How can I save money on my heating bill this winter?
Winter is here, and with it comes an expected rise in heating costs compared to last year. U.S. households can expect to see higher costs on their heating compared to the last two winters, but that doesn’t mean you need to spend more. Here are five ways you can save on your PECO Philadelphia energy bill this winter season.
1. Adjust your programmable thermostat.
By turning your thermostat back 10°F for eight hours a day during the winter months you can save up to 10% on your heating bills. The Department of Energy recommends setting the thermostat to 68°F while you’re awake, and lower when you’re asleep or away. This can be done manually of course, but with a programmable thermostat you can adjust the temperature automatically, even when you’re not awake or at home, saving you money on your energy bill.
2. Caulk and weatherstrip any leaks.
Seal your drafty house to stop the cold from getting in and pushing up your heating bill. This doesn’t need to be expensive, and there are simple solutions available that you can do yourself. Things like rope caulk can seal an old window for less than $5, and other removable caulks are an inexpensive way to seal any gaps letting cold air in during the winter season.
3. Take advantage of blinds and curtains.
During the day you can open curtains up to allow the sun to warm rooms naturally. During the night, you can close them to trap the heat in. The thicker the curtain, the better, but if you don’t have any available you can also hang blankets or rugs over uncovered windows at night to help keep the heat in. Thick curtains or drapes can reduce the amount of heat leaving your home by close to half.
4. Use your ceiling fans.
Ceiling fans aren’t just for cooling in summer. By setting your fan to run in reverse, it can help to evenly distribute and circulate air and cut heating costs by up to 15%. This draws air up toward the ceiling and then forces it out toward the walls before back down to the ground. Air sitting near the ceiling is warmer, so using fans to disperse it throughout the room will make the room feel warmer.
5. Use LED lights for the holidays.
Ditch your incandescent Christmas lights and switch to LED; it uses 75% less energy and lasts 25 times longer. For a typical household using incandescent lights over the Christmas season, switching to LED could bring lighting costs down from $10.78 to just $1.63. If you like to celebrate Christmas with even bigger displays, the savings on your PECO Philadelphia electric bill will be more significant as well.
Save with PA Energy Ratings and cut your heating bill costs!
Winter doesn’t have to mean a rise on your energy bill. Follow these five steps and you can both keep warm and save money on your electricity bill. And don’t forget, you can head over to https://www.paenergyratings.com/electricity-rates to learn more and compare plans right now.