Home Heating Costs Are Rising. Do These Essential Tasks Now to Save Money

Winterize your home with these expert tips to make it a warm, cozy retreat. Best of all, these projects are ideal for even first-time DIYers.

Illustration by The Epoch Times, Unsplash, Freepik

Home heating costs are projected to increase by 10.5 percent during the 2024–2025 winter season, to an average of $982, according to a recent report by the National Energy Assistance Director’s Association.

Since winter is just around the corner, homeowners should start preparing their homes for the cold now.

“Fall is the time to think ahead to the snow, wind, rain, and everything else winter can throw at a home,” Hippo home insights expert Courtney Klosterman told The Epoch Times. “Prioritizing maintenance now for the most costly areas to repair, like the roof and HVAC system, can help homeowners scale back on unexpected repairs in the winter.”

Creating heat is not cheap, and losing it is the same as losing money. We asked a panel of experts for advice on how to make—and keep—any home warm.

Protect the Exterior

ServiceMaster Restore’s Peter Duncanson told The Epoch Times, “Start with an inspection of the exterior. Look for any damage to the siding, foundation, or roof, and get going on needed repairs before winter sets in.”

Klosterman emphasized the roof. “When the first rains of the season come, the last thing a homeowner wants to deal with in the winter is a leaky roof since it protects the home from ice, wind, rain, hail, and everything in between,” she cautioned. “When it’s damaged, water can enter, leading to mold and structural damage.”

While up there, check the gutters. “Clean and repair gutters and downspouts to make sure water drains away from the roof and siding. In the winter, trapped water can freeze and expand.” She suggested adding flexible drain spout extensions to route water in the direction desired.

Make sure all exterior hoses and faucets are fully drained and the valves are closed to prevent pipes from freezing. If the home has portable, window-mounted air conditioners, remove them in the fall. If you can’t, cover the exterior with an insulating wrap to prevent cold air from entering the home.

Clean and repair gutters and downspouts in the fall. Roy Morsch/Getty Images

After inspecting the roof, gutters, and exterior faucets, make any needed repairs to the driveway, walkways, and supports for porches and decks. Icy walkways and driveways can cause slips and falls in the winter. Any cracks or unstable supports can create an even more dangerous situation. Cracks can let water accumulate, freeze, and expand into even bigger cracks.

In homes with traditional fireplaces, it’s important to have the chimney swept and checked for creosote, leaves, or bird nests that are combustible and can lead to backdraft issues. Also make sure the flue and damper are in good condition.

Glenn Gault, CEO of family-owned Gault Heating and Cooling in Salem, Ohio, advised homeowners to add light switch and electrical outlet covers on exterior walls to prevent heat from escaping, and “spray exterior door locks with powdered-graphite lubricant on all locks to prevent sticking.”

Seal Windows, Doors, and Floors

“Improving home insulation mainly means eliminating air leaks around windows, door frames, and the floors, as these areas are where most heated air escapes,” Gault said. He advises filling gaps with caulk and silicone sealant. Don’t forget the basement and attic windows.

Common methods for insulating windows include using weatherstripping, caulking, window insulation film, thermal curtains, or installing double- or triple-pane windows. StepPro/Getty Images

Thermal curtains are a great addition to home insulation. “Made from thick fabric, they do a great job of blocking cold drafts,” Gault added. “However, don’t use thermal curtains if there are radiators under the windows, because they can prevent the heat coming from radiators from circulating throughout the room efficiently.”

Adding insulating window films is another quick, cost-effective consideration to maximize heat retention.

Clement Feng, VP of product management for Briggs and Stratton Energy Solutions, suggested placing door insulators along doors that open to the outside. These long, insulated fabric tubes, also known as door snakes, keep cold air from entering the home. “Put them in place when everyone is in for the night,” he said. He also advised removing screens from doors, if possible, to avoid damage from winter weather.

Other easy ways to keep heat inside include filling gaps in wooden floors with caulk or weatherstripping, or simply putting down rugs and carpets to create a barrier between the cold floor and the room. It’ll reduce drafts and heat loss. Install foam outlet sealers behind electrical outlet covers.

Insulate Water Pipes

Julian Picard, founder of Centerline Mechanical, a heating and air conditioning firm in Massachusetts, strongly recommended making sure that any water pipes in the basement or garage are properly insulated to prevent freezing and broken pipes.

Insulate exposed water pipes to prevent them from freezing and bursting, and wrap tank-style water heaters with an insulating jacket to help maintain a constant temperature. jsnover/Getty Images

His caution comes from personal experience growing up in New England. “One winter, my sister decided to make ‘cotton candy’ out of the batt insulation in our basement. She pulled down a full row of it by accident, and my father never realized it. We had an extreme temperature day for Massachusetts, dropping to -17 degrees, bursting water pipes.”

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Foil-backed fiberglass pipe wrap insulation keeps hot pipes hot and cold pipes cold. Simply wrap it around the pipe. “It is easy to install, and can be found at the local hardware store,” Picard said.

Heat tape is a good addition to foam insulation on pipes in unheated areas. This tape is electrically powered and prevents pipes from freezing in extreme cold, especially in basements or attics where traditional insulation may not be sufficient.

Picard added, “Also, just in case, educate the family on where the water main shut off is located. If there is ever a major leak as a result of frozen pipes, they know what valve to turn.”

Wrap the Water Tank

If the home has a traditional water heater with a tank, wrap the tank with an insulating jacket to help maintain constant water temperature. Reducing how often the tank’s heater has to turn on to warm the water can save money by using less electricity. If it hasn’t been flushed since last winter, do so now to remove sediment that affects efficiency.

Don’t Forget the Garage

The garage is often overlooked when winter-prepping the house, but it should be insulated just like the rest of your home.

Don't forget to insulate the oft-overlooked garage door and seal any cracks. Ernest R. Prim/Shutterstock

“Adding insulation to the garage door itself can significantly reduce heat loss and conserve energy,” said Aaron Cash, co-founder and president of Garage Living. He also recommended sealing cracks around windows, doors, and walls.

Replace HVAC Filters

Some DIY maintenance a homeowner can perform before the technician arrives includes replacing dirty air filters and cleaning air vents. These efforts improve how effectively warm air is circulated through the home. Good filters also reduce airborne allergens.

Replace HVAC filters every month in the winter. Mike Naughton, CEO of Cleveland-based Integrity Energy, noted that “regular seasonal HVAC maintenance can reduce a system’s energy usage by up to 50 percent for electrical systems and up to 10 percent in natural gas systems.” Consider HEPA or high-efficiency pleated filters that can provide optimal air quality and system performance.

Naughton added, “Schedule winter furnace maintenance early in fall, before the technician’s schedule books up. That way, the homeowner can identify and fix any equipment issues before the first snowfall.”

A clean filter allows air to flow more freely through the HVAC system, reducing strain on the system and increasing overall energy efficiency. Nikola Stojadinovic/Getty Images

Invest in a Smart Thermostat

Naughton said smart thermostats can help save up to $180 per year in energy costs. These devices can be programmed to align with the family’s daily schedules, reducing the energy consumed when no one is home.

To maximize energy savings, keep the thermostat set at around 70 degrees F during winter when the home is occupied. When everyone’s at work or school, reduce the temperature to around 60 degrees. He said that for every degree the thermostat is adjusted, homeowners can save up to 3 percent in monthly energy bills.

All these tasks are simple, yet they’ll go a long way to turning the home into a snuggly haven when the cold wind blows. Hot chocolate, anyone?