For those of us who live in areas of the world where the contrast between winter and summer can be stark (meaning temperatures can range from below freezing in the darkest months of winter to the kind of heat needed to fry an egg on your lawn in the height of summer), it may come as no surprise that public perceptions of the passing seasons tend to favour the heat over the chill.
The sun brings about a better mood. We can spend time outdoors with friends and family. We can take walks without wrapping up. We get in the mood for vacations. We also start to forget the cold misery of winter. But this last part is ill advised. As the famous quote goes, there are only two things guaranteed in life, and they are death and taxes, but one could argue that the surprise hike in winter heating bills could be added to that list (bills aren’t taxes, but they’re as annoying as taxes).
If you leave it too late, you could find yourself Googling things like ‘best wall insulation’ and keep your winter heating bills as low as possible. Before that happens, we’re going to look at ways that you can make smart choices now that could help to keep your winter heating bills as low as possible.
Change your energy supplier
Much like car insurance renewals, energy suppliers will continue to supply you with a service without really highlighting to you that you could save money by switching to a different provider. This is because introductory offers are only designed to get people through the door, so to speak, and not necessarily to keep them long term.
This means that where you were attracted to an introductory offer made by your current energy supplier many years ago, you could be missing a trick by not switching and becoming a new customer with another supplier to benefit from a new kind of introductory offer. Speak to your supplier and see if they can match the offers you find online. If your supplier is unable to match the offers from their competitors, there is no reason to stay with them. Remember, if it makes money, it makes sense. Shop around and switch now.
Make use of the sun during daylight hours
In winter, people tend to keep their curtains closed for longer periods during the morning in an attempt to keep the heat in and the cold out. But this is not always the right thing to do. Where the sun is shining on cold days, opening your curtains to let your rooms soak up what little energy there is from the sun can help to heat your rooms longer into the evenings (see here for more info). The difference won’t be like walking into a sauna, but it’s certainly worth investigating as a quick method of heating your home if you struggle with your energy bills. Open your curtains, turn the thermostat down, and feel clever that you’re saving money by using the sun to heat your winter home.
