Ways to manage your heating bill in historic cold
MADISON (WKOW) — Chances are your furnace has been working overtime in this week’s historic cold, and there’s still a lot of winter left to go.
Alliant Energy recommends the following ways to keep your heating costs manageable for the rest of the season:
- Sign up for budget billing. That way you pay a fixed bill every month based on how much your bills have previously been.
- Open the shades during the day. The sun will bring heat in. Close them at night.
- Lower the thermostat at night or when you leave. Alliant Energy reports you can save as much as 10% a year on heating if you turn your thermostat back seven to 10 degrees from its normal setting.
- Turn fans off when finished. Ventilating fans can blow out a house-full of heated air.
- Evaluate if you’re eligible for energy assistance. Households with an income lower than 60% of the state median may be eligible for help. In Wisconsin that’s $52,846 for a family of four.
