According to the Department of Energy, 56 percent of the average home’s energy cost is incurred from heating and cooling the house. Don’t be left in the cold by your heating bills this winter. Check out these cost-effective solutions to heating your home for less.

Tips for Saving Money On Your Heating Bill

Keep the cold air out by replacing worn weather-stripping around your doors, and locking the windows. Replacing old weather-stripping is usually as simple as pulling off the old, and tacking on the new, but it can make all the difference in preventing warm air from escaping. The same is true for unlocked windows. Securing them means stopping that cold draft from sneaking into your home, and keeping your furnace from working harder than it needs to.

Using natural remedies to lower your heating costs are as easy as utilizing things that are already integrated into your home. Use the sun to your advantage by keeping window coverings open during the day. Naturally capturing the heat that the sun gives off during the day makes it possible for your house to warm up while giving your furnace a rest. When the sun goes down, close your curtains to insulate the heat that was captured earlier in the day. Soak up the existing heat in your home by making use of blankets. Down comforters and sherpa throws are a common entity in most households. Pile on the layers and pile on the savings by snuggling up in those comfy household insulators.

It is recommended that you also utilize warm weather systems in your home throughout the winter months. Ceiling fans usually sit idle outside of the hot summer months. Professionals suggest that you use the ceiling fan by reversing its motion to the counterclockwise direction. This is proven to better distribute warm air throughout your house and make better use of the warm air that your furnace works hard to produce.

Take advantage of every bit of heat that your furnace produces, by making sure that all of your heating registers are uncovered. The warm air blowing out of your registers needs a clear path to distribute even heat in every room. If your furniture is arranged to cover these registers, you’re limiting the amount of heat that can circulate throughout your home.

Keep your home warm and toasty all winter long with these cost-efficient heating solutions.