Money-Saving Ways to Crank up the Heat and Conserve Energy This Season

It’s nearly winter officially in Seattle, WA, which means that you are inclined to retreat indoors to enjoy the heat and comfort of your home.

Don’t crank the furnace system up too high though. You’ll get a shock when you receive the heating bills. Instead, you should adopt energy-saving practices and reap the savings rewards.

Change the Ceiling Fan Direction

Even though it is cold outside, you should keep the ceiling fan running, and here is why. The movement of the fan, combined with the rising warm air creates an energy-efficient downdraft in a room.

In the summer, you run the fan counterclockwise; in the winter, reverse it to clockwise. Some fans are even equipped with summer and winter switches. If not, just flip the switch to reverse. Reference the direction that you see when standing underneath the fan.

The one exception to this strategy is if you’ve got extremely tall ceilings (i.e., cathedral ceilings or vaulted ceilings) keep the fan going in a clockwise direction.

Why you Need to Caulk

Those small cracks around your window frames can be a perfect portal for hot air to escape. That’s why you’ve got to seal them up tight with caulking.

Every little nook and cranny counts when trying to make your home airtight. Fill any cracks in with caulking. If you come across any loose or broken seals, you may want to replace those too.

While you are doing your inspection, see if doorways need sealing too. Use weather-stripping to close any gaps between the door and the frame. You can make the door flush with the entryway.

How to Insulate Your Windows Well

The windows in your home let the light in, but the tiny pores in them also let the warm air get outside. In order to make them more airtight, you are well advised to do what you can to insulate them.

Start by applying window film, which is very effective and easy to do. You simply apply the film on the window frame and then guide it with your hands right against the window pane. You can press it in place using heat (i.e., a hairdryer).

Another good trick is put in solar shield blinds on your windows. This is more permanent but is an energy efficient move. The shields convert the sun’s heat to radiant heat in the winter, reducing your need to turn the furnace way up to stay warm.