With heating costs being higher than ever, many of us are inching the thermostat lower and lower to save some money. There are plenty of strategies to save money on heating, such as installing a programmable thermostat, using zones heating, sealing up cracks, etc. But this blog isn’t about all of that. Instead, I’ll share some ways that you can be more comfortable in your home, even if you turn the temperature down.
Just one little disclaimer. If you have anyone in your household who is elderly, sick or an infant, I wouldn’t try keeping a low thermostat. Conserve in other areas and keep everyone warm and healthy.
In our home, we have been really turning the temperature down. Our “K-factor” is low. A K-factor is a number that the oil company uses to determine how frequently to deliver oil. I’m proud of that fact, but the truth is, it is sometimes uncomfortably cold in the house. Here are some things that I have learned.
Layering can really help. Each of us at home during the day wear warm clothing with a sweater or hooded sweatshirt to stay warm. I keep the little ones in warm footing PJs during the day if we aren’t going out anywhere. This works well for my youngest, who doesn’t like to wear socks.
We have been getting used to lower temperatures gradually. Lower the temperature a degree once a week and see if you notice a difference. Believe it or not, we have the thermostat set at 60 degrees for most of the day, and we don’t feel the cold. Another way to do this is to challenge yourself. Tell yourself that you will just keep the heat low for one more hour. You may find that two hours have passed and you forgot to turn the temperature up.
Coming soon: More tips on surviving a low thermostat, including some great tips for nighttime.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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