Hot Tips to Conserve Energy This Winter
November 29, 2021 | by BMI Staff
December 14 is National Energy Conservation Day, and we know that aside from saving the planet, another wonderful bonus to energy conservation is saving your hard-earned dollars. Luckily, these hot tips will help you achieve both, all in time for holiday shopping!
Hot Tip #1: Insulate your windows.
If you ever get the sense that your heater is working overtime or feel a slight breeze when your home is shut tight, it could be time to insulate your home’s windows. Even a slight draft will add up a ton over time, placing unneeded stress on your HVAC and your bank account. Since windows are naturally less insulating than walls, even when they are properly sealed, consider purchasing insulating curtains to cover them up at night.
Hot Tip #2: Open your blinds.
If you’ve ever gotten into your car on a sunny day and been greeted with a wall of heat, you are already familiar with the gift of the greenhouse effect. While this is the last thing we want in the dead of summer, it is a perfect gift to your home’s heating system in the winter. Leaving your blinds open during the day will allow the sun to warm your home (for free!). Feel free to close them back up before bed to help with insulation, and repeat the process the following day.
Hot Tip #3: Close some of your vents.
If there are rooms in your home that don’t get visits often (say a guest bedroom or storage area), closing off the vents in those rooms will redirect the heat back to your main living space and save on energy costs. Simply flip the vents back open when the rooms are expected to be in use, and voila! Your wallet will thank you.
Hot Tip #4: Bundle up.
There’s nothing quite like donning sweatpants and your favorite cozy socks before crawling under a throw blanket to watch a holiday film. When you come home from work, rather than reaching for the thermostat, consider reaching for warm clothes and a fuzzy blanket. Other tips to help warm your body temperature without using energy are lighting candles and brewing a soothing mug of hot tea. All of these tips will not only help cut down on energy costs, but they will also create a warm and cozy environment in your home!
Hot Tip #5: Change that filter.
One of those money-saving tips that can get pushed to the wayside just so happens to also be one of the easiest! Did you know that you’re supposed to change your furnace filter every 90 days? Swapping these filters out provides an easier passage for heat to flow through your ducts and reduces the strain on your HVAC system.
Are there any tips that we missed? Drop your favorite heat-saving-hack on our socials! And don’t forget, one easy way to avoid a catastrophic expense this winter is to make sure your insurance policy is up-to-date! Call your BMI agent for more information.