As you may know, heating your home during the winter months can consume a lot of electricity, especially if you’re not taking steps to maximize efficiency. In colder regions, utility bill amounts can climb to unpleasant levels during the coldest months of the year. In particularly frigid climates, many people wind up keeping their home heated 24/7, as waiting for it to heat up again after arriving home from work or school is simply too much of an inconvenience. Fortunately, here are four ways you can keep your home warm while also minimizing your energy expenditure:
1. Use an MVHR System
Nuaire’s MVHR systems (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) – which you can find out more about here: can provide an effective way to capture heat that would otherwise escape and recirculate it back throughout your home. These systems help you re-use up to 95% of the heat that would otherwise radiate and dissipate out of your home on an ongoing basis. Installing an MVHR system is one of the most effective ways to reduce the cost of your monthly heating bill.
2. Keep Interior Doors Shut
You might think that shutting the front, back, and side doors, as well as the exterior windows, are the most important steps to seal the heat inside your home. However, leaving interior doors open can increase the overall square footage that each heater or vent needs to cover. Keep all the doors closed inside and you’ll be giving the heat more barriers to pass through before it can attempt to exit the home.
3. Upgrade Insulation and Weatherization
Upgrading your home’s insulation through a thorough weatherization process can help you save anywhere from 10% to 30% on your annual electricity bill. Consult with a weatherization or insulation specialist in your area to determine if your home has any significant heat leaks that need to be corrected. Sometimes, something as simple as caulking cracks or sealing the doors and windows can have a noticeable saving effect.
4. Layer Up and Lower the Thermostat
Did you know that lowering your thermostat by just 1 degree can save you roughly 10% per year on electricity? That’s not major but it’s certainly a tangible saving that could be put towards gifts during the holiday season instead of paid out to your utility provider. If you’re really serious about minimising your electricity bill, try finding the lowest temperature that you can comfortably tolerate when wearing layers of clothing. Although walking around inside your own home fully geared up in a coat and hat wouldn’t exactly be comfortable, you can use robes, blankets, hoodies, and slippers to make it a cosier process.
Bonus Tip: Make the Most Out Of Your Oven’s Heat
As you may know, ovens have built-in heat ventilation systems that let the generated heat escape slowly. If you open the oven and let it stay open for about 10-20 minutes after you use it to cook, you can give your home a quick heating boost and turn off the central heating system for about a half an hour. If you’re going to be using the oven to cook anyway, you might as well be getting the most out of the home heating it can provide.
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