20 Ways to Save Money on Heat this Winter

8. Get on a budget plan. Call your utility and find out about being switched to budget billing. A budget plan takes the annual utility cost and divides it by 12, easing the expensive peaks of cold winter months. If you have a separate heating fuel supplier, check lock-in plans and decide if one is right for you. Read the fine print. 9. Change ceiling fans to the winter setting. Heat rises so make use of it. Flip the toggle on a ceiling fan to send it in a clockwise direction. It will bring colder air up and send the warmer air at the ceiling down along the walls. Set the speed on low so the fan does not create a draft. 10. Seal penetrations into the basement. Use caulk or insulating foam where plumbing pipes, electric wires, ducting vents and other lines pass through basement walls. Follow manufacturer’s directions when using a water-based foam insulation to spray small gaps between window and wall under window trim. (c) Maureen Blaney Flietner 11. Remove or cover room air conditioners. If you can, remove them for the season. If you can’t, use tight-fitting covers, preferably ones that have insulated liners. 12. Limit run time for exhaust fans. Let exhaust fans run for a maximum of 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing. If the bathroom exhaust fan is letting cold air drop down, replace it with a high-efficiency model that includes a damper. 13. Insulate electric outlets. Put your hand in front of an electric outlet on an exterior wall on a blustery day. Feel a breeze? Turn off power and install insulating gaskets behind outlet and switch plates. 14. Take care of exterior doors. An older exterior door still in good condition will benefit from the addition of a high-quality storm door. Check door sweeps to determine if new weatherstripping is needed. If it is, choose a product that can handle the weather, wear and tear of its location and seal well when the door is closed. 15. Install a programmable thermostat. This device offers various energy-saving options, such as automatically adjusting for a cooler nighttime setting and then bringing temperatures up a bit before get up for the day. The thermostat must fit the heating system—those with heat pumps need one that reduces use of auxiliary electric resistance heat and those with electric baseboard heaters need one that directly controls line voltage circuits. Installing a programmable thermostat is a fairly easy DIY project. Here’s our video showing you just how to do it. 16. Insulate and seal the attic. Seal with spray foam any utility penetrations that run from basement or crawlspace into the attic. Add enough insulation to meet DOE recommendations for your area.Insulate the attic scuttle and weatherstrip the scuttle door. Here’s how. 17. Seal ducts. Leaky ducts don’t let heat get where it is intended. Seal joints with a shiny foil tape with a UL-181 label, duct mastic or duct sealant. Insulate ducts that travel through un-insulated spaces.

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