Depending on how old your home is, there's a good possibility that it's not as efficient as you may think. Old windows, drafty doors, and unwrapped hot water pipes are just a few things that you can address to reduce heat loss and, ultimately, save you money!


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Hi, I’m Carly Cherry with Cambridge Credit Counseling and welcome to Personal Finance 120 – information for managing your financial life in about 2 minutes. Today we’re going to talk about some simple ways to get your home ready for the winter.

(on-screen graphic: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC))

(on-screen graphic: Unblock your vents.) First, make sure that all of your heating supply and return vents are open and free from furniture or anything that could prevent them from circulating air properly.

(on-screen graphic: Turn down your thermostat.) Reducing the room temperature in your home by 10 degrees at night, and especially when you’re not at home, can save as much as 20% in total heating costs. Also, be sure to have your H-VAC system serviced, or, at very least, make sure you change your filters.

(on-screen graphic: Hot Water)

(on-screen graphic: Wash your clothes in cold water.) Washing your clothes in cold water is generally effective, and could save you between 30 and 40 dollars over the winter.

(on-screen graphic: Insulate water pipes and water heater.) You can save an additional $30 per year by wrapping your pipes and water heater in insulation to prevent heat loss.

(on-screen graphic: Windows and Doors)

(on-screen graphic: Add a door sweep.) Warm air can sneak out of the smallest spaces in your home. Adding a door sweep or a weather strip to the bottom of your doors will prevent both cold air getting in and warm air getting out.

(on-screen graphic: Caulk and seal windows and doors.) The other areas around your windows and doors are also a prime source of heat loss. Seal any gaps between the window and the wood casing, on both the interior and exterior of the window. This should greatly reduce any drafts you might have. For older windows, consider sealing them by using a window insulator kit, available at most hardware stores.

(on-screen graphic: Attic and Roof)

(on-screen graphic: Add insulation.) Finally, attics are an often overlooked source of major heat loss. Remember: a cold roof equals a warm house. If you notice that the snow on your roof always melts before your neighbors, chances are you are losing a lot of heat. If your home has less than 7 inches of insulation in the attic, consider adding more.

Be sure to check out our next video series on Kids and Money. We’ll cover topics such as Teaching Children the Value of Money, Giving Allowances, and Financial Literacy for Teens. Until next time, I’m Carly Cherry for Cambridge Credit Counseling.