Prepping Positively

Ways To Save On Your Heating Costs This Winter

October 24, 2022 Ann Marie Season 1 Episode 23
Prepping Positively
Ways To Save On Your Heating Costs This Winter
Show Notes Transcript

In this episode I am going to teach you how to cut some of those costs on your power bill over the winter months on your farm or homestead.

Episode 23 - PP

Ways To Save On Your Heating Costs For Your Farm Or Homestead

Last week we talked about getting ready for winter on your property. This week we are going to talk about things you can do now to save some money on those heating costs. Are you ready? Here we go...

Hi and welcome back to the Prepping Positively Podcast. I’m Annie and today we are talking about saving money on your heating costs this winter.

I don’t know about you, but on my property here in Central Florida, everything is electric. I have solar being installed as we speak, but we will still be on the grid as I couldn’t afford to be completely off the grid at this current time.

That means for us our electric bill runs about $397.00 a month. And that is on a budget! It’s crazy. We always look for ways to cut the expense of electric here and winter is the perfect time to do it. I know the solar will allow me to pay much less, but I still want to cut as much of the bill as possible.

One of the first things we did was to install a wood stove in the main house. It was installed in my dining room and I love it! It does mean we have to stock up on firewood all year, which I have done. It also means I need to constantly feed it when it is cold. But the savings of not running the heat with electric is worth the manual work.

So installing a wood stove is my first suggestion. Shop around on Craigslist and Facebook marketplace. Often in the summer you can find these cheap. The later in the year it is the more the price seems to increase. If you are lucky enough o have a fireplace, learn how to use it effectively to heat at least part of your home.

My second suggestion to cut the electricity consumption is to switch to a gas stove. Your oven and stove, being electric draws a lot of electricity. And another plus of having a gas stove is that when the power is out, you can still use your stove!

If a gas stove is not an option as some people don’t prefer them, consider propane. We have no natural gas available, only propane so my “gas” stove is actually run off propane. And that is a plus because having such a large propane tank means I can use my smaller tanks for my gas grill!

Now I can cook inside when the weather is cold and crappy and outside on the gas grill when it is fair. If you have a covered or enclosed porch, you can cook outside year- round even in the coldest climates. We have a propane outdoor stand heater for our porch which makes outdoor cooking very comfortable even in the coldest days here.

Now what about other areas of the home?

Let’s start with the windows. First there are quite a few options to keep the heat from escaping and the cold from entering through your windows.

First of all, check the seal around your windows. Do they need caulked, or does some type of weatherstripping need replaced? Get that done. Those drafts run the heating bill up.

Covering your windows with blackout or insulated drapes is another option. When it is sunny outside open the drapes to let the sun heat the room, but when the sun disappears, close those drapes.

Many northern homes apply plastic to the windows to keep drafts out. This is easily installed with a form of double sided tape then, a warm blowdryer is used to shrink the plastic to make it clear.

The last, most expensive option is to replace those single pane windows with newer double pane windows of course.

The same advice goes for doors. Check the seal and the weatherstripping and replace it if necessary. Use a door draft stopper at the bottom to help keep the cold out. Even a sweep that can be mounted to the door by the floor will help.

The next suggestions is to lower the thermostat and wear more clothes. This is especially helpful at night. If it seems cold, add more blankets and even socks. Most people sleep better in the colder nighttime temperatures anyway.

Another great way to cut down on the electric bill in winter is to turn off the lights and unplug used appliances. After all every bit helps.

Try to avoid space heaters. However, if that is all you have then make sure you choose the most economical and energy-efficient ones you can afford.

If your thermostat is in the main part of your house, close off any rooms that are not occupied. If you have two guest bedrooms, shut the vents in those rooms and block the bottom of the door with a draft stopper. It will take less energy to heat the homes used areas if the heat doesn’t have to travel as far.

Open the laundry room door when your dryer is running. The heat will make its way out of the laundry room and into the main home.

Another way to cut electricity costs is to use ceiling fans. Heat rises. So blowing the heat down will help to circulate the warmer air throughout the home. Just reverse the blades from summer use.

Now, lastly, if you have some money to spend, consider better installation. From an attic to a crawlspace under your home to a basement there are many ways of adding the correct insulation to your home. If you don’t have the knowledge or skills to do so, call in the professionals.

So I hope some of these suggestions I have made today will help you cut some of the costs of your heating bills this winter. Get a jump start on it and start these preparations now though, before the cold air hits.

Well, that’s all I have for this week. Come back. Next week when we talk about the “old-time” skills you can learn during the winter. Til then, stay warm, and stay prepared.