16 Super Simple Winter Energy Savings Tips

Tired of the same ol’ stuff?

Life always falls into its routines. We humans thrive on that.

But sometimes, you have to take a step outside of your usual day-to-day.

Let’s do just that with these winter energy savings tips. Check ‘em out:

1. Add smart switches and motion sensors to your lights.
2. Seal attic air leaks.
3. Use Energy Star-certified products. Energy Star came under fire a few years ago because of questions about how truly energy-efficient the products they certify are. They’ve gotten their act together since. And you can trust the Energy Star logo again.
4. Insulate attic and crawl space ductwork.
5. Never close your heat vents, even in rooms you rarely use.
6. Use a water heater timer to control when your water heater actually heats water.
7. Install a clothesline to avoid using your dryer entirely.
8. Install a ductless mini split HVAC system. Among many other energy savings benefits, these allow you to heat and cool your home in zones, rather than your whole home at once.
9. Reglaze your windows. It takes a lot of time and work, but you can DIY this one to save some energy. It’s far cheaper than installing new windows.
10. Plug your electronics into a smart power strip. The strip will turn the devices off fully when not in use. 75% of the electricity used by your devices happens when they’re not even in use and sitting in sleep mode.
11. Clean your dryer duct. Lint builds up in your dryer duct over time, forcing your dryer to work harder and use more energy. Quickly clean it out to score some easy energy savings.
12. Drain your water heater out annually. Over time, sediment builds up in the bottom of your water heater. Otherwise, your water heater may need the heat to come through several inches of sediment before actually heating the water.
13. Pay attention to your smart meter. Many power companies give you free software to monitor your smart meter. Your smart meter shows exactly how much electricity you’re using right this second. Login in regularly and learn how to change your behavior for max savings (20%+ annually!).
14. Clean your refrigerator coils. The coils on the back get clogged with dust, pet hair, and who knows what else over time. This reduces cooling efficiency. Use a vacuum and coil-cleaning brush to clean your fridge up.
15. Seal your chimney. It’s beautiful and fun. But it destroys your energy savings. You can enjoy your chimney. Just remember that, if you’re not using it to burn, you should seal it off so you maximize your energy savings.
16. Cover room air conditioners. Unfortunately, these will keep your room cool all year long if you don’t seal them off from the outdoor elements. It’s an easy job. Just buy the right size cover and place it over your air conditioner.

Wow!

Have you ever seen so much energy-savings value in a single post?

Which of these tips will you use first?