As temperatures fall and holiday celebrations ramp up, your utility bill might be higher than usual.
Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Senior Outreach and Education Specialist Kathryn Metz says three sources account for almost all the energy used in homes: heating, lighting and appliances.
Making small changes to the way you use each can save energy — and money. Here are six tips for how:
1. Pay attention to your thermostat
Furnaces are the biggest energy users in most houses, Metz says. Turning the thermostat down a few degrees can reduce the cost of your utility bill.
“The most economical temperature setting is about 68 to 70 degrees,” Metz said.
Lowering the temperature at night, before company comes over and when you leave the house is an easy way to keep people comfortable and energy use lower.
“If you set your thermostat back seven to 10 degrees while you're away from the house each day, you can save 10% on your heating bills,” Metz said.
She suggests using a programmable thermostat to automatically change the temperature.
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2. Opt for LED holiday lights
Quintessential holiday light displays require electricity to shine. Metz recommends decorating with LEDs rather than traditional incandescent bulbs.
“Using LEDs can reduce the cost to power those lights by more than 80%,” Metz said.
Though LEDs have a higher up-front cost than incandescent lights, they ultimately save money because of their lower energy use and longer lives, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
3. Cook with smaller appliances
Holiday celebrations and family meals can feed into your utility bill. Using the oven less is one way to lower costs.
“If you can, try to use smaller appliances — so, a Crock Pot rather than keeping the stove on all day, or an air fryer or toaster oven, rather than heating up your entire oven,” Metz said.
If you need to use the oven, limit the number of times you open the door to peek at your food. Try using the light to check on it instead.
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4. Seal leaky windows and doors
Check around your windows, doors, outlets and fireplace to feel if they are letting any cold air into the house. Sealing leaks will make your home easier to heat.
“If you have older windows, we recommend either installing storm windows for better insulation or purchasing an insulation kit to put plastic film over the windows,” Metz said. “You can also use thick drapes or curtains on your windows.”
Adding weather stripping to doors and sealing window leaks with caulk can also keep the warm air in your house.
5. Check your water heater
Metz says water heaters are another expensive energy user in homes.
“I recommend consumers go and check the temperature that it's set to 120 degrees or less — it’s the most economical temperature setting on those water heaters,” Metz said.
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6. Change your furnace filter
A dirty furnace filter makes your heating system work harder — using more energy and increasing costs.
Metz says furnace filters should be replaced every one to three months, or as directed.