As temperatures continue to drop, we will soon enter the coldest season of the year, and within a few weeks, we’ll start to see snow falling. You’ve probably already switched on your heating system and are enjoying being cozy as night falls. Did you realize, though, that how you heat your house might be costing you a lot of money or could end up causing you a lot of trouble in the future? Below are four winter heating strategies to help you combat the chilly weather and your heating expenditure. For more information on how to manage your heating system, you can consult the Electric Heating Expert.

Ensure Your Radiators Aren’t Blocked

We’ve all seen how much stuff gets moved around during Christmas. During this period, we need to make space for presents, the Christmas tree, and a bigger table that can accommodate your family and friends during Christmas lunch. However, you need to ensure that nothing gets placed in front of your radiator during the holiday season. Anything placed in front of your radiator, including desks, chairs, sofas, decorations, and trees, will do two things: The first is that it might cause a fire, which is never a good idea no matter what time of year! The second thing is that anything placed there will considerably lower your radiators’ effectiveness since heat will build up behind the object and won’t be able to spread evenly throughout the space. To avoid this, make sure all radiators are clear and have plenty of room around them so they can do their job correctly.

Don’t Keep the Heating On

To ensure that your home is never even a little bit cold, it might be tempting to leave the heater on all the time. Or to turn the heat much higher than usual and leave it on all day. However, using this strategy can prove to be very expensive for you (especially now when energy costs are on the rise). Leaving your heating on could result in even more environmental damage due to increased carbon emissions and isn’t healthy for your heating and cooling system. When it comes to warming your home, please note that every degree of temperature you dial up your HVAC system to adds about 6% to your monthly heating bill. Therefore, if you increase the temperature from 20 °C to 24 °C, your heating costs will rise by 25%. With this in mind, it’s best that you consider alternative ways of staying warm. So, instead of cranking up your heating and cooling system just because you are a bit cold, your first line of defense should be to wear something heavy like a sweater and a pair of thick socks.

Make Sure Your Home Is Well Ventilated

During this time of year, common sense would suggest that you keep all of your doors and windows closed as much as possible. After all, as your mother used to say, opening them will let all of the heated air out. The problem with this is that your home requires sufficient ventilation, especially during the winter months. Due to the heater being on and the increased number of occupants in your home at this time of year, indoor humidity will soar. To avoid the issues that excessive humidity brings (such as mold, respiratory issues, etc.), make sure you open your windows fully at least once a day for a short period. Just a little crack won’t do; throw them wide open once daily and let fresh air in for around five minutes. This is especially crucial in the bedroom, where humidity may accumulate overnight. If it is not let out, it could start to accumulate, making it harder for you to fall asleep. Furthermore, your heating system will quickly compensate for the difference and return temperatures to a comfortable level.