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Your surroundings are bouncing with cold antics and filled with glistening snow, and you can hear the excitement in the children as they craft angels on the ground. You’re clad in a double dose of sweater and winter boots. Yes, the winter season is knocking on your door again.
Whether you’re settling down from the holidays, cozying up with a hot cup of cocoa, or enjoying a lazy session of TV show binges, electricity bills inflate during this season. If you want to make the most out of this sweater-worthy season without the headache of enduring skyrocketing energy consumption, follow these spot-on tips for the winter.
Page Contents
- Rely On Natural Ways of Warming Up
- Limiting The Use of Decor
- Unplugging Unused Electrical Devices
- There are numerous devices that consume electricity even when not being used because they’re still plugged in. For example, smartphone and laptop chargers use up electricity even when you’re not charging your devices.
- The same goes for television sets and other vampire appliances. To prevent your electricity bills from inflating, you can purchase surge protectors that are helpful in minimizing electricity costs by preventing plugged devices in consuming standby power.
- Upgrade your Thermostat
- Finetune Your HVAC System
- Seal Windows and Doors
- Enjoy the Sun’s Natural Heat
Rely On Natural Ways of Warming Up
Depending on where you live, you can feel the winter chill from November up to late January. This is one of the reasons why your electric bills go up during winter. You use your thermostat more to keep you warm, but if you leave it low, you can save a lot. If possible, warm yourselves up by wearing winter clothing, sipping on a hot cup of beverage, or a bowl of soup.
Limiting The Use of Decor
The winter season comes with a lot of opportunities to decorate. This can only mean the installation of Christmas lights and decor. If possible, minimize the use of these energy-hungry traditional placements. You can also have these decors timed and battery-opted so that it won’t consume unnecessary amounts of energy.
Unplugging Unused Electrical Devices
There are numerous devices that consume electricity even when not being used because they’re still plugged in. For example, smartphone and laptop chargers use up electricity even when you’re not charging your devices.
The same goes for television sets and other vampire appliances. To prevent your electricity bills from inflating, you can purchase surge protectors that are helpful in minimizing electricity costs by preventing plugged devices in consuming standby power.
Upgrade your Thermostat
If you have the financial resources for it, purchase a new version or upgraded models of thermostat for your home. New ones are integrated with technology that comes with efficient energy-saving modes and programmable features. In this manner, you can control or set it at a definite temperature at a particular time while enjoying the comfort of an accessible HVAC system.
Finetune Your HVAC System
The winter is the perfect time to call in an expert to evaluate whether your HVAC system is working efficiently and in an overall optimal state. Doing so will avoid your HVAC system to overwork, meaning less energy consumed, and less money to be spent on your electrical bills.
Seal Windows and Doors
During the wintertime, limit opening and closing your windows and doors to keep your room hot or cold, depending on the temperature you set. It will also help if you seal any possible openings or weatherstripping to avoid heat or cold from escaping the room, leading to additional electricity expenses.
Enjoy the Sun’s Natural Heat
When the sun is out in the morning and the afternoon, keep your curtains or drapes up so that the room gets warm naturally. At night, keep the warmth by dropping your drapes or curtains for better room insulation.
There are still a lot of ways you can save money and energy during the winter without spoiling the fun. Your local electricity company would agree that one of the best ways to do it is to ask yourself whether some decisions are necessary and practical.
Is it necessary to use the air conditioner at night even when it’s already cold? Or, is it practical to keep the Christmas lights on even at 3 o’clock in the morning? Answer these questions, and go from there.
