Tuesday Tip: Staying Warm This Winter & Saving Money

Winter is going to be here before you know it, and that means dealing with winterizing your home and pretty nasty road conditions. Though we can’t necessarily help with the latter, we can provide some useful tips on saving money while winterizing yourself, your family, and your home this winter. And if you haven’t seen it yet, check out our previous article on how to save on your electric and energy bill all year long.

Prevent fireplaces from draining heat
A roaring fire during the winter is perfect, but when the fireplace is not in use it can seriously drain out the heat in the house and leave it pretty chilly. Most fireplaces have an air intake trap which can be closed when the fireplace is not being used, which can significantly help. If there is no cold air intake, there are chimney blocks which can be used, too.

Get rid of drafts with a “draft snake”
This is one snake that you want in your home to help prevent drafts from doors, which can account up to 30% of wasted energy and rising costs during the winter, according to The Daily Green. A draft snake is a draft eliminator that simply sits at the bottom of your door and can be a fun DIY project with the kids.

Reverse your ceiling fans
Did you know some ceiling fans have the option of being run in reverse to create heat? Yup, that’s right, and it really help with keeping the heating bill down during those cold winter nights. Most ceiling fans have the option to go counter-clockwise, try it out!

Remember to insulate your pipes
Save the date! Don’t forget to insulate your water pipes to make sure heat isn’t escaping and to save you money on your energy bill. Heat can actually leech out of the pipes, which means using more heat and insulation for pipes is rather cheap at the hardware store (or you can go DIY and add foil).

Again, if you want more tips on reducing energy costs this winter, also check out our article on even more ways to save. Also, don’t forget to check out our Facebook and Pinterest.