How to Save Money on Heating Bill with Zoning, Layering, and Smart Heat Sources

Your home needs to be warm in the harsh winters, but that doesn't mean you need to pay a high heating bill every month. If you are wondering how to save money on heating bills during winter, you can consider following smart energy-saving strategies such as zoning and insulation. The primary goal is to reduce the power consumption and heating bills without sacrificing your comfort. 

One of the long-term solutions to reduce the high heating bills is to shift reliance from grid electricity to solar generators. Jackery Solar Generators are essential home backup solutions that can power various household appliances, such as space heaters, HVAC systems, lights, etc., to reduce the reliance on the grid and lower heating bills. Keep reading to learn more about the different ways to save money on heating bills:

Key Takeaways

• Heating systems are energy-intensive appliances and typically use more energy than cooling, which is why your winter bills can spike fast.
• Zoning, such as closing off unused rooms or using space heaters only where needed, can make a big difference in your monthly payment.
• Layering up your home with thermal curtains, rugs, and even flannel bedding helps keep heat in without cranking up the thermostat.
• Jackery Solar Generators can reduce the dependence on the electricity grid and lower the monthly bills.
• You must avoid common heating mistakes, such as leaving vents open in unused spaces or forgetting to clean your filters, which can lead to high heating bills.

Why is the Heating Bill so High in Winter?

Heating is one of the most energy-intensive processes in any home. In fact, the Department of Energy reveals that heating homes uses more energy than other household systems, making up 29% of the utility bills. Heating-related costs make up roughly 45% of the average household energy expenses. This is because it takes significantly more energy to raise indoor temperatures in cold weather, leading to high bills.

How to Save Money on a Heating Bill in an Apartment

Apartments are generally smaller than traditional houses, but heating costs can quickly add up. Zoning and insulation are two effective strategies for keeping indoors warm during the colder months and lowering utility bills. Here’s how to save money on the heating bill in an apartment: 

How to Save Money on Heating Bill With Zoning

Zoning is one of the best ways to lower heating costs and save money. The principle of zone heating is simple: You will only heat the rooms that you are going to use. It lets you control the temperature from spot to spot instead of relying on a single thermostat installed in the center of your home. Here's how to save money on your heating bill with zoning: 

Heat Only Used Rooms: Heating the entire home can be costly. It's essential to close the curtains and blinds to trap the warm air and reduce the bills. You can also set the thermostat to 18 - 20°C (64.4 - 68°F). In fact, the Energy Environment and Climate Action reveals that every degree higher in the thermostat can add 15% to your heating costs. 

Install Smart Vent Systems or Motorized Duct Dampers: You can also consider investing in the smart vent systems or motorized duct dampers. These allow you to automate airflow and adjust temperatures by zone, often through an app or smart thermostat. That way, your HVAC system isn’t constantly working to heat the whole house when only a few rooms are occupied.

Use Mini-Splits or Portable Space Heaters: Mini-splits or portable space heaters are also great zoning tools. If you're spending a quiet evening in one room, there's no need to run the central heat system and warm the entire house. You can run a portable space heater with a solar generator to reduce the monthly bill and also stay warm during a winter power outage.

How to Reduce Heating Bill Using Blankets and Insulation

According to the EPA, air sealing and insulation in floors and attics allow homeowners to easily save an average of 15% on their heating and cooling costs. Besides insulation, layering is an age-old, budget-friendly strategy that can reduce the heat lost and keep the body warm. Here's how to save money on your heating bill in winter with insulation and blankets: 

Seal Air Leaks: Air leaking through outer walls, doors, windows, and other openings wastes energy and leads to high utility bills. Air sealing your home and adding insulation to floors, crawlspaces, and attics can save an average of 11% on total energy costs.

Insulate Your Roof: According to the Energy Environment and Climate Action, insulating the home ceiling can help you lower bills and save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs. Insulation can slow down heat transfer from walls and ceilings, saving money on heating bills.

Insulate Your Basement: Adding proper insulation on the exterior of the basement walls can help you save money on heating bills. However, adding insulation to the basement exterior can be impractical in an existing home. In this case, you can consider installing interior basement wall insulation. 

Invest in Insulated Cellular Shades: Insulated shades are made with one or more air layers and have the highest R-values of all window coverings. Tightly installed cellular shades at home can lower 40% or more of heat loss through windows, resulting in 10% savings on heating bills. 

If you're looking to take the savings a step further, investing in a portable solar generator can help cut costs, especially if you're using electric heaters. Jackery Solar Generators can power space heaters, heated blankets, or other appliances without relying on your main utility grid, which is especially useful during outages or peak rate hours.

Jackery Solar Generators to Save on Heating Bills

Jackery is the global leader in manufacturing solar generators, solar panels, and portable power stations. The Jackery Solar Generators can keep essential appliances running for long hours and reduce the reliance on the utility grid. It is fume-free and noise-free, which ensures essential appliances remain powered indoors. They are portable, so you can move the solar-powered generator anywhere you go. Here are two of the best home battery backup solutions from Jackery suitable for lowering the heating bills:

Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus

The Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus is an essential home backup solution that can keep critical appliances like refrigerators, space heaters, TVs, etc., powered for long hours and lower electricity bills. With the help of pull rods and double wheels, you can drag the solar generator anywhere and power appliances. It can also be connected with the home's electrical panel to switch from grid electricity to backup power during outages and prepare for a freeze.

Appliances Running Time

• Water Heater (2000W) = 2.1H
• Washer & Dryer (3000W) = 1.4H
• Central HVAC System (3500W) = 1.2H
• Heat Pump (3000W) = 1.4H
• Cooking Stove (1500W) = 2.8H

Customer Review 

“This is my second unit from Jackery. Love them. I bought the 5000-plus for backup for the coming storm season here in Houston. Mainly to run the refrigerator.” — David Tanaka.

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus

If you want a reliable home battery backup that can keep essential heating appliances powered for hours, you can consider the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus. The solar-powered generator can lower the reliance on the utility grid, reducing the heating bills. If you want to offset the monthly electricity bills to a large extent, the battery capacity can be extended from 2kWh to 24kWh with add-on packs.

Appliances Running Time

• Space Heater (1500W) = 1.1H
• Electric Blanket (100W) = 14.2H
• Cooking Stove (1500W) = 1.1H
• Infrared Heater (750W) = 2.2H
• Refrigerator (500W) = 3.2H

Customer Review

“Plan is to use it at my home for emergency situations if/when power goes out - which is thankfully not typically very often. Have not had to use it during a power outage yet, but during a day of testing- it performed well running our kitchen refrigerator, home Wi-Fi, lamp and fan.” — Frederick R.

Common Heating Mistakes That Increase Your Bill

If your heating bills are increasing, some overlooked habits might be causing you to spend more money. Let's check out some home heating mistakes and how you can avoid them: 

• Cranking Up the Thermostat: Turning up the temperature of the thermostat may seem like one of the smartest moves, but it actually increases the system's wear and tear. In addition, the HVAC system works harder and increases the bills. So, you need to keep the thermostat level to 18 - 20°C (64.4 - 68°F).
• Closing Vents in Unused Rooms: Many people often think that closing vents in unused rooms will help keep the room warm. But this is counterproductive. Closing the furnace vents can increase the system wear and tear, reduce energy efficiency, and damage ductwork. Hence, you need to keep vents open to reduce the heating costs.
• Using Ceiling Fans Incorrectly: Ceiling fans are known to combat heat in summer, and if used incorrectly, they can lead to high heating bills. Fans should generally run clockwise to push the warm air back down.
• Dirty Central Heating Filters: Dirty filters can trap dust and pollen, reducing airflow and making the system work harder. As a result, the home takes longer to heat and costs more. Scheduling regular maintenance of the HVAC system can not only make it run efficiently but also lower the heating bills.

FAQs

How to reduce the cost of heating?

Some simple DIY home heating hacks to lower heating bills include adding insulation, adjusting the thermostat, sealing air leaks, and heating the home strategically.

How to lower your home heating bill while still staying warm?

According to the Department of Energy, some ways to lower the home heating bill include covering windows, cleaning central heating filters regularly, making energy-efficient updates, adjusting the thermostats, and using fans clockwise to keep the space warm.

How can I save money on my heating bill?

Sealing up windows, doors, and air leaks makes your home less drafty and keeps the inside air warm. In addition, closing curtains during winter can reduce 10% of heat lost from a warm room, lowering the monthly heating bills.

Which appliances use the most electricity?

Heating and cooling systems, water heaters, furnaces, washers and dryers, and refrigerators are some household appliances that consume a lot of electricity during the winter season.

Conclusion

With the costs of heating indoor spaces increasing, many people wonder how to save money on heating bills. Some simple strategies to reduce heating costs include zoning, smart layering, and energy-efficient habits. If you are looking to take complete control of your power use and lower your electricity bills, you can consider investing in solar-powered generators. Jackery Solar Generators are essential home backup solutions that can run heavy-duty appliances such as humidifiers, blankets, and heaters.