With temperatures falling and meteorologists predicting a colder than normal winter, the easiest and most cost efficient way to keep your home’s heat inside, while keeping your heating bill respectable, is to add fresh insulation to your attic, ceilings, basement, and walls.  Mark Wolf (of the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association) states that these do-it-yourself home upgrades could cause instant energy savings between 10 and 20%.

Here is a list of four cheap and easy tweaks to seal up and insulate your home that will surely lower your heating bill this winter.

• Update Your Thermostat – Cost $80, Yearly savings $200+

  According to Consumer Reports, a memory management thermostat unit can cut 20% from your heating and cooling bill. You can program the thermostat unit to save heat while you sleep and wake up to a warm and toasty home in the morning by upgrading to a programmable thermostat.

• Weatherize your Doors and Windows – Cost $100, Yearly savings $200+

  This is an important, yet easy step to insulating your home. First, apply water-based acrylic caulk to seal small leaks around doors and windows.  Second apply weather stripping to your doorframes to seal air leaks around movable joints. Last, apply shrink film to old windows, single-pane windows, or unused openings (like a small pet door) to keep cold air out and warm air inside.

• Insulate Water Heater (Pipes) – Cost $30, Yearly savings $200

  Exposed hot water pipes can lower water temperature at the tap by as many as four degrees. Insulating these exposed pipes on your water heater with fiberglass or foam sleeves costs less than $30 in most cases and can save you five times that amount yearly (via heating bill).  An insulating blanket for the tank of your water heater costs $20  but will save you nearly 9% on your heating bill.

• Cover Wall Openings – Cost $50, Yearly savings $150

  Spray insulating foam sealant around the holes for outdoor faucets, wiring, and outlets. Nearly 15% of air leakage manifests at wall openings.  Foam sealant will keep the cold air from entering through these small openings.

Inflation is elevating the cost of living in many facets of life, but a lower heating and cooling bill can be obtained through the methods listed above.  Insulate your home properly and beat the winter chill with lower heating bills.

Federal energy tax credits were eliminated on December 31st of last year, meaning, home improvements on insulation can no longer qualify for the $1,500 tax credit.