What happens when you use energy-efficient bulbs, keep your thermostat low and unplug unused devices just to end up with the same high electricity bill? You do the only thing you can — you get creative. Try eight unexpected ways to cut energy bills this winter.
1. Offer to Host to Warm Your Home With Body Heat
Yes, hosting is time-consuming and tiring — but it could save you loads on your utility bills. The human body continuously produces 100 watts of thermal energy at rest. When walking, that number jumps to 305 watts. It’s even higher when exercising, reaching 525 watts per person.
You don’t typically notice the heat you generate because it immediately dissipates into the environment. However, the temperature noticeably jumps when groups gather in an enclosed place.
If you have 30 people over, that’s roughly 3,000 to 9,150 watts — 3.1 to 9.15 kilowatts — of thermal energy, depending on how active they are. You can lower your thermostat as a result, cutting your energy bills.
2. Take Advantage of Sunlight to Cut Energy Bills
Rooms with plenty of windows let sunlight — also known as free, natural warmth — into your home, which can lower your energy costs in winter. Sunrooms and other rooms with many windows typically have double-paned insulated glass and thermally broken walls which traps heat.
This type of passive solar heating can reduce your reliance on your heater. Although sunny days are generally harder to come by in winter, the sun’s angle is lower on the horizon during the colder months. This allows sunlight to reach farther into your home than in summer.
3. Seal Your Dryer Vent to Keep Cold Air Where It Belongs
Drafts can enter through all sorts of tiny cracks and crevices. Usually, you must hunt to find gaps to seal with caulk or weatherstripping. One commonly overlooked source of chilly air is an open dryer exhaust vent. Seal it with a cover to keep the cold out.
4. Use Alternative, Energy-Efficient Holiday Lights
Do you feel guilty putting up holiday lights? Even though light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are energy-efficient, it can feel wrong to leave them plugged in when trying to lower your energy usage. Fortunately, better alternatives exist.
You can use solar-powered or battery-powered lights to preserve your holiday cheer without spending anything on electricity. Candles are another excellent festive alternative — although they don’t have a built-in automatic shut-off timer.
5. Use Window Coverings to Cut Energy Bills
If your home isn’t well-insulated, cold air can enter through the seams around your windows. Window coverings like blinds and drapes can reduce heat loss by as much as 10%, saving you a substantial amount on your utility bill.
6. Close Vents in Low-Traffic Rooms to Concentrate Heat
Close the vents and shut the doors in any rooms you don’t use a lot in winter — or want to keep closed off to guests during holiday parties — to concentrate heat. This can help parts of your home stay warmer at little to no extra cost.
7. Shake the Dust off Your Refrigerator’s Condenser Coils
Is your refrigerator warm to the touch? Have you noticed condensation or frost buildup? Not to be the bearer of bad news, but these are signs your fridge is dying. Appliances last for a long time, but they don’t last forever.
Aging fridges use more power to keep temperatures low, driving up your electricity bill. Fortunately, you can help extend their lifespan. Instead of paying a high amount for professional repairs, clean condenser coils yourself.
Condenser coils are the metal tubes underneath or behind your fridge. They liquefy vaporized refrigerant, dissipating the hot air generated by the compressor. Clean them at least once annually to increase efficiency.
8. Set Your Ceiling Fan Blades to Rotate Clockwise
Like many, you may assume your ceiling fans are only for summertime use. Did you know that they can warm up your home? Reversing the direction the fan blades normally spin pushes warm air down.
Save Money This Winter by Getting Creative
Cutting energy bills in winter is a tough ask — especially if you live somewhere where it’s hard to escape the cold. Fortunately, there are several unique ways to save money during the colder months. Now, you can grow your savings or treat yourself to an early Christmas gift.
