Despite Louisiana being known to outsiders as a warm state, that isn’t true all year round, and the electric bills prove it.
Cold weather draws people indoors. When winter rolls around in Louisiana, the average daily temperature could drop to the low 30s outside, which means your home uses more energy to stay warm consistently. As you probably already know, more energy consumption means higher electricity bills.
If you want to escape the cold without burning a hole in your pocket, follow these six tips to lower your electricity bill this winter.
6 Tips for Lowering Your Electric Bill in the Winter
Make Sure You Have Proper Insulation
Insulation is one of the most effective ways of trapping heat in your home. Heat rises and is naturally drawn to the cold, which means if you have any gaps in your insulation, it’ll escape.
Heat escaping from your home leaves your home colder, meaning you have to spend more to keep your temperature consistently high.
The most important place to have insulation is your roof or attic, then your exterior walls, crawl space, and floor. An added benefit of insulating your crawl space is that your pipes are less likely to freeze.
Get Your Furnace Checked
You should have your furnace professionally inspected every year before the winter starts. Furnaces have a wide variety of problems, most of which cannot be solved by non-HVAC technicians.
If you’ve neglected cleaning your electric furnace and there is a backup in your vents and filters, it’ll likely not operate at full output.
It’s additionally important to get your furnace looked at because if it stops working, you and your family will be stranded in a cold house while waiting to replace it or for a repair person.
Read also: Electrical Safety Tips for Homeowners
Be Ready to Seal Your Windows and Doors
Asides from heat escaping through your insulation, it’ll also disperse out of your home through gaps in your windows, doors, and even electrical outlets.
Look for areas of your home that feel especially drafty or oddly cool and inspect them. Use caulk or apply weather stripping if you notice any holes or gaps.
This is one of the most often neglected steps to lower your electric bill, which is unfortunate because the cost of buying and using a sealant is much less than your electric bill in a home with unsealed windows and doors.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
Consider installing a programmable thermostat to control your home temperature throughout the entire day, even when you’re sleeping.
With a programmable thermostat, you can turn the heat down at night for more consistent and deep sleep. Not only will you have a better night’s rest, but you won’t have to get up to lower your thermostat to save money.
Many programmable thermostats even come with apps so that you can set your home temperature from a remote location.
Enjoy a family vacation for the holidays, and turn your heat back on a day or two before you arrive so that you don’t waste energy heating your home while you are gone.
Set Your Holiday Lights on a Timer
Holiday lights, especially if they aren’t LEDs—the most energy-efficient holiday lighting option—use up lots of electricity.
While foregoing lights altogether will drastically lower your winter electricity bill, it may be more effective to set them on a timer or manually unplug them at night.
Read also: Ways to Keep Your Home Safe While You’re Away This Holiday Season
Safeguard Your Home in the Winter with Homeowner’s Insurance
Winter is the most common season for home and electrical fires, which is why it is crucial to have a homeowner’s policy in case of an emergency.
Purchasing a homeowner’s policy can be daunting, and that’s why TSL Insurance Group is here to ensure you get the best coverage available.
You can call or visit one of our four convenient locations in Lafayette, Abbeville, Franklin, or Baton Rouge, and our knowledgeable agents will be more than happy to help find coverage that best suit your needs and budget.
Contact us today to get a free quote for homeowner’s insurance in Louisiana!
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