Winter Efficiency Tips For Your Home

As the season changes from a warm fall into a chilly winter, curling up in a warm blanket and enjoying a nice warm drink are all any of us really want to do. As we change our daily habits from enjoying the outdoor beauty of northern Colorado to spending more time inside, it’s a great time to look at our energy-use habits. To help save on bills this winter, we’ve gathered together these money-saving tips for our members to utilize.

Make Use Of The Sun

Naturally heat your home all for the low cost of absolutely free — the sun offers a great, free heating source for your home throughout winter and can help offset some of the costs associated with heating during the winter. During the day, keep the curtains open on south-facing windows to let in sunlight and the heat that comes with it. Once the sun starts to go down, be sure to close those curtains to help keep the heat inside and reduce the chill from cold windows.

Take Care Of Drafts & Leaks

Windows can be a great source of heat when it comes to natural light, but also a great way to lose heat. Doors, unfinished spaces, and other gaps around the home are major culprits for heat leaking from the home. Sealing leaks with caulking or adding weatherstripping to windows can help reduce warm air escaping your home. If your home has a fireplace, be sure that the damper is closed unless a fire is burning, as an open damper is equivalent to an open window!

Find The Right Thermostat Temperature

The age-old debate among family members: what temperature is the right temperature? While everyone has their personal preferences, when it comes to saving on energy costs, it’s better to leave the temperature as low as comfortable for everyone in the house. Be sure the temperature is comfortable for animals as well, as they aren’t able to add on additional clothing layers like we are!

Do Routine Maintenance On Heating Systems

Let’s face it — there’s no getting around the fact that you will need heat at some point throughout the winter. Before it’s time to click on your heating system, be sure to do some routine maintenance to ensure it’s running smoothly. Replacing your heating system filter is easy to do and should be done every 90 days. For more thorough maintenance, hire the right HVAC technician to help.

Swap To LED Lights

Swapping from traditional lights to LED lights is one of the quickest ways to reduce your spending on your energy bill. As the days get shorter and we need our lights more often, ensuring you’re using energy-efficient bulbs can help lower costs. Don’t just swap to LED lights for overhead lighting — utilize LEDs for your holiday lights as well!

Understand How Winter Impacts Your Solar Panels

Solar panels can work year-round, even in the snowier seasons. Once winter rolls around, be prepared for shorter days, meaning fewer opportunities to gather solar energy. Heavier snow can severely or even entirely stop your panels from getting solar energy. Even if your panels are covered in snow, it’s best to wait it out and let the snow melt off rather than trying to manually remove the snow yourself. Not only are you putting yourself at risk of falling, but you’re also risking damaging your roof or panels. Since solar panels should be positioned to receive lots of light, the snow should eventually dissipate.

For more tips and information on how to reduce energy use, save money, and lower your carbon footprint, check out our home energy management page.