Staying warm in the winter is more than just a matter of comfort – it’s also a matter of health. But with oil prices continually on the rise and electric heat costing nearly as much, many people find it difficult to keep warm without spending a fortune. Still, it’s important to realize that if you’re sick, the savings you’ll see on your heating bills will be spent on doctor’s fees and missed work. The solution is to find cost-efficient ways to stay warm. Lucky for you, I’ve got eight.
Don’t Heat Unused Rooms
One easy way to save big on your heating bills is to heat only rooms that are used regularly, such as the kitchen, bedrooms and TV room. There is no reason to pay for heat in the guest room, and I would like to argue that you won’t need heat in your exercise room either (if you have one), as a few minutes into your exercise you’ll be warm all on your own. There are several ways to avoid heating empty spaces. If possible, close the vents in those rooms so that there will be less strain on your heating system. If not, consider heating the rooms that you use with space heaters, which are inexpensive to purchase, cheap to run and will prevent you from heating your whole house unnecessarily. Make sure to close the doors of unused rooms so that the cooler air doesn’t waft out.
Use Hand Warmers
If you’ve ever gone skiing, you’ll probably be familiar with the little heat packets that skiers and snowboarders use to keep their hands (and feet) warm. But who says that hand warmers should be relegated to only to mountaintops? For under $1 per pair of hand warmers or under $1 for a larger pad that can be worn to warm your body, you can enjoy up to 10 hours of warmth. Once you’re warm, feel free to pass them to someone else who can use a bit of heat. And, of course, if your toes are what’s keeping you cold, why not try a pair of foot warmers?
Save Big at Night
One of the best ways to keep warm for cheap is to adjust your habits at night. You don’t need to run your heat on full blast all night long because you’ll be warmed by your blankets. You can save big by programming your heat to turn off entirely during the hours you know nobody will be walking around the home (say, from 12pm to 5am), and having the heat turn on automatically about 30-60 minutes before your alarm clock goes off so that your home will be a comfortable temperature by the time you need to get out of bed. If you have children who don’t know how to cover themselves properly at night, you may want to consider running your heat at a lower temperature that will still keep your house moderately warm, but will reduce the amount of energy used to power your heat. You can also stay warm at night by using a heating pad or hot water bottle in your bed or snuggling up with a partner to generate additional body heat.
Start Cooking
Not only can a hot bowl of soup warm you from the inside out, but the heat generated by your house will be warmer just from the heat generated by the stovetop. I can tell you from personal experience that the process of cooking may also distract you from the cold, and help you stay focused on the warmth ahead.
Exercise
Exercise in the winter is helpful not only to work off the pounds of food you’ve just cooked and eaten, but to help your body heat itself up. If you don’t have an exercise machine, try using a workout video which will get your juices flowing. Not only will you be warm during the exercise, but you’ll feel the heat for a while afterwards as well.
Check your Insulation
If you haven’t updated your insulation recently it’s entirely possible that worn insulation could be allowing heat to escape, which will require your heating system to work harder to heat your space. It’s not always cheap to update your insulation, but this investment will be recovered in lower heating and cooling bills for the next few years.
Treat Your Windows Properly
You may think that keeping your window shades closed at all times is the best way to self-insulate your home, but that may not be the case. Consider which windows are exposed to direct sunshine during the day, and make sure to open the blinds so that the heat of the sun can warm your home naturally. Once the sun sets, close the shades to maximize the insulation of your home. If you are in the market for new window treatments, consider cellular shades which are known for energy-efficiency and their ability to trap cold air within their cells to prevent it from entering your home. For maximum insulation, choose double or triple cellular blinds.
Dress Up
Remember when your mother told you that wearing an undershirt (sleeveless as it may be) would keep you warm? Surprise! She was right! Wearing multiple layers can be extremely efficient in keeping you warm. Likewise, wearing socks and slippers will keep the heat from escaping from your feet. If you can see your breath in your own home, it’s probably too cold. Otherwise, don’t hesitate to dress as warmly as possible to keep your heating bills to a minimum.
How do you plan to keep warm this winter? Share your ideas here!