15 Fixable Reasons Your Heating Bill Is Skyrocketing

We all want to stay nice and cozy through the winter, but that high heating bill that hits us a month later doesn't inspire the same warm feelings.

Luckily, there have been strides toward energy efficiency in recent years, and that's made many home appliances less expensive to run. However, some still consume more energy than others — and home heating units are one of the main culprits.

But you can't just forgo the heater — heating your home is a non-negotiable. That's why a smart homeowner move this winter is to find the areas where you're leaking money on your heating bill and remedy them ASAP. Here are 15 fixable reasons you're paying way too much on your heating bill right now and what you can do to remedy them.

Are you keeping your thermostat at a balmy 70 degrees all winter long? Then you're probably paying a pretty penny for your heating bill. Dropping it just a couple of degrees can have an impact on your energy usage, so it's worth experimenting with 67 degrees or even 65.

If you can't adjust your thermostat remotely, then you might be wasting money on high temperatures while you aren't home, whether you're on vacation or just at the office. A smart thermostat lets you program the thermostat so you can come home to a warm home after a long trip, but you're not paying to heat it while you're not there.

If it's been a while since you had a tune-up on your HVAC system, you could be spending money just to have your furnace fight an uphill battle against itself. Have an HVAC technician come out for a cleaning and inspection, and you might find that your clean filters and new and improved efficiency leads to lower energy bills.

If your home has old windows and doors that are surrounded by leaks to the outside, then you probably have hot air making its way outdoors and cold air making its way in. This means your HVAC system is going to work harder to try to heat your home and bring it to your desired temperature, which means you're spending more money. Seal up these areas to use less energy.

Is hot air rising to the top floor and then going right out through the attic? It's time to make sure your home's insulation is doing its part to keep your house nice and toasty through the winter. Improving the insulation could instantly bring down your heating bills.

Furnaces don't last forever, and older models may not be as efficient, which makes them more expensive to run. If you've had your furnace for longer than twenty years, consider having someone out to assess whether it's time for a new furnace.

If there's a room you never use, consider closing off the vents. That will force heat towards the rooms you do use, meaning you can lower the overall temperature since they're getting the benefit of increased heat flow.

Over time, your furnace filter will trap dust, hair, and all sorts of other gunk. This needs to be changed anywhere from every month to every year depending on the type. Changing it will help your system work more efficiently, which means you're spending less to heat your house.

Did you know you need to reverse the direction of your ceiling fans in the winter? As soon as the temperatures start dropping, your ceiling fans should start turning clockwise. This will push warm air down into the room.

Is there a sofa sitting over your vent in your living room? If there is, the bottom of that couch is probably nice and toasty — and your room probably isn't. Make sure all of your vents are free and clear of obstructions so you actually enjoy the heat you're paying for.

Sometimes there's a spot in your home that simply doesn't get heat. You can keep cranking up the heat throughout the house to try to get it warm, or you can just use a small electric space heater. This can be more cost-effective than trying to battle against your home's zones.

Many HVAC systems have an auxiliary (or aux) heat setting that will quickly blast heat into your home. That extra effort may make your home feel more warm, but it also takes a lot of energy to make it happen.

If your heating system is set to an auxiliary or emergency setting, it could be adding a pretty penny to your home heating costs.

Not all heating issues are easy to diagnose, and having a short in your system is no exception to the rule. However, if you think that faulty wiring may be behind your recent high electric bills, you can consider calling out a pro to examine your home's electric system.

Many regions offer people the option to "shop around" for electric pricing. Some people can find great deals on pricing, allowing them to access less expensive electricity than they would get from their local supplier.

However, when those deals expire and contract prices go up, you could be paying more to turn your heat on than you were before. If you've noticed your winter electric bill is higher than it normally is, check your electric bill to see if your pricing could be to blame.

Okay, typically when our bills go up in the winter we can rightfully blame the thermostat for being part of the problem. But if you have electric heat and you've noticed that your bills are creeping up, you may actually be dealing with an overall increase to your electric usage.

That's because the days are typically shorter, which means you may rely on your indoor lighting more. Plus, you're more likely to be stuck inside, using electricity to do things like watch TV or cook some comfort food, running up that electric bill.

Want a more long term solution to high heating bills? Purchasing a more energy efficient HVAC system can help lower your overall money consumption and bring down your bills.

Putting this major purchase on a balance transfer credit card or one of the best credit cards with a 0% intro APR is a way to make this purchase without adding to your current financial stress.