With the recent arrival of snow and temperatures below zero it's time to make sure your house is as efficient as it can be so you can save money. There are several inexpensive and easy ways you can save money on energy this winter. Let's take a look...

Programmable Thermostat

If you don't have one of these you should definitely get one. This little guy is responsible for many people saving up to $50 per month on the heating bills. If you have the money for it buy one that you can program each day individually. I also wouldn't buy them from the hardware store because you can find them cheaper on ebay. You can find them on ebay here. When we first got ours it took me a couple weeks to get the times correct (schedules differ), but once it was programmed exactly to our schedule we were comfortable and saving money.

Cost: < $65

Sealing Up Windows

 One of the biggest losses of heat (or cold) is through your windows. If they aren't sealed up you can have drafts which means your furnace will have to work harder. This is a very simple and inexpensive fix, but could save you more than if you bought a thermostat. We have an excellent write up about it here.

Cost: < $25

Closing Vents

There are rooms in our house that we simply don't use very much. They might be storage areas or a place with something in it that you don't use often. Heating these areas of your house is really a waste of money because it doesn't affect you. Close the vents to these rooms (if they don't close right, get a new vent). Many vents are simply placed on top of the duct as well. With the vents closed hot air still enters the room. I put a little interior silicone down to seal them up. If I need a new vent in the future the silicone will come right up since it's the soft interior stuff. By not heating as much of your house you will save some money.

Cost: $0

Turn Down The Furnace!

You really don't need your house to be 27 degrees do you? I know it's nice to feel like your at the beach and walk around in shorts and a t-shirt, but it costs you quite a bit. Here's how to find a comfortable temperature. Get dressed in pants and a long sleeve shirt. Put some slippers on (if you don't have any... get some. They keep your feet warm and cold floors on your feet make it seem colder than it actually is). After you're dressed up (no really heavy clothing, just normal) turn the furnace off and let your house cool down. When it starts getting uncomfortably cold take a note of the temperature and add 0.5 degrees to it. Let that be your daytime temperature and subtract 1 for your night time temperature.

Cost: $0

Many of these tips have to do with your furnace and sealing your home. If you have any other tips leave a comment and we'll add them in.