Heating your home in winter can be a major expense. Most homeowners in cold parts of the country end up spending hundreds of dollars – not just on necessary heating costs, but on energy waste as well. As much as 40% of your heating costs in winter could come from unnecessary expenses.

How can you cut these expenses?

Here are Five Tips for Reducing Your Winter Heating Costs

 

#1: Install a Heater Fan

One of the big weaknesses of heaters is that heat tends to rise straight up. Instead of having a well-heated home, you have a lot of heat building up in your ceiling and not much circulating through the rest of your home.

A heater fan solves this problem. It uses no electricity and runs thermodynamically instead. The fan sits on top of your heater and blows heat to the rest of your house instead of straight up.

#2: Add Storm Windows

Your windows are one of the biggest sources of heat loss in your home. Glass conducts heat and cold, so the hot air in your home escapes through the glass.

Storm windows are a very affordable solution. Storm windows can help you reduce heat loss through your windows by as much as 50%.

 

#3: Shutter Your Bathroom and Kitchen Ventilation Fans

Install a shutter over your bathroom and kitchen ventilation fans. There are several types you can choose from.

Electronic shutters work automatically, but are more difficult to install. Manual shutters require you to shut and open the shutters by hand. Some shutters can operate automatically without electricity as well, but tend to be a little more clumsy.

These shutters will keep hot air from escaping through your ventilation shafts.

 

#4: Reduce Fireplace Heat Loss

Your fireplace can be a big source of heat loss. There are two things you can do to reduce your fireplace heat loss.

First, install a reliable damper. The damper prevents cold air from coming in and hot air from going out through your chimney.

Next, install glass doors over your fireplace. This adds a second layer of protection from heat loss.

 

#5: Consider All Kinds of Heaters

Don’t just look into traditional kinds of heating, such as wood stoves and pellet stoves. Also look into less traditional forms of heating like shelled corn stoves and waste oil stoves.

These alternative sources of heat can often be a lot more economical than traditional sources of heat. For example, waste oil stoves generate about double the heat per gallon than propane. Depending on the recycling situation in your area, waste oil can also be a lot more affordable than propane.

 

These Five Tips for Reducing Your Winter Heating Costs will help you greatly cut down your winter heating bills, as well as keep your home warmer overall.