When temperatures fall, heating bill costs typically rise. But just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you should be paying a whole lot more to stay comfortable. Here are five home heating cost reduction tips that you can rely upon in the fall and winter, courtesy of Quarles home heating oil.

Natural Heat

The sun is still one of your most beneficial and cost-conscious methods for keeping those energy costs down when it gets chilly outdoors. Harnessing its powers for warmth is pretty easy too.

Sunny days means opening up all of your curtains and blinds to let the sun’s natural heat emanate into your home. The sun is a free resource for providing heat in your home on those days when you may want to turn up the thermostat.

But you’ll need to be careful about when you open and close your window coverings for maximum efficiency. Always let direct sunlight shine through at peak hours and remember to shut your windows once the sun has changed position in order to maintain that heat inside.

Buy a Space Heater

Spending less money is always a great idea and when it comes to deciding on running your central heating system or an electric space heater, always compare your costs.

Chances are the latter will be the better bargain. So check out all of the various types of units that are available at your local department or hardware store.

Portable units offer more versatility for convenient heating in any room while larger, stationary units can be far more effective at helping you conserve energy while warming up the room quite nicely.

Kitchen Help

Cooking at home more often in the fall and winter can not only help you save money on food but also help to lower your heating bills.

That’s because running your oven or stove will increase the temperature in your kitchen and adjoining rooms by a few degrees, especially if you run your oven at particularly high temperatures for baking.

After you’ve finished preparing your meal, turn the oven off but keep the door ajar to let all that comfortable heat expand into your home.

Rely on Propane

Among all of the possible options for heating your home, propane is usually the most cost-efficient and healthiest choice. Expense-wise, propane has electricity beat and also runs with better efficiency over natural gas while propane burns cleaner than standard heating oil.

All you need is a tank in which to hold your propane and deliveries can be made on any schedule you wish for as much as you plan to use.

Don’t Forget Your Thermostat

Setting your thermostat correctly is also a great way to save some money. Lower it when you leave the house, turn it up a little when you get home.

Your comfort level is going to be a big part of setting it properly but consider adding an extra layer of clothes or sit under a blanket before you turn up the temperature.

Many consumers will turn to a programmable thermostat that can automatically lower and raise the temperature in your home when programmed to do so at the times you set.