It is possible to heat your home in the winter without your electricity bill skyrocketing by following a few tips that help improve energy efficiency, allowing you to achieve optimal temperature control at minimal cost.
The rise in electricity and gas bills in recent months has made many consumers realize just how much it costs to maintain the perfect indoor environment and has sparked their interest in learning how to heat a home economically. Figuring out what steps we can take to reduce heating costs or which system is the most efficient has become a daily concern that just about everyone is trying to address to mitigate the rising cost of utilities.
Improving your home’s insulation, adjusting your rate plan to match your actual energy consumption, or learning how to keep your home warm without a heating system are some key ways to achieve this, but there are others. Not sure where to start? With the following tips and recommendations, we invite you to discover how to save on your energy bill and make your home more sustainable.
Choose a rate plan tailored to your actual energy usage
If you think your energy bill is too high or you’re choosing a provider to sign up for natural gas and electricity service for the first time, be sure to select a rate plan and a contracted power capacity that match your actual usage.
With time-of-use rates, the price of electricity varies throughout the day. One way to save energy at home is to schedule your household chores—such as running the washing machine or dishwasher—during the hours when the price is lowest, which is usually at night and early in the morning.
Use sunlight to heat your home
Natural light is not only an optimal source of illumination; it is also a free, inexhaustible, and sustainable resource that will be of great help to us during the winter months. Use sunlight to warm your home during the hours when it is strongest by raising the blinds and retracting the awnings to maximize the amount of light entering your home.
To do this, you’ll need to consider the orientation of the house. In Spain, we tend to prefer south-facing homes, which get sunlight almost all day long, making this the ideal orientation if you need to heat the house in winter. In east-facing homes, solar exposure is greatest during the early morning hours, while in west-facing homes, it is greatest during the late afternoon.
Use the thermostat to control the temperature
If you’re looking for ways to save energy at home, your heating thermostat will be one of your greatest allies. It allows you to control the temperature of your indoor spaces, preventing the heating system from turning on when it isn’t necessary. In addition to smart thermostats, you can also use programmable thermostats—a simple way to improve your home’s energy efficiency and save on heating costs.
In addition, when heating the house in winter, experts also recommend lowering our comfort temperature by a few degrees, setting it between 19°C and 21°C. In summer, this range usually falls between 24°C and 26°C. Lowering the thermostat by one degree can result in savings of up to 7% on your electricity bill, according to the OCU.
Optimize Your Thermal Insulation
If you need to heat a very cold house, start by checking your doors and windows. These are two of the main sources of heat loss in the home, especially if the glass isn’t thick enough or the frames are made of metal, which conducts heat.
For maximum energy efficiency, high-quality PVC windows can provide good insulation; however, if you choose aluminum, be sure to select systems that feature a thermal break. It’s also a good idea to install weatherstripping on doors and windows to prevent drafts and the loss of indoor heat in the winter or cool air in the summer.
What’s the best heating system for your home?
Answering this question is no easy task, since it depends not only on your energy needs but also on factors such as building materials, the orientation of the house, the quality of its insulation, and the climate of the area where it is located… In cities, the most common option is natural gas heating, a clean and highly efficient energy source that can be used both to heat the home in winter and to provide hot water.
In this case, the heating system consists of a gas boiler and radiators, which distribute heat to the different rooms in the house. The main drawback of this system is that it is limited to cities with a natural gas supply. If you live in a rural or remote area, the most common alternative is to use an oil-fired boiler, which is a more expensive and also dangerous energy source, since oil is a flammable fuel.
Solutions for Heating a House Without Central Heating
Do you need to heat a home without radiators? Today, there are many “eco-friendly” heating and cooling systems that serve as alternatives to natural gas heating, making them ideal for creating sustainable homes. Among the most efficient are geothermal heating and biomass heating, such as pellet stoves. If you also combine these biomass stoves with a natural gas system, you can achieve annual savings of up to 100 euros. If you opt for a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) system—which can be integrated into an existing heating system—you can reduce your energy bill by up to 1,000 euros a year.
Underfloor heating and wall-mounted heating panels are another excellent option for heating a home without a central heating system, with minimal energy consumption; they are especially recommended for homes with very high ceilings, where conventional radiators are not very efficient.
Small actions, big savings
To offset the heating costs incurred during the winter months, try to reduce energy consumption in other areas of your home. Choosing energy-efficient appliances, turning off electrical devices when they’re not in use, and replacing your old light bulbs with energy-efficient LED lighting are some simple ways to save energy at home.
If, instead of leaving them on standby, you turn off all electrical and electronic devices you’re not using—such as the TV or computer monitor—you can save up to 10% on your electricity bill. Power strips, smart plugs, and home automation systems—which let you schedule when lights or heating turn on and off—are also very useful for improving your home’s energy efficiency and reducing electricity consumption.
