Tips to reduce your utility bills this winter

SALT LAKE CITY — A lot of Utahns are shelling out more to keep their homes warm this winter — about 17% more due to inflation.

In today’s “Save more, worry less,” KSL TV’s Tamara Vaifanua talked to consumer expert Rachel Brougham about ways to keep your utility bills down. She shared some simple ways we can keep our heating costs low.

Got a ceiling fan? Don’t forget to flip the tiny switch on your ceiling fan to spin clockwise. Warm air moves down with the blades spinning that way, giving your thermostat a break.

“It kinda helps create that warmer environment without that heat rising as quickly,” Brougham said.

Another way to feel less cold is with rugs — lots of thick ones spread out on your tile or hardwood flooring. Some ductwork contains dampers to adjust airflow.

Look for handles and marking on the ductwork that says summer and winter down by your furnace. The handle should be parallel to the duct line. Next, change the furnace filter. This is the most common cause of heating troubles.

“I just changed my filter this week,” Brougham said. “I always mark on there the date I change it.”

Here’s an idea if you’re tired of getting into a cold bed at night: grab a hot water bottle.

“You could stick a sock on it and stick it down at the end of your covers where your feet are,” Brougham said. You could also reduce your heating bill by covering windows you don’t need to see out of with bubble wrap.

“Grab some of that bubble wrap that you get when you get that package delivered and put that up.”

Last, try placing a floating shelf above a radiator if you’ve got adequate open wall space. Don’t put anything on the shelf that might be damaged by heat. Another simple tip: cover mail slots or doggy doors with a wool blanket or old towel so you don’t lose warm air.