Every time there is a cold and harsh winter, homeowners respond by staying indoors and turning up the heat. Can you blame them? Unfortunately, cranking up the furnace and blasting space heaters all day can result in some hefty electric bills. The winter cold creeps inside because of air drafts brought in by windows and doors made of low-quality materials. However, there is an alternative to running heating appliances at all hours that can help homeowners save money. The solution to this frustrating winter problem involves getting energy-efficient windows and doors. It's that simple!
“Moving to energy efficiency and renewable energy powered solutions and factories just makes plain economic sense. We are reducing our [carbon] footprints, powering our factories with solar and wind energy, lowering our overall energy bill, making our products more competitive.”
-Harry Verhaar
Get A Home Energy Audit
If you’re unsure whether your windows and doors are ineffective, you can pay for an energy audit to confirm your suspicions.
You can also do your own inspection by holding a smoking match near a window or door. If the smoke moves away from the window or door, the air is leaking through.
Similarly, another sign that your windows are in desperate need of a replacement is when you can see condensation between window panes.
“Energy efficiency is not just about saving energy, it’s about tackling economic, environmental and social issues at the same time.”
-Harry Verhaar
Get To The Root Of The Problem
When windows and doors don’t shield a house from the cold, homeowners compensate for the cold by using their heating appliances. The dependency on heating appliances will run up a homeowner’s electric bills and neglect the underlying issue that the windows and doors need to be replaced.
Trust me, I know. We've had to deal with minus 20-degree temperatures in the past. The result was crazy expensive electric bills.
Suppose a homeowner gets rid of their inefficient windows and doors and replaces them with energy-efficient windows and doors. In that case, they will be able to regulate the temperature inside their house.
This is a significant money-saver during the winter, as well as the summertime. Energy-efficient supplies can protect a home from extreme cold weather AND hot weather. Bonus!
Do Your Research
To get the best quality replacements, homeowners should research local windows and doors companies. They should only buy energy-efficient windows and doors from a business committed to the distribution and proper installation of their products.
What to look for in an energy-efficient window:
- Moisture-resistant frame material like vinyl
- Weather-stripping
- Energy Star certified
- Warm edge technology spacers
- Professional Installation
What to look for in an energy-efficient door:
- Insulating materials like fiberglass or steel
- Weather-stripping
- Energy Star certified
- Self-draining sill design
- Professional Installation
The average homeowner may feel punished for trying to stay warm during the winter when they receive expensive electric bills. Be sure to compare energy prices with usave to make sure you are getting the best deal.
To keep out the cold and save their money during the winter, they can invest in new energy-efficient windows and doors. In short, the energy-efficient renovation is sure to make your home more comfortable and make your electric bills less painful. Stay warm!
How do you keep your home energy-efficient?
Thank you for these tips! Our electric bill is crazy in the winter!
Hopefully, your bill isn’t too high this year!
these are great ideas. My bill gets so high in the winder it is crazy so I will do anything to try to reduce it
At least this has been a pretty mild winter this year so electric bills shouldn’t be too high
Every winter, there are crazy cold temperatures, which means an increase in heating bills. Your tips will be helpful to so many! Thanks for sharing!
How cold does it get in winter there?
These are great tips for saving money on your heating bill, thank you so much for sharing! I have never thought about energy efficient windows before.
Energy-efficient Windows help lower your electric costs a lot!
I have gas heat so it is my gas bill that is high in the winter while the electric bill is higher in the summer when the AC runs. A programmable thermostat will let you customize your heating schedule. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat you could save up to 10 percent a year on your heating and cooling bill by setting your temperature back 7°-10°. In the winter, set it to around 68° when you’re away
We use a programmable thermostat. Unfortunately, our house has to remain pretty warm. My 93-year-old grandfather gets cold easily even in the summer.