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Once the temperatures outside go down, my home energy bills start to go up. I want to beat those skyrocketing heating costs back down as far as possible. There are several easy ways to prepare homes for winter weather so they use less energy during the colder months. It’s never to early or too late to start winterizing your home. You’ll love to save money on energy bills – I know I do!
Winterizing Your Home | 5 Ways To Save on Energy Bills
1. Change your home’s air filter.
Keep your home’s heating system running as efficiently as possible by changing dirty air filters. Filtrete air filters are a healthy choice for homes because they capture allergens and particles that can carry bacteria and viruses from passing through the filter. Filtrete Filters also help maintain airflow in heating and cooling systems, which helps prevent stress on the system and reduces the amount of energy needed to reach desired indoor air temperatures. You can actually SEE how well Filtrete works when you change it after a few months of use.
My husband recently changed out our air filters and I was amazed/totally disgusted at the amount of dust and dirt clinging to our used Filtrete Odor Reduction air filter. I am SO HAPPY that none of that stuff made it into the air at my house. Of all the Filtrete filters I have had the chance to use this past year, this one is my favorite. You can see why I trust my home to Filtrete.
Filtrete Healthy Living Ultimate Allergen Reduction Air Filter MPR 1900 (Photo Courtesy: Filtrete.com)
We most recently installed the Filtrete Healthy Living Ultimate Allergen Reduction air filter (MPR 1900). This filter specializes in attracting and capturing microscopic allergens like pet dander, smoke, household dust and microscopic particles that can carry bacteria and viruses.
2. Check for drafts so you can seal off any leaks.
Drafty homes are harder to keep heated. Go around your home, checking for drafts so you can seal them off. Common places for air leaks/drafts are around windowsills and doorways to the outside.
Cheap, quick fixes: Add weather stripping or caulk to stop leaks wherever possible and keep a rolled up towel under drafty doors. Add a roll-on window insulation film to keep warm air in and cold air out. The expensive fix: Replace old windows and doors with energy efficient ones.
3. Turn down your water heater.
Check the temperature on your water heater. Installers usually set them at 140 degrees F, but most households don’t need water to be kept at such scalding temps. Lowering the temperature to 120 degrees F (or lower) can reduce your water heating costs by 6% to 10%. You’ll enjoy hot water and save on energy costs.
4. Switch to a programmable thermostat. Or, upgrade to a Smart Thermostat.
I have seen firsthand just how much money my family saves with a programmable thermostat and a smart thermostat. Did you know: For every degree you lower the thermostat during the winter months, you can save up to 3% off your heating bill.
A programmable thermostat makes it easy to set your home’s heater to your schedule so you aren’t paying for heat when no one is home. The average family will save $180 a year with a programmable thermostat. A Smart Thermostat such as the one we have learns your schedule and automatically programs itself. It can also be controlled from your mobile device and saves up to 20% on energy bills.
5. Insulate water pipes.
Adding a layer of protective insulation to your water pipes saves energy and helps prevent pipes from freezing and bursting. You can find pre-slit pipe insulation at the hardware store that makes it simple to wrap your water pipes.
How do you prepare your home for cold winter months? Did you remember to change your home air filter? What is your favorite Filtrete filter option?
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nicole dz says
We seal off any drafts from windows and doors, change filters, and we insulted pipes last year after the pipes bursts cause of the cold, I would highly recommend that.
Aliya D says
I just acquired and installed a Smart Thermostat and its been fabulous; we were able to lower our energy bills substantially. Thanks for the article.
Nicole says
That is awesome! We have been really happy with our Smart Thermostat and the savings we see from it, especially during winter months. Thanks for your feedback comments. -Nicole
Comfort Control Inc. says
I have the same problem but I never thought about getting a smart thermostat. I’ll have to give that a try because it sounds like a good idea. Thanks for sharing these tips.
Ladena says
These are great tips to keep your home warm and save on your energy bill! So many people forget to check for drafts. Its an easy thing to do!
Scarlet (@familyfocusblog) says
I totally need to change my air filter! Thanks for the reminder and all the other great green tips!
Nicole says
You’re welcome! 🙂 Glad you found the tips helpful. Thank you for stopping by, Nicole
Tania B says
We have issues with our house even though it is only 9 years old but unfortunately most of the windows have drafts and ice up in the winter. I guess you just never know. Thanks for the great tips though – it reminded me that I need to tell hubby to change our furnace filter!
Albie Cardew says
Air filters naturally become cluttered by debris that they sort from the air, meaning that their ability and permeability decrease over time. Come winter, the air filter has to sift more air than it would in the summer, so if the filter is blocked from summer pollen and dust, it is much less efficient and therefore more expensive. The tip about cleaning out air filters before the winter months and use of heaters can help save money. Thank you for sharing such simple fixes to your home that help save money.
Nicole says
Hi Albie, Thank you so much for leaving your helpful explanation about what happens with air filters between summer and winter months. I’m glad you found the tips I shared useful and accurate. –Nicole
Albie Cardew says
Nicole, I’m glad you found my explanation helpful! Your tips are likewise very helpful, and I applaud you for taking your time to write posts that can help others save money in different ways. This was helpful to me, and I bet it was helpful to a lot of other folks too.
Veronica Marks says
I just moved from Florida to Utah, and am really grateful for this list! Coming from such a warm place to somewhere that actually has winter, I’d never thought about insulating my pipes. I can’t imagine how awful it would be to have a pipe burst in the dead of winter! Thanks for the tips!
Nicole says
I’m so glad you found the list helpful. Good luck on your first Utah winter! It’s going to be LOTS different from a Florida winter, that is for sure. You’ll actually need to wear a coat! 🙂 –Nicole
Veronica Marks says
Yeah, I’m excited to experience it but a bit wary of how long it will last. Hopefully I get acclimatized quickly!
Veronika Dalton says
These are some excellent tips, especially about sealing off drafts. My in-laws just had a $300 electric bill and we found out that there were some windows and doors that they don’t walk past often, which were letting in some large drafts! We just fixed those and I’m sending them some more tips. I cannot wait to see the difference in this month’s electric bill for them! Hopefully this also fixes the problem with their huge gas bills in the winter.
Veronika Dalton says
I just replaced my furnace filter for what I thought was the regular 3-month replacement window… turns out my husband didn’t replace it this summer. It was pretty gross! And since my last comment, my in-laws got those drafts sealed. Pretty excited for them to maybe save some money!