6 Simple & Inexpensive Ways to Prepare Your Home For Winter & Save Energy

Many may not recall the parable about the ant and the grasshopper, whose views about preparing for the winter months left the latter of these two insects cold and hungry. While the grasshopper was playfully singing in the summertime, the arduous ant was collecting food leaving the grasshopper unprepared and hungry when the snow began to fall.

6 Simple & Inexpensive Ways to Prepare Your Home For Winter & Save Energy
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We can all learn from the moral of this story by preparing our homes for the long winter months and save energy in the process. Here are six simple and inexpensive ways we can stay warmer while cutting our utility costs at the same time:

#1 – ACCESSORIZE

The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize,” said the character of Clairee in the classic chick-flick, Steel Magnolias and a few cheap items around our house can help us turn up the heat without touching the thermostat:

  • Wear thick socks and comfy slippers when inside for the night
  • Keep throw blankets and afghans on couches for comfort
  • Wear thick layers of warm clothing, sweatshirts and pants

Not only will these make you comfy and cozy, your utility bill should see some significant savings from utilizing these practices.

#2 – HOT WATER

For those with older hot water heaters, insulating them with covers can save between 4-9% on energy costs. It will also help to cut down on standby heating loss by 25-45% that not only saves money, it allows the unit to operate more efficiently. These custom jackets are available at almost any home improvement store, usually only cost around twenty bucks and are easy to install.

#3 – CHECK & CHANGE

Be sure to check the filter(s) in your heating system (if applicable) and change when necessary. While some manufacturers recommend swapping these out every three to six months, when heaters are used more often during winter months, they may need to be changed more often. Check them once a month during colder times as they might be need to be tossed earlier than usual. This will not only cut down on heating costs, this is another practice that makes the system operate more efficiently.

#4 – CAULKING

Another inexpensive item that can help to cut down on energy costs is caulking or styrofoam insulation. Cracks around windows and doorways can leak a tremendous amount of heat and can easily be sealed. Check with your local utility company as many of them offer an energy audit at no cost that can see if this will benefit you and your home.

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