7 Common Sense Ways to Save on Your Home Heating Costs This Winter

The furnace has been inspected and serviced, and you lower the thermostat when you are away from home, but your heating bill is still taking a big bite out of your budget.

Despite it being frustrating to see such small returns, saving money on your heating bill doesn’t have to be difficult.

Consider adding these small things to what you are doing now and see how much you can save this winter:

1. Dress warm

As much as 5% can be saved on your heating costs for every degree that you lower your thermostat (in the 60 to 70 degree range).

While you are away from home or sleeping, set your thermostat as low as 55 degrees to reduce your heating bill – by up to 20 percent! If you have a heat pump, this won’t work as it requires warmer temperatures to run)

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Signs it May Be Time to Replace Your Home Appliance

Few things are as frustrating as having a major home appliance suddenly stop working.

Whether it’s a malfunctioning HVAC system in the middle of July or a broken dishwasher after Thanksgiving dinner, a failed home appliance can mean a lot of hassle, not to mention the cost to replace them!

Fortunately, you can recognize a few signs of issues and prepare for what could be a costly repair or, at worst, a replacement.

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10 Fall Home Maintenance Tasks Every Homeowner Should Do

Change is in the air during the fall season, whether it is in the color of leaves or in the length of daylight hours. During this time, homes will face drastic weather changes as summer gradually fades.

Don’t wait until the weather gets cold to prepare your home for the wear and tear of winter.

Prepare your home for the colder days ahead, before snow creeps into the forecast.

Below are some simple home improvements and cleaning tips you can do this fall:

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How To Keep Nesting Critters Out of Your Gutters

How To Keep Nesting Critters Out of Your Gutters

It’s nice to enjoy birds chirping as the sun rises and watching squirrels frolic in your yard. But, when these animals start to make a home in your drains and downspouts, it can lead to much more significant issues for you and your home. Learn about how to keep nesting critters out of your gutters, so you never have to worry about the complications that come with these little guys infiltrating this vital feature of your dwelling.

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How to Prepare for a Winter Home Emergency

How to Prepare for a Winter Home Emergency
Photo by Taryn Elliott from Pexels

A winter home emergency kit can be an easy or complex project depending on your level of preparation. 

In most cases, people are more likely to take the “stay warm and fed” approach, rather than the “be prepared for a zombie apocalypse” narrative, and while it never hurts to prepare, we will be more concerned with the former approach.

Thankfully, you probably have all kinds of things around the house that would be helpful. With just a few additions and a little organization, you will have a complete emergency kit.

The following tips can be adapted to suit your needs based on your location, the weather and the size of your home, as well as the amount of storage space you have.

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