During the winter months, it can be difficult to stay warm and comfortable in your home. If you’re worried about how much heat you’ll need to be cozy when it’s cold out, here are some tips to help keep your home warm and save money.
Let the sunshine in
On sunny days, open draperies and shades on south-facing windows to allow more sunlight and heat during the day.
Keep the heat in
Close draperies or shades at night to conserve heat.
Smart thermostats can help you track energy usage data.
Showers will help moisten air
Open bathroom doors after taking a shower to allow warm, moist air to circulate.
Don’t use exhaust fans, if possible
Use bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans sparingly. They can quickly pull warm air from your home.
Lower the thermostat
Keep your thermostat on the lowest, most comfortable setting when you’re home. Lower it even more during the day when no one is home and overnight while you are sleeping.
Keep air vents clear
Move furnishings away from floor or return air vents.
Reverse your ceiling fan
Set ceiling fan rotation to clockwise at low speed to help push warm air down.
Install a smart thermostat
A smart thermostat will automatically adjust to energy saving temperatures and give you better energy usage data.
Additional Energy Efficiency Tips
- Keep the outdoor component of your HVAC system or heat pump clear of obstructions, including snow.
- Have your furnace and ductwork inspected annually. Loose or broken ductwork accounts for 15-35% of a home’s energy loss.
- Change furnace filters every month.
- Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows that leak air.
- Unless your fireplace is equipped specifically for home heating, use it sparingly. Warm air escapes through the chimney.
- Close the damper when you're not using your fireplace.
- Install a humidifier and set it at 35% to 40% humidity in the winter. This will help your home feel warmer at a lower temperature setting.
- Vacuum or dust air registers regularly and make sure they’re not blocked by obstacles like furniture.
Sign up for Average Monthly Billing
Avoid the spike of winter bills by signing up for Average Monthly Billing. With AMP, you can have stable bills by spreading the cost of heating and cooling over the whole year. Get started at SWEPCO.com/AMP.