Turn Down The Thermostat
This winter has been one of the coldest in recent history with temperatures well below their normal averages. to kee
Dress Warm
There is no reason to maintain the same dress attire in our homes from the summer. An easy way to make it easy to turn down the thermostat is to dress as warmly as possible. All those clothes you wear outside during these times of cold can be worn while you are sitting around the house. That ranges from sweaters to warm socks and even long johns. You will probably hear complaining from the kids, but there is no reason to keep the thermostat up just so they don’t have to wear more clothes.
Programmable Thermostat
The best way to maximize your savings on your energy bill is to use a programmable thermostat. By putting it on a schedule, the thermostat can take all the effort out of having to make sure the thermostat stays low and is not running while nobody is in the home. If you are the type that likes a warmer house, it can allow you to keep you home slightly warmer than you normally would and still save on your energy bill.
Room Heaters
A great way to still keep warm while keeping your thermostat low is to use portable space heaters. These types of heaters can provide the same level of comfort, but only are required to heat a single room. The recommendation is to buy a heater that is appropriate for the room it is to heat. Also be careful about how long you let them run as they can use large amounts of energy even though they are small devices. If you are unsure of how long, try using my kwh calculator to see how much energy and the cost to run a portable space heater.
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Please share you ways to keep the thermostat low this winter.
Comments
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January 6th, 2010Trackback from : Online Medical Insurance
I think one of the most underused and under-appreciated ways of staying warm is to wear thermals(long Johns.)
As soon as winter starts to hit, I am almost always in my thermals, which provide a extra layer of warmth, right next to your body.
A lot of people simply don’t know about them or think of the ones you see in old western movies that have the flaps on the rear. So, some think of them as old technology.
The fact is, however, layering is the best way to fight the cold and having a layer as close as possible to your skin is essential.
So, there you have it, my secret to staying warm, the reason my thermostat stays so low in my house, and why you see me walking around in jeans and a sweater during the winter
We’ve been using this trick for almost 2 years now and it really helps. Dress warmer in the Winter and keep the house cooler. Try to dress cooler and learn to manage in the Summer and keep the house warmer. There were some other excellent saving tips like this at http://www.savecreatively.com/MoneySavingsTips.aspx I’m always happy to find new ideas for cutting costs!
Another way to keep the thermostat down is to have an electric blanket which will keep your bed warm and that way you won’t have to turn on the thermostat.
Wonderful suggestions! Usually we don’t use our heat at all … we just bundle up. But this year the cold has been a little too drastic so we’ve been turning on the furnace … but we’re keeping it set low (around 65 degree f). At night we turn it off and just pile up more blankets.
We also make use of every heat source … for example, when we are done using our toaster oven, we leave the door open so that any leftover heat goes into the room … it’s a small amount but it’s something. We also don’t let shower water drain down the pipes immediately … we let the warm water evaporate into the room which heats it and also helps keep the air moist (it’s terribly dry right now).
Take care (and stay warm)!
The oven idea is great. It’s all the little things that add up and make a big difference.
Turning your thermostat down just a few degrees can save a ton of energy. Avoid replacing that heat with a portable heater though. Even if it’s only used to heat one room, it can use a lot of energy too.
It is also a good idea to change the thermostat to use less energy while you are sleeping or away from the house during the day.
I prefer a heated waterbed… I keep the bed well covered with several blankets during the day to prevent heat loss. I’ve also considered using a timer to turn the heater off for 8 to 10 hours during the day.
If you are really on a tight budget and neat to save money, consider having the family sleep in one room. Especially if you can have the heat on in just one room, that will save aton of money. Theres already been some great comments by the others, its so hard to follow up with, anything that hasn’t already been said.
Till then,
Jean
Layering clothing is so much more practical and cheaper than turning up the thermostat. No sense in heating a 2,000 square foot house when you can solve the problem by just putting on a sweater! Thanks for the good info.
Great Comments. Our thermostat is programed to go down when we are at work. The heat will go on about a half hour before we come home, just to get the chill out. Unfortunately, we aren’t in the area where we can’t have a heater. We bundle up and try to keep it as comfortable as we can. Lots of blankets, sweatsuits and slipper socks!
I’ve always wished that homes were built in a fashion where the heating was room by room, allowing you to heat the living room in the evening and bedroom at night, instead of heating the entire house.
I really wish more homes had room by room heating since it would save so much on our energy bills.
Here is a great article I found while researching the subject – http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-thermostat-tips-save-money.html
I just switched to the energy saving lightbulbs. They work just as well as regular light bulbs and last longer. That means less time I have to stand on a chair and change bulbs!
It’s also ok to dress comfortably and warm. Thanks for the tips by the way. It’s really worth reading.