{"id":5680,"date":"2022-11-11T15:22:25","date_gmt":"2022-11-11T22:22:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/?p=5680"},"modified":"2022-11-11T15:22:26","modified_gmt":"2022-11-11T22:22:26","slug":"winter-heating-efficiency-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/winter-heating-efficiency-tips","title":{"rendered":"Winter Heating Efficiency Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Home heating costs can quickly skyrocket during the winter. Perhaps you have puzzled over the utility bill, trying to figure out how to keep costs down. Fortunately, there are easy and affordable ways to make the most of the warmth in your home. Before you crank up the thermostat settings, try these 12 tips for efficiently heating your home during winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Enjoy natural light<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

South-facing windows<\/a> receive an abundance of sunshine and can warm up any room with the benefits of natural light. Open your blinds and curtains on bright sunny days to let in natural light. The natural light will boost your mood during those long winter months when gloom can take over. Make sure to close your curtains and blinds at night to keep your home warm and insulated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lower the heat during the day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lower\nthe thermostat when you leave for the day, even if it\u2019s just by a few degrees.\nThat will prevent your home from getting too much heat when you\u2019re away. Use a\nsmart or programmable thermostat to set a schedule for your heat to turn on\nduring optimal times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lower the thermostat at night<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With\nwarm bedding, you can stay cozy in the winter and still enjoy a good night’s sleep.\nLower the temperature by 10-15 degrees at night before bed to get a warm and\nrestful sleep while reducing your energy costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Close doors and vents in unused spaces<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If\nyou have rooms in your home that you don\u2019t use often, keep the vents and doors\nclosed during the day to reduce unused heat. Save the heat for the rooms you\nuse frequently. For example, it may make sense to close the doors and vents in unoccupied\nguest bedrooms. There is no need to heat the entire house when you can funnel\nthe energy into specific spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bundle up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Warm\nsweaters and wool socks are cozier and more cost-efficient than cranking your\nthermostat up a few degrees. Throw on an extra layer and tuck yourself in under\na thick blanket before you raise the thermostat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prevent cold drafts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cold,\nfrigid air can creep in throughout your home while the heat seeps out. Inspect\nfor areas where cold air is leaking in. Insulate exterior doors, windows, and\ngaps in the walls or ceiling. Seal these areas with caulk or weatherstrips to\ntrap the heat and prevent cold air from leaking inside. Cover windows with\nclear plastic sheeting to boost their insulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reduce heat loss from the fireplace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When\nthere isn’t a fire going in the fireplace, keep the damper closed to prevent\nwarm air from escaping through the chimney. If you don’t use the fireplace,\nplug and seal the chimney flue. Inspect the seal on the fireplace and flue\ndamper to make sure it’s closed tightly. Use C-shaped metal grates to draw cool\nair from the room into the fireplace and disperse warm air back into the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adjust the water heater temperature<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Water\nheaters use a lot of energy to heat water and keep it at that temperature even\nwhen you’re not using any water. It’s common for homeowners to have the\ntemperature set too high. Check your water heater temperature and keep it at\n120\u00b0F\nto maintain a comfortable water temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insulate your attic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Heat\nrises, and if you have an attic, the heat will rise straight up to this easily\nneglected space in your home. Check it for leaks and drafts, and repair or\nreplace insulation as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use your ceiling fan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ceiling\nfans don’t just keep you cool during the summer. They can also keep you warm\nduring the winter. When ceiling fans rotate counterclockwise, they push air\ndown, creating that cool air effect. You can also set them to turn clockwise,\nwhich creates an updraft and circulates warm air around the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use LED lights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While LED lights emit very little heat<\/a>, they are worth mentioning when it comes to overall utility costs. LED lights use less electricity than traditional bulbs, and they last longer. Use them for overhead and table lighting and with your holiday decorations. Although you may have to spend money purchasing new lights, they are a great, long-term investment for your home. This is an energy-efficient way to keep your house bright during dreary days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get a smart thermostat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A smart thermostat<\/a> connects to your wi-fi and automatically adjusts the temperature in your home for the best efficiency. You can control the temperature remotely and adjust it even when you’re not home. They are more efficient, cost-effective, and sophisticated than more traditional thermostats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\ndon\u2019t have to break the bank to keep the winter elements out and the warm air\ninside. Take these steps to get the most out of your home\u2019s heating system and\nkeep it toasty!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Home heating costs can quickly skyrocket during the winter. Perhaps you have puzzled over the utility bill, trying to figure out how to keep costs down. Fortunately, there are easy and affordable ways to make the most of the warmth in your home. Before you crank up the thermostat settings, try these 12 tips for … Continue reading Winter Heating Efficiency Tips<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[602,774,419],"tags":[847,59,3896],"yst_prominent_words":[545,5427,1241,6728,6731,976,6733,546,6734,2424,6729,2676,4738,4734,3772,6730,1996,3310,6732,2866],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5680"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5680"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5680\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5682,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5680\/revisions\/5682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5680"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=5680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}