Staying warm in the winter and not getting shocked by with a giant electricity bill can be a balancing act. You will need to start by finding the cheapest electricity rates. If you live in a deregulated electricity market such as Texas you will want to shop around for the cheapest electric company. Also, keeping the warm air in and the cold air out is critical if you want to keep your electricity bill down. Here are a couple of simple yet often overlooked ways to keep the warm air in and the cold air out so that you use less electricity in your home.
Add insulation to your attic
Adding just a bit more insulation to your attic space can greatly improve the energy efficiency of your house. It will keep heat from escaping your home and keep it inside where you want it.
Install small foam light switch insulators to prevent cold air from finding it way in through small openings around your switches and outlets. Feel for any cold air around your light switches to know if you need to install these.
Insulate your windows
Windows are another place where cold air can trickle in while warm air sneaks out. Keep the curtains and blinds closed at night to help keep the heat in and the cold out. On winter days when the sun is shining bright, open the blinds on the sunny side of the house. This will allow the sun’s heat to warm up your home.
Invest in some window insulating kits. These are plastic sheets that you stick to the inside of your window frames with removable double-sided tape. The plastic sheeting insulates the windows from the inside and helps reduce heat loss around your windows.
Window quilts placed in front of your windows is a simple and cheap way to block cold air from coming in and warm air from going out. These quilts over your windows will be decorative as well as functional.