Bitter cold temperatures will be moving into Texas soon.
That means many of us will crank up the heater to stay warm.
As you stay warm, there are some energy saving tips you can apply to save a bit of money on your utility bill.
Heating and air conditioning can account for more than 50% of a home’s energy usage, according to Entergy Texas.
They say setting the thermostat to 68 degrees during the winter months is an easy way to reduce your energy usage. Every degree above 68 degrees can increase your bill by about 3%. So, if you crank it up to 78 degrees, for example, you could add 30% to your bill.
Try these low-cost tips from Entergy to keep your bill down, while still staying warm:
- Seal air leaks. Install weather stripping around your doors, windows and any location where there may be a path between the inside and outside of your home or business.
- Conserve hot water. Wrap your electric water heater with a water heater blanket that can be found at local home improvement stores and set the thermostat to 120 degrees or medium. Click here for more information on whether this tip would work for you.
- Keep all doors and windows closed. Constantly opening doors and windows will let out the warm air, forcing your heater to work harder to keep the room at the set temperature.
- Ensure fans are turning the right way. Fans should be run at a low speed clockwise during the winter. This helps keep the cold air from blowing down on you.
- Keep the air circulating. Do not block heat registers or air returns with curtains or furniture.
- Leverage the sun. During the day, open your curtains and blinds to let in the warm sunlight. Close them at night to reduce heat loss.
If you're struggling to pay your utility bill, due to the pandemic or the arctic blast, many providers have flexible payment arrangements.