Winter Energy Saving Tips

Did you know you can control how much energy you consume in the winter months?

This is especially helpful during those days where the temperatures dip for a few days. During cold spells, electric heaters may seem like the obvious choice, but they consume large amounts of energy and will affect your electricity bill if not managed effectively. Below are some useful tips that actually work to help maximize your energy efficiency and lower that electricity bill.  Not only are these tips easy to implement, but they will also make your home more comfortable and enjoyable by removing cold and hot spots. Use as many of these strategies as possible to add to your savings.

Fireplace For Winter

During cold winter blasts, running a gas fireplace will help alleviate electricity consumption during those temporary cold snaps. Electric heaters are not energy-friendly and will dramatically increase your consumption and reflect on your electricity bill. Your gas fireplace can help support your room temperature while reducing your reliance on electric heaters. Never use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.

Ceiling Fan – Year-Long Comfort

Do you ever wonder why most ceiling fans spin in 2 directions?  The fan blades are tilted and will provide different functions.

Winter Mode: In the winter, the ceiling fan should spin clockwise, pulling the air upward and onto the ceiling. This will circulate the hot air trapped at the top of the room and will lower the heat requirement for the room.

Summer Mode: In the summertime, the fan should spin counter-clockwise. This will push the air down and create a cooling effect. It will also help circulate cool AC if you have one in your home.  On sunny winter days, open your curtains and blinds and let the sun into your home. The sunshine through your windows will create a greenhouse effect and warm up your home.

The Sun is your friend

On sunny winter days, open your curtains and blinds and let the sun into your home. The sunshine through your windows will create a greenhouse effect and warm up your home.

Close your blinds at night

During the day, open your curtains and blinds to let the sun in, and at night close the blinds and curtains to retain the heat energy within your home. Windows are a big source of heat transfer and curtains act as a blanket to insulate them from the outside cold.

Horizontal Blinds

Did you know vertical blinds can help control the room temperature?  If you have them, pointing the blinds downwards into the room during the winter months helps bring the sunshine into the room. At night, point the blinds upwards in the room so that rising heat doesn’t flow through the blades and onto the cold window pane.

Drafts and Air leaks

Air leaks are the biggest culprits of energy loss, both in the summer and in the winter. Fortunately, sealing air leaks is an easy task and the savings will pay off in both the summer and winter. Doing so will make the home much more energy-efficient and comfortable to live in. Your house will be free from cold and hot spots.

Windows

Window film – Most of the energy in the home is lost through the windows – especially in older homes. The easiest solution for leaky windows is to seal them with clear plastic cling wrap. Window film is inexpensive and is an easy DYI project.

Caulking – Used by professionals, caulking is another great way to seal the windows from leaking air. Look for thin cracks along with the window casings and seal them up with a bead of caulking (Pro Tip: be sure to use paintable caulking that you can paint over if needed).

Window Casings

Hiding behind the window trim should be a layer of insulation. In older homes, the insulation may have settled or degraded. In some new homes, insulation around the windows may also be missing. Removing window trim to see the condition of the insulation around the window is a good option if your home is older. If it has settled or is missing, you can use spray foam found at your local hardware store and spray the foam around the window casing (inside the wall) to keep out drafts. This tip alone can make a big difference in how the house feels in winter (and summer). Note that spray foam expands, and your spray foam should be labeled as ‘safe for windows and doors’.

Warm clothing

During brief cold spells, wearing warm clothing and using thicker blankets at night is a great way to keep the thermostat a little lower than usual. For every degree that you turn your thermostat down, you will save between 1 to 3 percent on your heating bill.

LED Lighting

Lighting your home with LED lights a great way to save on your energy bill. It doesn’t affect the temperature of your home, which is great in the summer and helps you save on cooling your home, but in the winter, it keeps the cost of your electricity down by providing up to 75% less energy consumption than traditional bulbs. If you haven’t switched to LED bulbs yet, the energy savings are too significant to ignore.

By implementing some of the tips above, you will make a difference with your energy consumption during the heat of the summer months. The more tips you add the greater your energy savings will be. Choosing an appropriate electricity plan also helps to meet your energy goals. If you have any questions about your plan or would like to speak to someone about your energy goals, please feel free to call us during our business hours (1.844.644.0474). Our agents are in-house and use our energy plans, ask them what plans they are on and why. We are here to help you find the right electricity plan.