In most countries around the world, the winter months means a drastic drop in temperature both during the day and at night.
One of the outcomes of this change is an increase in how much you pay every month for your electricity, and a homeowner can really feel the pinch when they start having to shell out much more than they did during summer.
There are a few reasons for this: you tend to stay indoors at home more, you may raise the temperature of your home on your thermostat, and you may use more power-hogging appliances and utilities.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can keep costs down when things start to get colder.
Cutting Off The Cold
One of the primary ways your home may be losing its internal warmth is from drafts coming in through small cracks in windows and doors, so it may be worth going around and sealing them as much as possible.
This can be as simple as using an old towel to block off any air coming in or going out at the bottom of the door. It’s a small change that can otherwise make a huge difference in how much heat your home is able to converse, especially at night.
Insulating The Water Heater
The water heating tank, also known as a geyser in some regions, has to work extra hard to keep its content at a warm temperature when the air around it is cold, which means having to pull extra power from the grid.
An easy way of circumventing this problem is by getting a hold of a special insulating jacket that fits around the geyser, helping it keep the heat from dispelling. These jackets are relatively cheap, and in the long-term they can help reduce the monthly cost of electricity.
Always Unplug Unused Electronics
When we’re not using an electronic, such as a smartphone charger, it’s common to leave it plugged in when it’s not charging a device.
We may think that it’s not drawing any power when not being used, but the fact is that there’s a small but persistent draw all the time, and over a certain period, this can equate to a fairly large increase to how much you pay by the end of the month.
This can apply to just about anything plugged into an outlet, so making a habit of unplugging something when not in use may be worth it.
Switch To LED Lighting
The initial costs of installing LED lighting may be higher than conventional bulbs, but due to the fact the LEDs are much more efficient combined with their significantly longer lifespan, it’s a cost that eventually ends up saving you money in the long run.
Modern LED bulbs can be placed into just about any type of lighting socket available.
Keep Air Vents Open
Air vents around the house allow how air to circulate throughout, but only if they’re open. Any vents that are blocked up with furniture or dust won’t allow heat to dissipate properly, leaving some rooms hot and others cold.
This isn’t an ideal environment if you want to play now, so keep the vents open, relax and enjoy your leisure time.