As the cold weather sets in, heating your home can lead to higher energy bills. Whether or not you have solar, there are ways to reduce your costs and stay warm without breaking the bank. Let’s explore some practical tips for both solar and non-solar homeowners with a few bonus tips from Our Team!
For Non-Solar Homeowners:
1. Seal Drafts: Insulate windows and doors with weatherstripping or caulking to keep warm air inside and cold air out. You can also use clear plastic over those very draft windows and unused external doors.
2. Use a Programmable Thermostat: Set your thermostat to automatically adjust temperatures when you’re not home or when you’re sleeping, saving energy without sacrificing comfort.
3. Layer Up: Instead of turning up the heat, wear warm layers to stay cozy indoors. Bath robes, clippers, sweaters, and those comfy wool blankets! Small adjustments can make a big difference.
4. Take Advantage of Sunlight: During the day, open your blinds to let natural sunlight warm your home, then close them at night to trap heat inside.
5. Switch to Energy-Efficient Appliances: Use LED lights, and consider upgrading old appliances with Energy Star-rated models that consume less energy.
For Solar Homeowners:
1. Optimize Your Solar Panels: Make sure your panels are free of debris and positioned for maximum sun exposure to generate more electricity.
2. Install a Solar Battery: Store excess energy generated during sunny days to use at night or during cloudy periods, reducing your reliance on the grid.
3. Use Energy-Efficient Heating: Combine your solar power with energy-efficient heaters or space heaters to warm only the rooms you use most. They use far less energy than cranking up the heat and can be room specific keeping the rest of the house minimal while not in use.
4. Monitor Your System: Use solar monitoring tools to track your system’s performance and identify any inefficiencies to address quickly.
5. Consider Solar Water Heating: Reduce heating costs by using solar water heating for showers and other hot water needs, which can be a significant part of winter energy use.
Bonus Tips!
- Check all external door frames. Ensure you have tight seals when closed. Adjust the bottom kick plate if needed for any spaces.
- Use rolled towels at the foot of draft doors if the foot plate cannot be adjusted. Especially, closed rooms.
- In these closed rooms, if often unused, close the heater vents. This will redirect the heat elsewhere!
- Run dishwashers, do laundry, and cooking marathons during peak sunlight hours. Lessening your costs/usage at night.
By taking advantage of these money-saving tips, you can lower your winter energy bills and create a more energy-efficient home, whether or not you’ve made the switch to solar! If you’re interested in further reducing costs and investing in sustainable energy, contact us for a free consultation. We’d be happy to help!
