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Have you heard? It’s cold!
Energy bills tend to go up during cold weather as systems churn away to keep everyone warm. Sure, it’s important to keep your home (and yourself) warm during cold weather – pipes begin freezing around 20 degrees without extra warming measures, according to the U.S. Dept. of Energy. Consult the Kentucky Division of Water’s tip sheet to learn how to prevent frozen pipes.
Still, you don’t want to break the bank with heating costs. Check out some energy-saving tips from Duke Energy below.
- Set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable (but safe) setting – The lowest you can set your thermostat in most homes before you start having problems is 55 degrees, according to the American Red Cross. If you blast the heat, your bill’s going to go up, so play with different temperature ranges to find the lowest comfortable setting for you.
- Seal any leaks and insulate – You’ll want to seal any places where heat might escape from your home. This includes rooms that aren’t properly insulated, as well as unlocked or unsealed windows. If you can’t afford to bring your home’s weatherization up to date, you may qualify for the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission’s home weatherization program, which you can learn about here.
- Perform regular, professional maintenance on your heating system – Routine maintenance and check-ups from HVAC professionals on your home’s ventilation, furnace and air conditioning systems will ensure your home remains energy efficient. It can also head off any disastrous breakdowns before they occur.
- Change your air filters regularly – Changing out your air filters at the proper time will ensure that warm, clean air will properly circulate throughout your home, which will, in turn, ensure energy efficiency.
- Let the sun in! – Open any drapes and blinds any time the sun’s out to let the natural heat and light come in. Then, close your drapes and blinds at night to prevent heat from escaping.
- Set your ceiling fans to run clockwise – Setting your ceiling fan to run clockwise, rather than counterclockwise, will push warm air down from the tops of rooms where it naturally gathers, ensuring warm air is properly circulated throughout.