Worried that winter weather will wreck your household’s energy use? Chill out and warm up with these five cold-weather tips to help you snuggle up to savings!
1. Seal leaks to stop drafts.
No one likes a cold draft on a winter day. Air leaks can cause your home to lose 25% or more of the energy used to heat it! Doors are the No.1 reason, so use door seals and door sweeps to stop cold air in its tracks plus get instant rebates from us. But don’t stop with your doors; be sure to spot and seal other places where heat could be escaping, including windows, outlets, and ceiling light fixtures. Also, check to see if you qualify for our FREE Home Weatherization to help lower your home’s energy use.
2. Replace your air filters.
This tip makes sense during every season, but is extra important in the winter. You should clean or replace your air filters once a month, as dirty or clogged air filters make it harder for your heating system to warm your home. They’re also just gross. Seriously, have you seen that dust buildup? Eww!
3. Leave your oven door open.
Let’s be clear: Please do not use your oven to heat your home. It’s expensive and dangerous. But if you’ve already used it to cook something tasty, say a hearty winter meal or a scrumptious pie, there’s no use wasting that heat, right? So crack open the oven door just a bit (after you’ve turned it off, of course) and let it warm your kitchen while it cools off.
4. Reset your water heater.
Make sure you don’t forget your home’s second-highest energy user (after your furnace) — your water heater. Whether you use it or not, your water heater continually reheats water to a set temperature, 24/7. Try setting your water heater’s temp just a few degrees cooler to save energy. You won’t even notice the difference. Want to save even more? See if a heat pump water heater is right for you.
5. Try these hot tub tips to save while you soak.
Winter is hot tub season, and if you have one you know they can use a lot of electricity. To save energy in the winter, use a good hot tub cover, plus a thermal blanket for the water’s surface, which keeps rising heat from escaping. Most hot tubs come preprogrammed close to 100°, but adjusting the temperature a few degrees lower will help save energy while still keeping the water nice and toasty. Also, don’t forget to set your heater lower, or even turn it off, if you’re not going to use your hot tub for a week or more. Just don’t turn it all the way off in the winter so your pipes don’t freeze.
Follow these easy tips and you’ll be an energy saver this winter! Whatever the weather, visit our tips page to see how to save energy all year long!