8 Smart Energy Usages to Cut Down on Your Heating Bills

With the rapid development of technology, expensive energy consumption bills should belong to the past. However, the majority of people is not familiar with the goods of smart energy which results in high utility costs. It is a never-ending circle; you use more energy to get better results in your home (for example, heating or having lights on all the time in the winter), then you have to pay that overconsumption.  

How can you escape this? The answer is very simple; through smart energy use!

Smart energy usage means using modern devices that significantly help lower costs, they are environmentally friendly and require minimum power consumption. Contrary to what many think; these gadgets are usually not as expensive or, if they are, money is quickly recouped.

Using Smart Energy

Smart Thermostats

Intelligent thermostats are one of the most efficient ways of cutting down your heating bills. Manual conventional thermostats are usually set at a higher temperature than required for comfort inside your home. An upgraded version of thermostats can analyze outside elements and adjust the temperature of your interior for maximum efficiency without compromising comfort in your property.

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

Many people still fail to see the perks of LED light bulbs. The most straightforward thing you can do to save power and cut down bills is replacing traditional light bulbs in your home with energy saving version. They use up to 90 percent less energy! It is also known that they last much longer than ordinary lights. Changing bulbs requires minimum effort and it can bring you a profit of 300 dollars per year.

Energy Star Appliances

Energy Star appliances are appliances certified for using less energy and being eco-friendly. Usually, they represent a higher initial cost, but they last longer and use less power than conventional machines. There are energy star appliances alternatives for almost every white piece of technology such as washing machines, refrigerators, dish machine, etc. Certified appliances are usually 15 to 30 percent more efficient than regular versions.

Energy Monitor

An energy monitor is a gadget that allows you to follow your energy consumption and cost estimate in real time. Although this does not sound as useful, being aware of the consumption can significantly help you control your appliances. An energy monitor can be purchased for only 25 dollars.

Tips for Cutting Heating Bills

Besides smart devices, there are some old-fashioned ways of how you can control your heating bills and energy consumption. Tips for heating listed below are easy to implement and they mostly depend on you.

Natural Source

We tend to neglect our primary source of heat and light; Sun.  Instead of turning up the thermostat, try to open up your window covers or shutter. Even if it is not sunny outside, you will still get a certain amount of heat. Except for this old-fashioned tip, focus on solar energy devices. For instance, solar roofing is growing popular due to energy savings it provides. Using solar thermal collector that uses sunlight for water heating, it can also turn out to be significantly profitable from the long-term perspective.

Insulation

Home insulation is a number one tip when it comes to cutting down heating bills. Without proper insulation, energy and heat simply slip through our home, and the cold air comes in. Most critical places for insulation are windows, doors, attic, and roof. The good thing about insulation is that you can do it on your own, so it doesn’t require as much money as you think it would.  There are countless insulation guides online that simplify the process.  For windows insulation, you can use a plastic sheet or film, and doors can be secured with some caulk and weatherstripping. On the other hand, roof insulation requires knowledge so it would be best to consult with a professional.

Inspect Critical Spots

The most often cause of high heating bills are cracks around critical places. Cracks allow cold air to enter your home, so you always need to heat your home. That is why inspection is the key to lower heating bills: make sure to check places such as chimneys, doors threshold, pipes or penetrated ceilings at least once a month.

Ensure Proper Air Flow

Sometimes homeowners, unaware of the effect, put a piece of furniture on top of the heating registers to „mask“ them. That, however, can cause many problems when it comes to heating. First of all, temperatures in your home won’t be balanced – one room will be colder than the other. Second, you will never get the right amount of heat, but you will still use too much power. Therefore, balancing airflow and ensuring clear space for registers are basic steps towards lower heating bills.