Winter Utility Bills: Winterizing Tips To Save Money (PHOTOS)

From Terri Bennett, founder of DoYourPart.com:

Don't let winter's bite take a big bite out of your bank account. We've all heard that winterizing our homes is an effective way to keep utility bills down.

Are you looking for the biggest bang for your winterizing buck?

Do Your Part's Terri Bennett shares her "Top 7 Ways to Slash Winter Utility Bills." And, bonus! You'll be going green at the same time.

Photos and captions courtesy of DoYourPart.com

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Comments

[Kenz300]

12:36 PM on 01/31/2012

Seal air leaks -- a little caulking or the foam in a can can work wonders.

Check for leaks around windows and doors.

Seal leaks around pipes and ceiling lights and bath light/fans.

Having many air leaks is like having a small window open in the house. It lets out a lot of heat.

There are a lot of good videos on you tube about sealing air leaks.

[butchcliff]

06:27 AM on 01/31/2012

Do all these things to save energy use, then the electric/oil/gas companies raise their rates cuz we're saving & not paying enough.

[ontariogirl]

04:40 PM on 01/30/2012

Some drafts also come from your front door lock. I have to wait until Spring to replace mine.

[boxjelly]

12:49 PM on 01/30/2012

Good suggestions. However, as a builder, I have one gripe: "Hot Water Heater" is a redundancy.

[ontariogirl]

04:42 PM on 01/30/2012

I agree. I went to the hardware store and they told me it was a waste of money to cover the hot water tank with an insulated material.

[Just4theHalibut]

11:26 AM on 01/30/2012

Minimize use of your clothes dryer. This is probably the most energy-sucking appliance you own. Hang your clothes to (mostly) dry overnight, then finish them off with 10 minutes (instead of 60+ minutes) in the dryer, with a fabric softener pad (unless you really like to iron). My utility room has a hanging pole installed over the washer/dryer, it's quite efficient, and I get a bonus --15 minutes stretching exercise doing this task. This trick, and the "save your warm bathwater overnight" trick, should only be done in a home with good air circulation, otherwise you run the risk of moisture build-up and mold. Any forced-air heating system is ideal. (And in the summer, if you have a porch or back yard, hang clothes outside; that's even better!).

[ontariogirl]

04:41 PM on 01/30/2012

I have been doing that for years. I put them in the dryer for 10 minutes and then hang them up to dry. Even in the winter they do dry. I keep the window open just a bit for air circulation. Takes longer but it works and does save a lot of money.

[lilpeg]

10:30 AM on 01/31/2012

I hang our clothes over the doorways around our house if I can't hang them outside. We have some where our clothes dry in just a few hours. We keep rotating into these. Over the course of a day, everything is dried. We just put sheets, towels, undies and sox in our dryer. Love the smell of clothes that have been dried outside. Hanging clothes also helps them hold their shape and color. They stay around a lot longer. All v. green reasons.

[aboyer1]

11:06 AM on 01/30/2012

I would have one more advice... Move to miami , today it's a comfortable 78 degrees with a light sea breeze, we sleep with the windows open , no heater, no AC.... that the way...very green indeed.

[Just4theHalibut]

11:13 AM on 01/30/2012

In the winter maybe. How about those AC bills in the summer, though?

[baxtron]

10:27 AM on 01/30/2012

I just had the earth warm up, and I have saved lots of money. 40 degrees in Jan. in MN again today!

[willowtree3]

09:43 AM on 01/30/2012

They didn't mention nooks and crannies. Electrical plugs on outside walls, vents,
pipes coming into the house-they all leak air and money, and in most of America,
burn more coal.
Plug the cranny.

[Mensch99]

06:04 AM on 01/30/2012

You can use caulk to seal leaks in ductwork instead of tape.
Insulating tubes are available to cover hot water pipes
For rooms that you don’t use, you can buy big refrigerator magnets to cover vents and buy draft barriers for under the door, or use a towel.
If you take a bath, leave the hot water in the tub until it cools off. You paid for that heat, why let it go down the drain?

[OldCowboy]

12:53 AM on 01/30/2012

#10: Move to the South.

[lilpeg]

10:31 AM on 01/31/2012

And then install solar panels!!!!

[caparadiso]

06:54 PM on 01/29/2012

Ask your wife a question - you will get all the hot air you need. LOL

[Marturia]

04:50 PM on 01/29/2012

We try not to leave the exhaust fans on any longer than needed. Warm air gets sucked out of the house quickly through fans.

[ontariogirl]

04:39 PM on 01/30/2012

I cover my kitchen one with aluminum foil when I'm not using it. When its really windy in the winter it gets chilly from the draft. Don't know why manufacturers don't address this issue. Especially in the kitchen.

[Marturia]

01:46 PM on 01/31/2012

Good tip!

[Chicago Green Limo]

03:55 PM on 01/29/2012

Save green by thinking green :)

[danno1400i]

03:48 PM on 01/29/2012

#1, move south for the winter

[sunsetter]

03:35 PM on 01/29/2012

Um, I could be wrong, but a warmer environment reduces heating bills. Isn't that a good thing?