13 Tips to Save Energy This Winter

Heating and cooling are the biggest uses of energy in most homes, so it makes sense that your energy bill spikes in the winter (and summer). In fact, weather is a key factor experts consider when estimating how much people will pay for energy in a winter.

Luckily, how much energy you use isn't entirely out of your control. Whether it’s adjusting your thermostat, weatherstripping your windows and doors, or something bigger like improving your insulation, here’s how to save energy this winter and all year long.

Set your thermostat for winter

This is one of the most important winter energy saving tips. The Department of Energy reports your heating system can consume nearly 30% of your energy consumption. 

You can use less electricity to heat your home by adjusting your thermostat settings to the optimal temperatures for the season:

• 68 °F during the day (if someone is home)
• 65 °F during the day (if no one is home)
• 65 °F at night
• 60 °F if you leave home for vacation

While those recommendations might seem too cool at first glance, you can acclimate to them by changing your thermostat by 1 °F per day until you reach the desired setting. When combined with the rest of this list, you and your family will still feel comfortable, and you’ll use less energy.

Use a programmable or smart thermostat

Using, or switching to, a programmable thermostat or a smart thermostat has multiple energy-saving benefits.

Their main benefit is that they take the adjustments out of your hands. Set your schedule and forget it. You won’t forget to make your energy-saving adjustments ever again.

More capable thermostats can create several schedules or learn your schedule and optimize your heating and cooling for comfort and savings. 

If you are using the new Palmetto app, you can earn discounts to save on energy-efficient products like an ecobee smart thermostat.

Use curtains to your advantage

It’s really this simple:

• Open your curtains during the day to let in sunlight
• Close your curtains at night to prevent heat loss

Even in the winter cold, solar energy provides heat. Tightly-fitting window coverings can reduce heat loss through windows by about 40%, saving about 10% in heating costs, according to the US Department of Energy.

It’s a low tech strategy, but a useful one.

Change your ceiling fan’s direction

Warm air rises, but when it gets trapped against the ceiling, it doesn’t benefit anyone.

Most ceiling fans have a switch that reverses the direction the fan spins. Running your ceiling fan in reverse circulates the layer of warm air near the ceiling without creating a cooling breeze. Bringing that warm air down allows you to run your heater at a lower temperature.

Close doors and vents

Look for ways you can cut down on heat overall by closing doors and vents to parts of the house you don’t use.

Be careful that you don’t keep rooms with plumbing completely isolated from heating though. It’s better to have a slightly higher energy bill because you kept an unused bathroom heated through the winter than to have a pipe freeze and burst in the spring. (Not speaking from experience, or anything…)

Lower your water heater’s temperature

Water heating accounts for about 18% of an average home's energy use according to the Department of Energy. Many water heaters are set to 140° Fahrenheit by default, but most households can lower it to 120°. Lowering your water heater’s temperature to 120° can save energy and protect you from scalding.

Change your furnace or heat pump filter

HVAC air filters capture and remove dust and other pollutants from the air you breathe. As they fill up, not only do they do a worse job of cleaning the air, they force your HVAC system to work harder. Typical 1-2 inch filters need changing about every three months, but may need more or less frequent changing depending on the level of dust in your air. Follow any recommendations from the manufacturer.

Smart air filters will let you know when it’s time to change them and trigger a shipment to your front door. You can learn more, and earn discounts on smart filters, in the Palmetto App.

Check your door and window seals

You pay to heat your home. Don’t let that heat escape out leaky doors and windows.

Check for gaps around your doors and windows — a simple check to see if cold air is coming in works, but you could also use a thermal imaging camera — and then plug those leaks with updated weatherstripping, caulk, or other air sealing materials.

Switch to LED lights

While it may sound painfully basic, it’s still good advice: swap out old incandescent lightbulbs for LED ones.

Not only are LED light bulbs more energy efficient, but they also have a much longer lifespan, by 25-50 times, which will save you money over time as you don’t have to replace them as often.

Get an HVAC tuneup

Even if you’re saving energy in a bunch of ways, you still need to use your heater in winter to keep your house warm. HVAC maintenance ahead of winter is the best way to ensure your system is running efficiently and won’t surprise you by breaking down when you need it most..

If you lease your HVAC system (through the Palmetto Comfort Plan, for example), regular maintenance ahead of the heating season may be included.

Add attic insulation

Because heat rises, an uninsulated or underinsulated attic can vent the heat that you paid for. Adding more insulation to your attic can keep that from happening.

You can install the insulation yourself to recommended levels or hire a home improvement professional.

Check your chimney

Your chimney is a hole in your ceiling that may be letting warm air out and cool air in if it’s not properly maintained.

We recommend hiring a licensed technician to complete one of two steps:

1. If you never use your chimney, you should just close it up and seal it so air can no longer pass through.
2. If you have plans to use your chimney in the future, you should ensure it’s in proper working order for winter, and then learn how to maintain it during the summer.

Wear layers indoors

At the risk of sounding like a parent, if you’re cold, put on a sweater. Not only does it let you nail the cozy aesthetic, if it let’s you lower your thermostat setting, you can save energy and money.

Save energy winter, spring, summer, and fall

Lowering your winter energy bills starts by using less energy and using it more effectively. The goal of winter home energy saving tips is to start with actions that lower your usage, but don’t upset your current lifestyle and habits.

You can learn more about how to save energy this winter and year-round with the Palmetto app. Looking for capable and efficient heating and cooling for your home? Check out the Palmetto Comfort Plan. Another route to savings is generating your own energy with home solar panels. Estimate what you could save today.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the easiest way to save energy in the winter?

The easiest and most effective way to save energy and money in the winter is to run your heating less. The simplest winter energy saving tips to use less heat are to wear warmer clothes, reverse your ceiling fan, and set your thermostat to a lower temperature when no one’s home or everyone’s asleep. 

Can a heat pump save you energy in the winter?

A heat pump is typically three to four times (COP 3.0-4.0) more energy efficient than other electric and gas heating systems.

Are space heaters efficient?

Space heaters are less efficient than a heat pump. Using a space heater to provide targeted heat for a specific period of time may be more efficient than turning up the thermostat for the whole house.