by C. M. Erickson

Created on: December 17, 2010

There are many creative ways to have on home heating costs, many of which are very inexpensive. These cost savers range in complexity from easy things to do yourself, to items that might require professional assistance.

PUT ON A SWEATER AND SHOES

Set your thermostat to 60 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and 55 at night. You will need to wear a sweater in the house and keep throw blankets on the sofa, but dropping the temperature of your house will save you a great deal of money on your home heating costs. Also, make sure you are always wearing shoes - walking around in socks or barefoot makes you cold quickly.

BUY FLANNEL SHEETS AND WARM PAJAMAS

Just putting flannel sheets on your bed and wearing warm pajamas will allow you to drop the temperature of your house overnight. It will take some adjusting to at first, but many people find they sleep better when it’s a bit chilly outside their toasty warm bed. Make sure you have a rug to step onto when you get out of bed, and it might not hurt to keep a pair of fuzzy house slippers by the bed for any nocturnal trips you might make to a child’s room or the bathroom.

TAKE SHORTER SHOWERS

You pay to heat the water you use, so try to take shorter showers. Convincing teenagers of the feasibility might be difficult at first, but perhaps you could allow them to help pay the cost of heating their water if they are not willing to make some adjustments.

LET THE SUNSHINE IN

Open your drapes or blinds during the day to let sun enter your house and warm it. Close your shades or blinds at night to help trap heat inside. If you have the money, consider looking at your landscaping. Deciduous trees on the southern side of the house will block the sun’s rays in the summer, keeping your house cool, but allow sun to hit your house in the winter, helping to keep you warm.

GET A PROFESSIONAL INSULATION CHECK

Your local energy company should know people who can come and check your home for air leaks. These professionals can help you determine where your heat is leaving your house, and recommend ways to fix it.

INSULATE YOUR HOUSE

Consider adding more insulation to your attic area to trap more heat in your home. If you do not have them already, get outlet insulators from a home improvement store, and put them behind the face of every outlet on the outside of your home. You can make or purchase draft-blockers for your windows and doors. Also consider heavy winter drapes for your windows, as they can greatly reduce the heat transfer that occurs with windows in a home.

INSULATE YOUR WATER HEATER

By turning the water temperature down a bit and wrapping your heater in insulation, you can save money on the cost of heating water. Be very careful when insulating your water heater – use only approved insulation, and do not cover up areas with wires.

REPLACE A FIREPLACE WITH A WOODSTOVE

While fireplaces are fun to look at, they are also drafty and inefficient. They allow a significant amount of cold air to enter the home, especially while not in use. Their heat also tends to dissipate quickly, making for a localized hot zone, while the rest of the house or room is cold. Woodstoves, however, are not nearly so drafty, and they retain and radiate heat long after the fire goes out. If you can afford it, installing a large masonry wood stove in the middle of the house will provide a significant amount of heat to the entire home. These stoves cost several thousand dollars, and you should be prepared to chop quite a bit of wood.

Home heating costs do not have to break the budget. With a little bit of ingenuity, you can cut the cost of your home heating bill.

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