It’s winter here in Northeast Ohio which usually means I blast the heat and run up an insanely huge gas bill because I am a freeze cry baby. Not this season! I am determined to get our gas bill under control. Here are some ideas I have to share with you and I will blog about them as the winter season progresses:

Seal Your Windows, Doors, & Other Leaks
Heat escapes mainly through windows and doors. If you can feel a draft by your windows, air is coming in and going out. A way to reduce this is to seal the windows in heavy plastic or heavy cloth. Even if you have new(ish) windows this might be a good idea. Keep fire safety in mind and make sure whatever you use is easy to quickly tear through or pull down.

Your doors, especially the main entry/exit door, let a lot of nice warm air out and cold nasty air in. It’s an extreme safety fire safety hazard to seal up your doors, but at night try placing rolled towels or other heavy cloth against the bottom of the door(s). This helps to block off cold air seeping in.

Other leaks include attic doorways, chimneys, plumbing, etc. Check pathnet.org for more info.

Set Thermostat To 60 and Don’t Raise It
This calls for willpower and discipline. If the temperature is above zero, there really is very little reason for you to set your indoor temperature to above 60 degrees. If you still feel cold, check your windows and doors for cold air coming in. Now, if the temperature falls below zero then it’s reasonable to raise the thermostat, as that is just crazy. More on this, keep reading.

Shower To A Timer
Oh, the long hot shower. Easy way to skyrocket your heating bill. I will stay in the shower till the hot water runs out, ok. But that’s like throwing money down the drain. Bring a timer in with you and shower for 5-10 minutes. This means knock off the chill, wash your funky behind, and keep it moving.

Dress Warmly Indoors
Now, you may think it’s your right, especially if you are an American, to be able to run around indoors in shorts even when it’s very cold outside. Uh uh no way. You are trying to be eco-friendly, responsible, and frugal here! Dress warmly indoors and you will feel warm, and thus less likely to turn up the heat.

Stay Hydrated
This is very important. You need to drink just as much water in the winter as in the summer. Staying hydrated helps keep your body temperature stable. This is important especially if you have poor circulation, like me. You will feel warmer and better and not turn up the thermostat.

Go to Free Places & Use Their Heat
This is great especially if you have kids and you are planning to take them out anyway. Free places include libraries, museums, and shopping malls. Go out for a day, hang out, treat it like an expedition. Pack your food and have fun.

Bundle Up & Cover Up At Night
This is similar to dressing warmly inside. Do you really think all you need is a sheet? Nope! Pile on the covers and dress warmly including SOCKS. If you have a partner, cuddle up with them and share body heat. You can also lower your thermostat even more at night. We’re trying out 55 degrees at night as long as the temperature is above zero. Check this out:

—A common misconception associated with programmable thermostats is that a furnace works harder than normal to warm the home back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has been set back, resulting in little or no savings. Years of research and numerous studies have shown that the fuel required to reheat a home is roughly equal to the fuel saved as the home drops to the lower temperature. This will result in fuel savings between the times the temperature stabilizes at the lower level and the next time heat is needed. The longer the house remains at the lower temperature, the more energy saved.—
from Iowa Energy Center

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