Spring in Ohio can be extremely confusing. Hot in the morning, cold at night. Snow at breakfast and pool weather by lunch! Getting dressed is a nightmare, how many layers, coats, and umbrellas can one lug around? With all these quick changes, what temperature do you keep your house? Do you use the heat, air-conditioning, or just leave it up to Mother Nature to decide the indoor temperature? We want to help you understand when to reach for that dial, when to leave it alone, and how our strategies can help you save money on your next utility bill.

Heat

With crazy storms lately, some families have been relying heavily on their heating system and we do not blame them! It is not unusual for Ohio to have cooler weather well into Spring season, but should you continue to use it? Is it worth saving the money?

-By not using your heat, you can save up to 10% on your heating bill every 10 hours! That means you could dramatically save money in the next few months.

-The positive side of spring is that it usually brings warmer temperatures throughout the day, as well as more sunlight. Open your windows to let some in! The residual warmth should help to heat up your home.

-Cook using the oven at night, this will also cozy up your space without turning on the thermostat.

-Once temperatures start to surpass 60 degrees, you can usually go without the dial.

A/C

Now on the flipside of things, we are no longer used to elevated temperatures, so we may be tempted to reach for the air-conditioning! Try to resist the temptation with these easy steps.

-A/C costs around 4$ a day. Which doesn’t sound like too much but quickly adds up, it can easily top 100$ a month.

-Close blinds throughout the day to prevent too much sunlight from creeping in. 

-Use fans to circulate air.

Natural

Allowing your home to receive some fresh air is always a great idea. By opening up the windows, you can often air out any staleness that has accumulated throughout the weeks. You can actually improve your indoor air quality by opening up the windows! 

-Open your windows to create a cross-breeze in all rooms of the house. 

-Be sure to shut off any heating or cooling system beforehand, or else you’re sending money directly out the window!

-Make sure you are home for the duration of the windows being open. There is nothing like a flash storm to ruin your furniture or family heirlooms!

-Close and lock windows before bed to ensure safety. 

Another great way to save money year-round is to sign up for a variable rate for your natural gas! Have you seen the rates that Kratos Gas and Power has to offer?