As the days get darker and colder, if you haven’t already turned up your heating, you will be soon enough. However, if you are trying to live a more eco-conscious lifestyle, while saving money at the same time you will probably be interested in the following article. Below you will find a list of some useful tips for keeping your home warm over the winter months, without breaking the bank and remaining as green as possible.
Invest In a Thermostat
If you haven’t already, one of the best ways to have more control over the energy your household uses when heating it, is to install a programmable thermostat. Having a thermostat is not enough, even though it is a very helpful gizmo, because you can easily forget to adjust it, particularly if you are busy rushing to work or getting kids to school in the morning. You will be able to use one to program it so the heating is adjusted and turned down for the days and periods of time that no-one is in the house, and back up again in the evening and so on. You will notice that this will have a drastic and positive effect on your monthly/annual electricity bills.
How Low Could You Go?
Although it is nice to have a baking hot home during the cold and wintery months, it can cost you a fortune and may actually be unnecessary. By turning down the thermostat one or two degrees lower you can actually shave a large amount off your monthly or annual electricity and heating bills. The best way to figure out what is comfortable for you and your household is to turn it down a couple of degrees every so often, allowing yourself time to adjust to it. You might find that you can cope comfortably with the house being a much lower temperature than you previously thought.
Purchase a Humidifier
Have you ever noticed that when the heating is on during the winter and the windows are therefore closed, that the air feels dryer? By investing in a humidifier, you can not only bring a little bit of moisture into the air to make it more comfortable; it actually can have positive effects on the wellbeing and health of your household by relieving the irritating and debilitating symptoms of flues and colds.
Insulate Your Windows
Often people insulated their doors, but neglect to do the same with their windows. If you have old and very shabby, leaky windows, you can easily insulate them by covering them in shrink wrap. This is especially good if know for a fact that you won’t open your windows again until either just before or during spring. This film will keep your home warm and comfortable and keep the cold air out.
Invest In Additional Electric Heaters
Obviously, if you feel the need to, because you have big rooms that are much harder to properly heat; you could consider purchasing an electric heater or two.
