Winter has arrived and most of us have finally switched the thermostat to the ♨️Heat setting. I’m not calling the rest of you weird for loving the cold. ? I’m just acknowledging that you exist. ☃️For the rest of us, we need to know how to stay cozy without getting a large energy bill.
Entergy Arkansas was kind enough to send us some tips. This is important, because they are telling us that adding heating costs to your monthly energy usage can double your bill.
1️⃣Sealing air leaks:
Use caulk or weatherstripping around doors, windows and any location where there may be a path between the inside and outside.
2️⃣Adjust the thermostat:
Set the thermostat to 68 degrees during winter months, and dress in layers to stay warm. Each degree above 68 can increase your energy bill by about 3 percent.
3️⃣Be a hot water conserver:
Set your hot water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees, or the medium setting. Wrap electric water heaters with water heater blankets, which can be found at home improvement stores.
4️⃣Keep doors and windows closed:
Constant traffic will let out warm air, forcing your heater to work harder to keep the room at a set temperature.
5️⃣Ensure fans are turning the right way:
Fans should be run at a low speed clockwise during the winter to prevent the cold air from blowing down on you.
6️⃣Replace air filters:
Dirty filters make your heating system work harder. Replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
7️⃣Use sunlight to your advantage:
During the day, open your curtains and blinds to let in the warm sunlight. Close them at night to reduce heat loss.
Entergy offers free residential energy audits and rebates to their customers, to help reduce the upfront cost of installing energy-efficient equipment. Visit entergy.com/energyefficiency for more information.