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Thousands of homeowners worry about the heating costs of their home during the bleak and cold winter months. It is very difficult to keep the chilled air and frost out of your home in winters. It always finds some nook or corner through which it come inside the house and increases the costs of heating.
Insulation is a good method for keeping cold wind and frost at bay and protecting the house. There are several other ways to prevent the cold from bothering the residents and at the same time keeping the costs of heating low. In the following, you will find some useful tips for reducing your energy bills in the winter months.
Use insulation appropriately:
Start by sealing the ducts around the home and prevent leakage of cold and moisture. Some areas that you need to seal before winter sets in are the ductwork, attic entrance door, cable TV line penetrations and plumbing. According to calculations, inappropriately sealed ducts continue to leak throughout the winter and attribute to around 10% to 30% heating costs. Focus on the scuttle opening of your attic and build an insulation dam for preventing heat loss. Proper insulation and the use of insulate can reduce your heating and cooling costs by hundreds of dollars.
Dress up the unused windows and doors:
May it be winter or summer, there are some windows and doors that we do not use regularly. You should cover these windows and doors with plastic sheets to prevent the heat from leaking out and the cold from coming inside the house. You can also opt for the window kits that are available in stores for just $5. You can use these window kits in simple DIY projects for sealing the windows. You may also use old rugs for covering the windows and doors to prevent cold wind from creeping in.
Area specific heating:
You need not heat all the rooms at one time. Use space heaters for warming up the rooms that you are using currently. Area specific heating will help you save money and preserve energy. Even if you heat the entire home when most of the rooms are not in use it will definitely sip out through cracks and conduction.
A clever thermostat is a friend:
Invest in a programmable thermostat for reducing the heating cost of your home in the winter. This type of thermostat does not need human intervention for regulation, as it regulates on its own. It adjusts the heating system when you are not home and again turns the heat on when you come back from work.
Heat in the eve, not at night:
When the sun goes down and the cold sets in, the wind might howl outside the windows, reducing the temperature significantly. You must heat up the home in the evenings. However, at night you and rest of the family members can simply use thick blankets and rugs to cover them in bed. Turn down the heating system and put hot water bags in each bed, underneath the blankets to keep the bed warm and comfortable.
Install energy saving windows:
Often people do not seal the windows properly and let the cold in. The cold wind that comes through the windows does not let the heating system work efficiently and increases your energy bills. Instead of the double hung windows and jalousie windows, use the cold resistant, energy efficient double paned windows. This type of windows will cost you around $150 each.
Summary:
You can prevent heat from leaking from your house in several ways. Insulating your home and sealing the ducts are effective in reducing energy bills.
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