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Posted on November 18, 2017 by

Energy Efficient

Keep Your Home Nice and Toasty While Saving on Your Energy Bill

Energy Efficient

For many homeowners, winter means one thing: having to spend twice as much on your energy bills just to make your house as comfortable as it is the rest of the year.

Luckily, there are some winterizing steps you can take that will make your home less drafty and more efficient, and not only does this mean that your home will be warmer this winter, but it also means you'll have to use less energy and spend less money to accomplish this.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fan for the Winter Months

Ceiling Fan During the summer, the purpose of a ceiling fan is to create a cooling breeze that combats the Debary, FL summer heat. In winter, however, there's no oppressive heat to combat, so this cooling breeze can make you chilly and uncomfortable.

The good news is that the rotation of the ceiling fan blades can be reversed, and not only will this get rid of the chilly draft, but it will also help distribute heat more evenly.

In winter, switch your ceiling fans so the blades rotate clockwise. This way, the fan will pull up cool air from the ground level and push warm air back down to the ground, making the room feel warmer. Just make sure the fans are running at low speed.

Using Caulk to Make Your House More Efficient

Window Caulking Caulking is a cheap and easy to install fix that will seal leaks and cracks around your windows, and this means cool outside air won’t be able to sneak in, and warm air from inside your house will stay where it belongs.

To start, remove any old caulking from around the outside of your window frame using a putty knife with a stiff blade.

Then, wash the area with soapy water, and dry it with a clean cloth. Finally, apply fresh caulk to seal holes and cracks around the frame, and press the bead into the seam with your finger.

Insulating Drafty Windows from the Cold

Your house wouldn’t be nearly as bright, warm, or inviting without your windows, but windows can also make your home cooler and less efficient, especially if they're older and haven't been updated with newer, more energy-efficient ones.

The good news is that you can still insulate your windows to reduce drafts and make your house warmer, and here are a few different ways to accomplish this:

  • Insulated WindowsUse weather stripping to stop drafts, noise, and bugs from sneaking in.
  • Cover the glass with heavy duty plastic, bubble wrap, or insulating shrink wrap.
  • Remove summer shears and put up heavy drapes made of thicker fabric.
  • Install storm windows if you have them.
  • Use a pane of acrylic to replicate the effect of a storm window.

With these few simple winterizing steps, you can keep your home warmer for less, and save money even after turning the heating system up.

Plus, you'll have a more comfortable house for the cooler months, and may not even notice that winter has arrived! Around the holidays, you'll also appreciate the savings on your energy bills, because you'll have more to spend on food, gifts, fun, vacations, and other things.