Money Saving Tips For Your Winter Heating Bill

With winter temperatures making an early appearance here in Asheville, it is time to start thinking about keeping warm this winter. Early predictions call for slightly cooler temperatures this winter and approximately 16 inches of snow in the city. Keep cozy at home this winter with these money saving tips to help keep you warm and your heating bill down.

• Protect your outlets. Insert foam rubber insulation pads under wall outlet and switch covers. Replace covers and push child-protection inserts into outlets to stop drafts.
• Apply caulking. Apply weatherstripping around windows. As an extra wind barrier, cover windows with plastic available at hardware and home stores.
• Stop the cold air. Adhere weatherstripping around drafty exterior doors and attach insulating door sweeps to help block cold air from penetrating under the threshold.
• Shut the door. Keep garage doors closed most of the time if the garage is attached to the house.
• Lower your thermostat. Set the furnace thermostat at 68 degrees or lower.
• Keep your filters clean.Replace heating-system filters monthly. A dirty filter restricts air flow and makes the system work harder.
• Don’t let heat escape unnecessarily.An open fireplace without glass doors draws heated indoor air up the flue. When the fireplace is not in use, close the damper and glass doors to prevent as much as 14 percent air leakage.
• Learn to love socks. If your feet are cold, your whole body will feel cold, so put the flip flops aside and pull out the fuzzy socks! If you’re still feeling cold: snuggle up in a sweater or a blanket rather than cranking up the heat.
• Tap heat that’s there anyway. Cooking a meal or taking a shower produce natural heat.
• Watch that water heater. Turn down the thermostat on your water heater to, say, 120 degrees from about 140 degrees.
• Call for a checkup. Proper maintenance will help your heating unit run more efficiently. Electric and oil heaters should get professional attention at least once a year and gas heaters every other year.
• Keep windows covered when it’s dark outside.This will help you reduce heat loss and keep cold air at bay, especially if you have older windows. Wash your windows and be sure to let in the light during the daytime — those rays of sun will help heat your home.