It’s chilly and it’s dark. We all know that heating bills go up in the winter and it’s hard to keep your carbon footprint down this time of year. Here are eight ways to stay green during the wintertime: green roof

1. Replace or clean your heater’s air filters. Replacing old air filters or using a handheld vacuum to clean the cobwebs and dust off your air filter can help your heating system work less to get you more heat.

2. Get any and all leaks sealed. Whether you have a roof leak or you have areas that let in too much cold air, it’s time to get everything sealed up.

3. Close up unused rooms. If you have a guest room or some other room that isn’t commonly used, close the vents and doors to that room. This will make it easier for you to keep the rooms you are using warm.

4. Turn down the heat when you’re cooking or baking. Your oven is the original central heating device! If you are cooking a big dinner or baking a batch of cookies, turn the heat down and let the oven work for you.

5. Use solar energy to warm your home. It may be cold outside, but the sun is still warm. Open curtains and let the sun shine in during the day. Extra kudos for having a skylight or sun tunnel!

6. Add an extra coziness factor using rugs. Use throw rugs or area rugs to warm up your chilly floorboards.

7. Close the chimney flue when you aren’t using it. When not in use your chimney is a giant vent which lets cold air in and warm air out. Make sure to close it up when you aren’t having a roaring fire.

8. Line your walkway with LED lights and use Energy Star bulbs in your home. Because the sun goes down so early in the Pacific Northwest, you want plenty of light without burning through bulbs.

We all want to stay warm while still staying green this winter. There are many ways to keep your bills and your footprint low while staying cozy all winter long.

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Tom Leach Roofing