As the first real cold front makes its way through the state, many Texans are blasting the heat for the first time this season. Although Houston’s winters are typically in the 50s, this seems like a pretty low temperature when you consider the fact that we’ve spent the last five months in the sweltering Texas heat. Heating your home in the late fall is unavoidable, but it doesn’t have to be costly. Try some of these helpful tips if you’re looking to keep your heating bills low this winter season:
- Adjust your vents and ceiling fans
Once a room is properly heated, you should close any and all vents to prevent draining energy. Additionally, many people don’t realize that most ceiling fans come with directions so that you can still utilize them in the winter. In the summer, a counterclockwise ceiling fan pushes cool air downwards. Alternatively, if you switch the rotation to clockwise, your ceiling fan will push air upwards and allow for your home’s warm air to be more circulated.
- Turn down your water heater
It takes a lot of energy to warm up water, especially when the temperature is low outside. Lowering your water heater’s temperature by just 10°F can save you up to five percent on your water heating costs—A temperature of about 120°F is still high enough to give you all the warm water you need without showing a noticeable difference in temperature. It also helps to turn your water heater off before you leave town for an extended period of time.
- Don’t fiddle with your thermostat
As a general rule of thumb, you should set and forget your thermostat. It’s easy to get trigger happy and try to get your home to a comfortable temperature quickly. But thermostats are self-regulating and work to keep your home at one constant temperature. Constantly changing the temperature will show itself on your energy bill because it takes a tremendous amount of energy to stop and start. It’s more inefficient, and you’re better off running your furnace for longer, steadier times. Try to program your thermostat to a lower setting while you’re gone for work, and adjust it once when you return.
- Install residential window films
Your home’s walls and ceilings come with insulating properties that can help control the interior climate. Unfortunately, an untreated window does nothing to trap warm air in your home. A window film, however, can insulate your windows and can keep more heat inside your home during winter. This will cause you to need less heat and spend less money. You’ll also reap the benefits of window films come summer—cooling costs will be lower because the film will trap cool air. It’s a long-term investment that’s a win-win no matter the season.
