The Heating season is already in full swing and one present homeowners aren’t too keen on seeing is an increased heating bill. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, some homeowners are looking at an increase as high as 13% this winter. Combined with an expensive Christmas decoration, this results in a significantly higher bill to pay. However, if you use some of the tips in this article, you’d be surprised how much seemingly simple things can lower your overall expenses this winter. Read on to find out how you can pay less this season as well.

Schedule Routine Furnace Maintenance

This is without a doubt one of the most effective ways to reduce your heating bill. Many homeowners only ever call an experienced furnace technician when their furnace starts giving off signs that something is wrong. But by then, it might be too late to repair these issues and worse off, they may have affected the number on your heating bill drastically.

To prevent that, make sure to have your furnace checked up by a professional at least twice a year, once before the heating season starts and once after it ends. This will ensure that you stay comfortable and that you don’t have to pay too much for that comfort.

Seal Any Drafts or Leaks

Even if your heating system is at its peak efficiency, you’ll still stay cold if there are too many leaks in your home letting the heated air out. To prevent these leaks from cooling your home make sure to caulk all the windows and seal any leaks around the house. You can usually find them near chimneys, sliding doors and downlights.

Switch to a Programmable Thermostat

By far one of the most effective ways to conserve energy is to switch to a programmable thermostat. These devices can be set to start heating your home at an exact time, meaning the heating system can stay turned off while you’re at work and start heating just in time to warm the home before you come back. Some of these devices can even be controlled remotely, via a smartphone app.

Switch to LED Lights

Christmas lights are a big part of the holiday tradition, but if your power bill seemed a tad too high last year, consider switching to Led Lights instead. But LED lights can help you save more power throughout the year, not just for Christmas. Switching to LED bulbs can help save you a lot of money, not to mention these bulbs last much longer.

Let the Sunshine In

The sun might seem completely absent during the winter, but when you manage to catch a glimpse of it, no matter how short, make sure to invite it into your home. Open the curtains or blinds on the windows facing south to let the sun’s natural warmth in, and close them after it’s gone. Natural heating can save you up to 12 percent, depending on how long the sunny period lasts.