When the temperature drops, there are ways to increase your savings. The following tips will save you money and energy while making sure you stay warm throughout the fall and winter months.
Curious about saving energy during the spring and summer? Check out these tips.
Utilize your windows
- South-facing windows let in a lot of light. Make sure to open the curtains during the day to allow sunlight to heat the home and close them at night to lessen the chill from cold windows.
- Tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames during the winter. To minimize the cold from getting inside, make sure the plastic is sealed tightly to the frame.
- Install tight-fitting, insulating drapes or shades on windows that feel drafty.
Adjust the temperature
- Set the thermostat as low as you are comfortable with while you are home and awake.
- Turn the thermostat back when you are asleep or out of the house; it can save you up to 10% per year on your heating and cooling bills!
- Do you own a smart thermostat, or you’re interested in one? Evergy's Thermostat Program makes it easy for you to schedule your temperature while you’re out and about.
- If you’re on a time-based plan, you can take advantage of lower off-peak prices by adjusting your thermostat and pre-heating your home.
- Three hours before peak hours begin, schedule your thermostat to three degrees above your preferred temperature. For example, according to EPA recommendations, if your usual temperature is 70, turn it to 73.
- When peak hours begin, adjust your thermostat to three degrees below your preferred temperature (such as 67) to keep the unit from running too much.
- When peak hours end, schedule your thermostat back to your preferred setting.
Find and seal leaks
- Add caulk or weatherstripping to seal air leaks around leaky doors and windows.
- Caulk is best for sealing air leaks through cracks or gaps throughout the home, like door and window frames. Weatherstripping is used to seal components that move, such as doors and operable windows.
Maintain your heating systems
- Schedule routine service for your home heating systems.
- Replace your furnace and heat pump filters once a month or as needed.
- If you have a wood or pellet burning heater, regularly clean the flue vent as well as the inside of the appliance with a wire brush periodically to make sure it is heating efficiently.
Minimize heat loss from your fireplace
- Keep the fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning, otherwise, warm air will escape through the chimney.
- Check the seal on the fireplace flue damper and make it as snug as possible.
- Add caulking around the fireplace hearth.
- Plug and seal the chimney flue if you never use your fireplace.
Take advantage of your ceiling fan
- Many ceiling fans come with a reversible motor. To make your fan the most energy efficient, switch its rotation when the seasons change.
- In the summer, fans should rotate counterclockwise to lift warm air up and out of the room.
- In the winter, fans should rotate clockwise to push the rising warm air back down into the room.
Consider your water temperature
- Turn the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F) to save energy. This video will show you how.
- Use less hot water.
- Take showers instead of baths. A shower could use 20 gallons of hot water in 10 minutes versus about 70 gallons needed to fill some bathtubs.
- In the kitchen, use cold water when using small amounts, like rinsing your vegetables.
Be mindful of your appliances
- Wait to run your dishwasher until it’s full.
- Set your washing machine to the appropriate water level and wash all but the dirtiest of loads in cold water.
- Set your refrigerator temperature between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0, and make sure both are sealed tightly.
- When using your clothes dryer, make sure to clean the lint filter after each use and use the auto-dry or moisture-sensor setting.
Use smart bulbs
- Use light-emitting diode (LED) holiday light strings. LED light bulbs use at least 75% less energy, and last up to 25 times longer, than incandescent lighting.
