With Winter right around the corner, you may be dreading the increased costs associated with heating your apartment. Your first instinct when the cold weather arrives might be to crank up the thermostat in your apartment, but that will only lead to significantly higher heating costs. Fortunately, there are a few easy things you can do to cut back on the cost of heating your apartment this winter. Try these easy tips that can save you money each month!
Use Your Thermostat to Your Advantage
Your first instinct is probably to set your thermostat at 70 degrees and keep it there until Spring rolls around again, but this is not efficient and will end up costing you a lot of money over the course of the Winter months. The optimal temperature for your thermostat is at or below 68 degrees. When you leave your apartment for an extended period of time, like going to work, you should program your thermostat to a lower temperature, like 55 degrees, to save even more energy.
Use Caution With Space Heaters
Space heaters are a great tool for supplying instant heat to a cold room, but they are very inefficient when it comes to energy usage. Carelessly using space heaters is a guaranteed way to significantly increase your energy bill.
Space heaters should only be used to heat small spaces like a bathroom or bedroom for short periods of time. Avoid using more than one space heater and use central heating whenever possible to use the least amount of energy.
Regularly Replace Your Air Filters
If your air filters are old and dirty, your heater has to work much harder to heat your apartment, and this will increase the cost of your heating bill. Air filters should be replaced every three months in order to keep your heater running as efficiently as possible.
Use Your Ceiling Fan To Circulate Warm Air
Your ceiling fan does more than just cool down your room; it can also help circulate warm air throughout your apartment. Most ceiling fans include a reverse switch that will rotate the blades clockwise, causing the warm air that is by the ceiling to be pushed down toward the floor. Using your ceiling fan in reverse mode can significantly help reduce the heating costs of your apartment.
Use the Power of The Sun
Don’t forget about the power of the sun! During the Winter, you should be opening the blinds or curtains in your apartment to let in the light and heat.
Raise the Humidity
Humid air holds heat better than dry air, allowing you to maintain a warmer temperature in your apartment without having to crank up the thermostat. Getting a humidifier is a small purchase that can pay off big time when it comes to your heating bill. Humidifiers may also help with dry skin that people often experience during the Winter months when the air is noticeably dryer.
Layers are a Life Saver
Dressing in layers indoors will help you stay warmer without having to rely so much on your central heating. Dressing in layers and using blankets is an easy and cheap way to stay warm without raising your heating bill.
