area will ensure that your system works as intended to give you a comfortable temperature to return home to all year round.
These days you can get smart home devices that link with your heating and give you full control over it. It makes it easy to set it to come on when you want and gives you the flexibility to do it from an app – you don’t even need to be in the house. Imagine you’ve been out on a long hike in the cold, for example, and want the house toasty and warm for when you get in. If you know it’s not during your set heating hours, you could put it to come on when you’re on the way home so the temperature is perfect when you arrive back! Either way, it’s useful to have control over your heating like this, and keeping the times you use it to a minimum will save you money.
Get a Wood Burning Fire:
A wood burning fire is an awesome, rustic looking addition to any living room – plus it can save you money, too. If you chop your own firewood or stock up on hardwood logs for use on stoves when they’re on sale, you will have plenty of kindling to get you through the coldest months. Just be sure that your fireplace and chimney is kept clear to avoid dangerous accidents. If you’re not sure how to go about this, just call in a company like Capitol Chimney. Using a wood burning fire like this can keep your whole living room warm and prevents you from having to heat the entire house, which is pointless when all of the family is gathered together in one room.
Wrap Up Warm:
During the evenings when you’re lounging around, instead of blasting the heating on the highest setting, why not put it on low and wrap up warm, instead? You can buy cozy throws for your sofa on places like eBay, Amazon, or any home-ware shop. Load it up with cushions and then invest in some fleecy warm pajamas and slippers and you can stay comfy and cozy during the evenings without having to spend a lot of money. Even during the day, popping on a jumper or a dressing gown means that you don’t have to have the heating up, and you might be able to leave it off altogether. Keep your cozy home furnishings in good condition and they’ll last you year after year.
Buy Essentials to Keep Your Home Warm:
Thick, lined curtains will help to keep out drafts – while they might cost a bit up front they will last for many years and can help you keep your heating bill down. Draft excluders and radiator reflectors are cheap and cheerful, and will keep the cold out and maximize the heat when the heating is on. Soft, plush rugs, carpets, and throw blankets can help trap heat too. It might also be smart to get a few extra bottles of propane from Gibson Oil & Gas or a similar company in your area. You never know when you might need it!
Finally, if you move big items of furniture like sofas or wardrobes away from radiators, this will also allow the heat to circulate better and allows you to make the most of the money you’re spending on the gas bill!
Being mindful of the heating you use can go a long way. Don’t just turn up the dial whenever you feel a little chilly! It’s not to say that you should sit at home shivering, wrapped up in every jumper you own, but there is a happy medium to be found. Keeping your heating low or not using it unless it gets very cold is good for both the environment as well as your bank balance.
And of course, your heating isn’t the only bill you need to keep an eye on – there are plenty of things you have to pay for around the home to make it a comfortable, safe place to live, so maybe it’s time to check on all your outgoings, and shop around to see if there’s a better deal out there – American Water could be a good place to start because you never know what savings you might make.
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