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Winter Is Coming

November 2, 2022 I don't know about you, but I, Krystal, grew up in a pretty cold house during winter. We lived in a rural-ish area where natural gas did not run, thus propane was our main heating source, until my father installed a wood stove when I was late middle-school age. Nevertheless, the heat in our house was turned down low (better for breathing we were always told, too!) while we slept and were away at work or school. It certainly never went above 70F when home. If my parents could see our elbows or knees, we were clearly not dressed appropriately for the (winter) season and would be told to put on more clothes. As I mentioned in a previous post or two, I became a bit ‘traumatized’ by several extremely high bills that clients struggled to pay when I worked for the State of Wisconsin's Low Income Energy Assistance Program. To help our clients save money and be more conscientious of their usage—so they could reduce their bill and help them better maintain their budget—I not only shared these tips with my client’s, but I also implemented into my daily life, too!As we move fully into fall and very soon into winter and the temperature in the house goes up, here are tips to help you save some $:
  • Keep your thermostat at 68F degrees or lower. (For every degree higher you go, you use 3% more energy.)
  • By sealing cracks and holes in the home where air blows and/or using curtains or blinds to block drafty floors and windows you can save at least 10% on your annual energy bill. 
  • Open the blinds/drapes of your south facing windows during the day so the room will heat up. 
  • Put plastic up on your drafty windows. 
  • Keep blankets handy to toss on if cold. 
  • Find a company to come out and do an energy audit, which will create a custom plan on how and where you can save money. (Find one by you here:  )
  • Install a smart thermostat to regulate the heat more effectively in your home. (FYI: If you buy a smart thermostat in 2022, you can qualify for a $60 rebate )!
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