Ugh, winter. I’m sick of it! This winter has been a particularly brutal one, at least from my view in rural northeastern, Pennsylvania. In fact, I realized just the other day that I hadn’t left my house in almost a month because it has snowed so much this season, and the snow plow has a habit of plowing our car into our driveway whenever it snows. Every single time. Cabin fever-inducing snowfall and negative degree temperatures aren’t all we have been dealing with this winter. Winter has also brought with it higher energy costs, especially for our 90-year-old home.

Did you know that half of all Americans spend 20% of their income on just their energy costs? Heating costs account for the largest portion of not just energy costs, but all of your utility bills combined. To put things into startling perspective, home fuel oil costs have risen 237% in just the last decade. Wow, right?

If the cost of space heating weren’t stressful enough, let me give you something else to think about: 65% of U.S. homes are under insulated. That means that combined with rising energy costs, chances are that you’re paying more for your heating and cooling needs than you really need to because of common air leaks throughout your home.

When my fiance and I moved into our 90-year-old home, we knew that we would have some energy leaks around the house that we would need to deal with. What I didn’t know, however, is that even 1 in 5 newly constructed homes have decreased insulation because of serious installation issues. Buying new doesn’t always save you the stress and expense that we all know are a given with older homes.

Check out the infographic below for more information on energy leaks and how to stop them dead in their tracks. In addition to this knowledge and tips, be sure to have a home winterizing plan in place. You’ll save energy and a whole lot of money!

Via: Spray Foam Insulation Kit Manufacturer

How do you save money on your energy and heating costs during the winter?