5 DIY Tips to Save on Heating

DIY TIPS!

The next time you feel a draft, try one of these simple DIY projects. They’re easy, take minimal time, and best of all – cost next to nothing! So get busy and ensure your house will be warm and cozy this winter.

Here are 5 simple DIY Tips!

1. Check your windows for incoming air.
   

   Use your hand to feel around the window frame for cold air escaping. If you feel any air coming through, use seal-and-peel caulking or weather stripping to repair the gap. Although caulking and weather stripping aren’t permanent solutions, they do the trick and should keep cold air out until spring.

2. Check your power outlets, too.
   

   Commonly power outlets are overlooked as a source of cool air, but it’s just as easy for air to get in through these fixtures as it is windows. It’s a bit harder to check power outlets, but on a very cold day you will be able to feel a draft coming through with your hand. An easy fix to this problem is to unscrew the plate and install a gasket from the hardware store.

3. Turn your thermostat down to 16 degrees when you leave the house.

   There’s no need to turn your house into an icebox when you leave, but there’s also no need to keep your heat cranked on full blast. Turning down your thermostat several degrees when you leave is an environmentally friendly practice and also helps save you money. Your high efficiency furnace will heat your home back up when you return home.

4. Use an inflatable chimney balloon.
   

   Did you know that when fireplaces aren’t in use, warm indoor air escapes through the chimney? Since Santa can’t block off your chimney 24/7, we have another solution to this problem. Chimney balloons (sometimes called fireplace plugs) are a simple and cost effective way to keep warm air from escaping and draughts coming back down. They can be found online or at any hardware store.

5. Close off unused rooms.

   Our final and easiest heat-saving tip: don’t waste heat on rooms that aren’t being utilized. Close doors to rooms that aren’t occupied.